GCB’s Mary Rawls Named Community Action Pioneer Valley’s Volunteer of the Year

GREENFIELD — Greenfield Cooperative Bank (GCB) announced that Mary Rawls, executive vice president – Compliance/Risk Management, BSA, was recognized as Community Action Pioneer Valley’s (CAPV) Volunteer of the Year at its annual meeting on April 11.

Mary has been a steadfast volunteer with CAPV for a number of years, demonstrating an exceptional commitment to the organization’s mission to assist people who have low incomes to achieve economic stability and security. Since 2020, she has volunteered with CAPV’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, providing vital tax assistance to those in need.

“Mary doesn’t just volunteer — she dives in headfirst,” said Sweeney of Community Action Pioneer Valley. “She gets the trickiest VITA cases, the ones that make even seasoned tax pros pause. And she handles them with calm, kindness, and a tenacity that lets us say ‘yes’ to the people who need us most. Its not an exaggeration to say that Mary’s patience is the reason we’re able to serve some of our most complex clients with dignity and care.”

Community Action Pioneer Valley relies on the support of volunteers like Rawls to deliver essential services to the community. Their dedication and passion are vital to the organization’s success.

Additionally, her involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a big sister dates back to 2017, and since 2018, she has served as a board member and finance committee member. A long-time supporter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, she has taken on the role of team captain since 2002 and has been a member of the event planning committee since 2018.

Demonstrating a commitment to food security, Rawls has volunteered with the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts at its mobile locations in Greenfield and Turners Falls since 2018. She has also been a dedicated 4-H volunteer and County Horse Show secretary since 2006.

Her past involvement includes serving on the United Way’s community investment committee, and she has contributed to the UW Women’s Way as an event planning committee member since 2017. Furthermore, she actively volunteered and was a club member for several school booster clubs during her children’s school years.

“Mary embodies the spirit of community involvement that we value at GCB,” said Tony Worden, the bank’s president and CEO. “We are incredibly proud of her dedication to Community Action Pioneer Valley and the positive impact they are making in our region.”