Simon recognized for years of volunteerism
WSIU has announced Harriet Furst Simon as the new individual recipient of the monthly "Good Neighbor" award as a part of WSIU's One Region, All Neighbors initiative.
Inspired by Fred Rogers, the campaign recognizes people who exemplify kindness and compassion and make a positive impact in their communities.
A member of the Dean's Club at SIUC, Simon retired from the Dewey Center at SIU in 2012, where she had worked since 1977.
For more than a quarter-century, she did much of the marketing coordination for the Friends Book Sales, which raise $8,000 to $15,000 per year for the Carbondale Public Library. She also serves on the library's board of trustees.
An English major at Goucher College from Baltimore, Md., Harriet Furst Simon moved to Carbondale in 1964 and joined the League of Women Voters.
She served on the board of directors of the Ulysses S. Grant Association since the organization's founding in 1962.
As a contributing editor for over 40 years, she not only contributed to the publication of 30 volumes of the papers of Ulysses S. Grant but also donated about 1,800 historically valuable books related to Grant's life to the association.
"Reaching out makes you feel very good. You're really doing something that's needed, wanted and desired," Simon said.
"People recognize it and they thank you. When people came to the book sales, often they would thank us so much for volunteering all our time and it's very satisfying. You know that you're helping but you do get something out of it yourself: the gratification, the knowledge that you're helping. So it's a win-win all around."
In addition to the book sale, another of Simon's major interests is the local Head Start outreach program, where every year the Friends give schoolchildren a small book with a bookplate that says, "If you enjoy this book, come to the public library and get more."
In 1995, she established the Philip Furst Simon Memorial Fund, which provides $1,000 or more to the Carbondale Public Library for the purchase of children's and teen materials each year in memory of her son.
Expressing her views on being a good neighbor and what that means to her, Simon said, "You can't help everybody in every way, and everybody has their own busy lives and all, but I think you can choose which ways you would like to help your neighbors and your community. You know, if you enjoy something it makes it worthwhile but also, you're helping people."
Simon's community work expands beyond the library. She served as a volunteer literacy tutor through the John A. Logan literacy program and as a volunteer reader for the Southern Illinois Radio Information Service, which provides access to newspapers and other material to blind and print-impaired individuals.
Nominator Diana Brawley Sussman, director of the Carbondale Public Library, said, "A good neighbor tries to build up their community, improving the quality of life for everyone. One of Harriet's favorite John Dewey quotes is 'What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all of its children.'
"This ethic is reflected in her volunteer work for the library."
Simon once mentioned to the library director that she admired the American philosopher and educator John Dewey in part because he was constantly "striving to live according to his beliefs." This is exactly what her friends and colleagues admire about her as well.
WSIU encourages the public to participate in the One Region, All Neighbors campaign by nominating neighbors online at wsiu.org/neighbor.