VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Tracie Miner knew something was up. She had a big grin on her face when a News 3 camera approached her, plus I had a microphone in my hand and there was a crowd that had gathered outside Kings Grant Presbyterian Church.
"I am at a loss for words! Yes, which is unusual," Miner said.
It was an email that brought Tracie to our attention, an email that Robyn Lyon, the assistant director of Meals On Wheels Virginia Beach, sent to the News 3 newsroom.
"And this month, August 2022, marks the 25th anniversary of the Director, Tracie Miner," Lyon wrote.
Her email included a nomination for an Everyday Hero award, "I think it's really important to recognize her efforts because Meals On Wheels wouldn't be Meals On Wheels without Tracie."
In her 25 years, Miner has helped the organization hand out 1.7 million meals, made possible by the hundreds of volunteers she coordinates annually.
Miner is so grateful for her army of volunteers, but it still means long days even before she shows up here at Kings Grant Presbyterian Church.
"I was up this morning at bright and happy to put new clients on who I found emails about overnight and that's quite normal and I don't like going to bed until everybody's O.K. and sometimes that 9, 10 o'clock at night," Miner said.
For all her hard work, she got a special letter from the Lt. Governor's office, which Meals On Wheels board member Chris Anderson read, "Congratulations on celebrating 25 years of service at the Meals On Wheels in Virginia Beach. Your leadership of this organization for 20 of those years is a remarkable accomplishment."
And for all those reasons, News 3 presented Tracie Miner with an Everyday Hero award, along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank.
She promptly said she was donating that to Meals On Wheels, was very grateful, and got a little emotional.
"I. am. Meals On Wheels, you know--it's my life!" she said.
She stresses, that they rely completely on donations and do not get any national support, so if you would like to support Meals On Wheels Virginia Beach, click here.
