Susan Favorite

Ms. Susan K. Favorite of Thurmont has long history of volunteerism and is known in the Thurmont area for her leadership and service to others. In addition to working full-time at Blue Ridge Bank, Ms. Favorite finds time to actively participate with the Thurmont Lions Club, plan and organize community events, and pay special attention to many people who are going through difficult times.

Ms. Favorite has been a member of the Thurmont Lion’s Club for more than 14 years and has served as Membership Chair and also President. She has been described as “instrumental in the advancement of the Club’s projects and membership,” which has allowed the Club to do more to help the community.

Ms. Favorite initiated Thurmont’s “Make a Difference Day (MADD)” and established a day of volunteer service each year in the town. The MADD event has collected food for food banks, clothing for the Clothes Closet, performed remodeling projects in homes, honored soldiers and their families for service to their country, and raised money to help cancer patients. She also initiated two new awards for Catoctin High School and Thurmont Middle School. Students are recognized who contribute the most volunteer service hours, and a teacher is recognized as “Thurmont Teacher of the Year.”

Ms. Favorite has organized countless community events that raise money for a variety of causes. She also volunteers at her church, and is quick to respond to those in need by delivering flowers, food, and gifts, hoping to make a person’s day brighter. She organized donations of gifts for a teenager who was confined to a wheel chair, so that the youth could open one present a day for a month. She is also dedicated to helping residents of local nursing facilities and she enjoys helping older family members by driving them to appointments, grocery shopping, and spending time with them.

Ms. Favorite has, with her 2011 Wertheimer Fellow for Excellence in Volunteerism Award, established The Make A Difference in Thurmont Fund. The fund will provide grants to support a variety of programs, including the Catoctin feeder school area, area nursing homes, historic preservation and more. “There are so many needs in the community, from schools to the elderly to preserving local attractions,” said Ms. Favorite. It is my hope that grants from the fund will help meet these needs and make a positive difference in the years to come.”