There have been many heart-rending stories of Peninsula citizens donating personal resources to their communities during the pandemic. One group deserving equal recognition is the AARP Tax Aide volunteers of Port Angeles.
For several years, these volunteers have provided proficient and accurate tax preparation, free of charge, to individuals of Clallam County and elsewhere.
But this year, COVID-19 imposed unprecedented obstacles onto the volunteers, and this letter merely hints at the tenacity and dedication these folks delivered in order to continue this valuable service to the community.
During a normal year, tax preparation and filing could be completed in a few hours.
This year the process took almost a week.
Maintaining connections between taxpayers and preparers, managing the flow of documents between a core group working from the Port Angeles Senior Center and volunteers working remotely, and numerous steps in-between, the task was exhausting and burdened with uncertainty.
But under the determined leadership of local coordinator Susan Fisher, who secured work space and equipment donated by the senior center and organized volunteers, uncertainty evolved into success.
With Ms. Fisher’s skilled improvisation and flexibility on the part of volunteers when unanticipated events occurred, this group successfully filed nearly 650 returns.
All accomplished while maintaining a safe and efficient work environment, a remarkable achievement considering the circumstances.
Tax season has faded, but recognition of a job well done to Tax Aide volunteers is long overdue.
If private and government entities served the public with the integrity of these volunteers, optimism in the future of our country would soar.
Kenneth Evans
Port Angeles