'An unbelievable woman': Exchange club award posthumously honors Hanover volunteer
For only the second time in 71 years, the Hanover Exchange Club awarded the Robert J. Smith Golden Deeds Award posthumously.
This year, the decision was easy, said exchange club member George Hubbard.
The awardee was none other than Andrea (Niehoff) Goodson, of Glenville, a longtime and tireless volunteer who was dedicated to volunteering in the Hanover community.
Goodson passed away suddenly on April 3, 2023, at the age of 59, sending the Hanover community reeling from the loss of a passionate advocate who had been involved in numerous Hanover organizations, events, and nonprofits.
More: 'Her heart was so big': Hanover community mourning loss of tireless volunteer
"We felt this honor was something she deserved," said Hubbard.
"She was an unbelievable woman," said Hubbard. "We're learning more and more about all she did."
That falls right in line with the purpose of the award, which is bestowed upon everyday individuals in the community whose "sacrifice, toil, and achievements too often pass unrecognized and unsung."
"She didn't want any recognition," Hubbard said, "she just wanted to do it in the background."
That's not something you typically see, Hubbard says, noting that many people tend to want to be recognized.
Accepting the award on Goodson's behalf during the banquet was her husband of over 35 years, Bryan Goodson.
Along with the award, the recipient gets to choose a $250 donation to a charitable organization of their choice. This year, Bryan chose the Christmas in Hanover committee that Goodson was so tirelessly invested in.
Hubbard says that Goodson's involvement in the Christmas in Hanover committee came from her goal to make "Hanover be like a Hallmark Christmas Card."
That goal was highlighted this season, with the new Christmas pole decorations that were championed by Goodson coming to fruition. Those decorations marked the first new Christmas pole decorations in over 50 years for Hanover.
In yet another example, when Hanover's eight-decade old Santa cabin needed a refresh, Goodson interacted with the builders on a near-daily basis and maintained relationships with many of them for years after the building's completion.
More: Donors help bring the first new Christmas pole decorations in 50 years to Hanover
From 2018: Santa is getting a new home in Hanover
"An angel keeping an eye out for us"
Noted in her nomination for the Golden Deeds award was the countless ways that Goodson gave back to the community.
Her involvement mentioned in the nomination included:
Supporting the Little Pantry at the YWCA.
God’s Meal Barrel
Toys for Tots
Gathering and distributing school supplies and backpacks for back to school season
Gathering and distributing pajamas for children
Operating online social media pages to spread the word about great local events and local businesses supporting each other
Championing her community and encouraging others to do the same
Last summer, that dedication led Goodson to win a state award for volunteer of the year in the 2022 Townie Awards, out of over 200 member organizations.
Now, following her passing, Christmas in Hanover has created their own "Andrea Goodson Volunteer of the Year" award. The winner of that award will serve as the grand marshal for Hanover's annual Christmas parade, according to the committee's website.
In line with that, Goodson was recognized as this year's grand marshal in the Hanover Christmas Parade.
Hubbard, who is also involved with the Christmas in Hanover Committee, shared that the community felt her presence even in her absence.
"During the Christmas activities this year, everything went so well," Hubbard said.
"Maybe we had an angel keeping an eye out for us."
An obvious surprise
The golden deeds award, which is kept as a surprise until being revealed during the annual banquet, was obvious even to those who didn't know who had won, said Hubbard.
In fact, it was so obvious, Hubbard said, one of the speakers at the event even said before the reveal that she hopes the award would go to Andrea.
That speaker, Janet Albin, who helps locally with Wreaths Across America, told the exchange club that as she was driving to the banquet she thought of who might be getting the award.
"I don’t know who is getting this award, but Andrea should," Hubbard recalls Albin saying at the banquet.
"After realizing all she did, it’s like Janet said," Hubbard shared.
"She should have been the winner."
Harrison Jones is the Hanover reporter for The Evening Sun. Contact him at hjones@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Hanover Evening Sun: Exchange club award honors tireless Hanover volunteer posthumously
