Clarion Forest VNA Acknowledges Woman for Her Community Service

Kathy Linnan for Explore Clarion 001CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – To be a volunteer takes a special person – one who gives of herself/himself without any expectations from the community.

Kathy Linnan, of Clarion, is one of those individuals who is sharing her talents and has given countless hours of service to the community.

During her career as a speech therapist, she worked for Clarion Forest VNA, and upon retirement, she began volunteering for the organization.

“There are only a couple people associated with the VNA today that have been here as long as I have. Kathy is one of them.” stated Clarion Forest VNA CEO Jill Over.

“She started here in the 70’s as a speech therapist. After resigning from that position, she became a member of the Board of Directors and eventually was elected President of the Board. Since that time, she has become a volunteer with our hospice program! I certainly appreciate the countless hours that Kathy has given to this agency and the community we serve.”

Originally from Erie, Kathy came to Clarion in the fall of 1970 to attend Clarion University – then called Clarion State College. Her major was speech pathology and audiology. After graduating in December of 1973, she went to Kent State University to attend graduate school in speech pathology. Upon graduation, Kathy worked for a year in Youngstown, Ohio, for the Easter Seal Society as a speech-language pathologist. She then returned to Clarion, married, had two children and has been in Clarion ever since.

Kathy has worked for several agencies in the area including Visiting Nurses of Clarion and Forest Counties and IU 6. She ended her career by being on the faculty at Clarion University for 22 years in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Kathy told exploreClarion.com, “Since retiring, I have become involved in several volunteer activities. I volunteer for Visiting Nurses in the hospice program. I am also on the Board of Directors for Rail 66 and a member of the Clarion Civic Club.”

Being a volunteer obviously gives Kathy a boost of energy, as she still has time for her hobbies, such as walking, bike riding, knitting, sewing, reading, and cooking.

She also belongs to an exercise group at the university that she regularly attends.

Each winter, Kathy and her husband Tony go to the YMCA of the Rockies – Snow Mountain Ranch, in Colorado, for four to five weeks. They donate their time and schedule participants for activities such as wall climbing, archery, and dog sledding. In exchange for their volunteer work, they receive lift tickets for both downhill and cross country skiing.

When asked what advice she would give to the community, Kathy stated, “Get involved! There are many opportunities to stay engaged and use your talents.”


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