The award recognizes a local person for their services, time and talent to those in need in the New Ulm area without seeking recognition in return for their time. The Service to Mankind award is the highest honor Sertoma awards a non-member.

For 40 years, Olson served as a kindergarten teacher. Since retiring, she has stayed involved in the community, volunteering with many organizations. Her service work includes volunteering with New Ulm’s Own Fair Trade, Lasagna Love, Local Food Co-op – ‘Graze’, organizing the local Laundry Love, starting New Ulm Community Dinner, and church volunteering.

Olson was nominated for the Service to Mankind award by LaNaye Kral, who said she nominated Olson because of all her volunteer work. Kral said she met Olson 40 years ago, when she was her son’s kindergarten teacher.

Her son, Mike Kral, currently owns his own construction company. LaNaye Kral credited teachers like Olson for her son’s success.

Dr. Sharon Hurley spoke in honor of Service to Mankind winner Barb Olson. Hurley said the Service to Mankind award was epitomized by Olson. L to R: Dr. Sharon Hurley, John Olson, Barb Olson and Sertoma member Denise Fischer.

Jeanie Hinsman, manager of New Ulm’s Own, spoke on Olson’s work with the fair trade store. Olson serves on New Ulm’s Own board but also volunteers in the store.

Hinsman said Olson is a frequent volunteer, but is always ready and eager to help when an extra set of hands is needed. This includes unpacking inventory or setting up special events.

Hinsman said when she and others were seeking support for the fair trade store in Dec. 2016, Olson was the first person to offer help. They were not seeking volunteers yet, but Olson stepped up immediately.

Hinsman said it was a common of Olson to take action before being asked. She said Olson did the same with bringing the Laundry of Love and Lasagna of Love programs to the area.

“Her pursuit of happiness is her connection to the community,” Hinsman said “her ethic is to be useful, kind, loving and human.”

Barb Olson (left) received the Sertoma Service to Mankind award during a special banquet Tuesday night. In addition to the Service to Mankind award, Mayor Kathleen Backer (right) reads a proclamation honoring Olson for her community service.

Dr. Sharon Hurley said the Service to Mankind award epitomized who Olson is as a person. She described Olson as a person who gets and idea an acts on it, bringing others along with.

Hurley worked with Olson in setting up community dinners. She said Olson came up with the idea for community dinners, but was also the one to call the newspapers and get it organized.

“Now we feed between 100 and 125 during the fourth Wednesday of the month,” Hurley said.

Hurley credited Olson with the foresight to bring Laundry of Love to New Ulm. Laundry Love, a movement that partners with groups, schools and local laundromats to wash the clothes of those in need.

Hurley said few understood how important it was for people to have clean clothes. The simple service has helped many.

Former kindergarten teacher and frequent community volunteer, Barb Olson received the Sertoma Service to Mankind award Tuesday. After receiving the award, Olson gave a short speech, thanking the other volunteers she worked with over the years and praising their work.

Olson’s husband John said through Laundry of Love, they give out around 700 quarters a month.

In addition to receiving the Sertoma Service to Mankind award, Mayor Kathleen Backer read a proclamation declaring July 16 “Barb Olson Day.”

“Many citizens of this community contribute to its wellbeing, but few have given as tirelessly of their time and talent as Barb Olson,” Backer said reading the proclamation.

At the end of the award ceremony, Olson gave a short speech, thanking the other volunteers she worked with over the years and praising their work.

Olson said with the community meal program, she was amazed with the volunteers; especially those who collected meals and deliver to shut-ins.

Olson praised the fair trade store, an organization that helps on a global and local scale.

She said the Laundry of Love program was possible through many individuals and organization donating and the program continues to grow.

Olson said it came as a shock that she had won the Service to Mankind award. The list of past recipients was humbling and she was honored to be included.