Janice Olmsted is the recipient of the Lutheran Community Services Northwest’s (LCSNW) Helen Norris Award for outstanding community service.

The award will be presented to Olmsted at LCSNW’s annual fundraising brunch Nov. 9.

LCSNW presents the award annually to an outstanding volunteer in the name of Helen Norris, who was, by her own description, a “Professional Volunteer”.

Norris was an active member of her church, community, as well as the Kitsap community at large. Although Norris is gone, she is a shining example of someone who made things possible.

“I am humbled and honored to receive the Helen Norris Award,” Olmsted said. “I enjoy sharing my time and skills as a volunteer. One of the greatest gifts of all is the sense of purpose I receive helping my community.”

Olmsted was a surgical technologist/surgical physician assistant and retired from the operating room in 1998. She formed Olmsted & Associates, a medical billing service business, which she owned until her retirement in 2010.

“In the past I had the good fortune to receive extensive training on how to work and manage various board of directors. I volunteered for many years on the national board of the Association of Surgical Technologists (AST), including a term as president,” she said.

Following her tenure on AST, Olmsted volunteered as an educational site visitor for the Council of Allied Health Education Programs. Her volunteer duties included evaluating the educational processes of surgical technologists and assistants.

Olmsted said this invaluable volunteer experience led her to share the skills she acquired with nonprofits in the Kitsap area.

“Many years ago I found my passion with Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs (RSVP) in Kitsap (County). It has been my privilege to serve as chairperson of the advisory board of directors and as a fundraiser for this important organization,” said Olmsted, who is the mother of four children, 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Olmsted currently serves as the chair for the board of directors for North Mason Resources, a nonprofit agency that provides services to those in need.

In addition, she served two terms as a board member of Faith in Action, an agency that provides non-medical assistance to qualifying seniors and disabled individuals in North Mason, South Kitsap and West Pierce Counties. She has served four years as chair of nonprofit’s annual St. Patrick’s fundraising dinner and auction.

Olmsted is a member of North Mason United Methodist Church, where she is the staff parish relations committee chairperson and has served two terms as chair of the church council and as a member of the praise team.