In this People Taking Action segment, we shine our spotlight on a Norfolk mom who has volunteered with a local baseball league for more than two decades.
So we caught up with her at the ball field right in the middle of an awards program.
As I approached, making my way through the crowds of players and coaches, Sarah Clark spotted me and the NewsChannel 3 cameraman, and stopped her announcements.
It was obvious she had a sense something was about to go down at this end of the season awards ceremony for the Little Creek National Pony Baseball-Softball League.
I asked the crowd to pardon the interruption, but I let them know someone sent me an email. It was her husband, Philip Clark.
I read a portion of it: "For the past 24 years, my wife Sarah has been involved with the Little Creek National Pony Baseball Softball League."
It was back in 1988 when Sarah became team mom and over the years, she's worn many hats. And for the past 16 years, she's been president of the league.
Her husband continues in his email: "With no children of our own left playing for the league for the past 8 years, she has given up countless hours of her own which is why we wanted to present a NewsChannel 3 People Taking Action award for Sarah Clark.
With the crowd applauding, right away she gestured for the person who nominated her--her husband. He felt her decades of service---those 40 and 50 hours a week of volunteering-- deserved recognition.
If you ask Sarah why she does it, she has a simple response.
"Because I think the kids are our future," she says.
Coaches like Jerry Hinkens know why she's done it for so long.
"The kids who come back and put smiles on her face remember her from the ball field."
And while we presented her with our People Taking Action pin, Sarah pointed out, her community service is acknowledged in many ways.
"I don't get paid a penny; I get hugs, kisses, smiles."
