Spotlight on Sierra Madre Volunteers

Spotlight on Sierra Madre Volunteers is a new weekly column that will spotlight the people who donate their time to help keep their city ticking. Check back each week to see which of the folks you work side by side with is being recognized in the latest edition.
Photo by Bill Coburn

"Sierra Madre is unique. My impression is that Sierra Madre has more volunteers per capita than anywhere else." -- De Alcorn

Treasures of Sierra Madre
by Jan Reed

Two Sierra Madreans, who spent several years sailing in their 30-ft. boat around the orb called the world, have become landlubbers, settling into life in Sierra Madre as ubiquitous volunteers. De and Pat Alcorn have put down roots.

De Alcorn was recently appointed "Secretary of Service and Volunteering" by the Sierra Madre City Council. What exactly does that entail? "I'll facilitate volunteers from the City government, recruiting and overseeing the assistance for them, working with City department heads for their volunteers and interns," De explained.

Sounds like a big order? Not for De, who is a graduate of Caltech and Pepperdine, worked at JPL for 35 years in management and as an engineer in space crafts.

Pat is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and has her Masters from USC, working as a medical social worker at Queen of the Valley Hospital for 10 years.

Together their volunteer "careers" are formidable. De was on the Search and Rescue Team for years and Pat continues to help Civic Club. They work local election boards, Friends of the Library, Creative Arts Group, the Wistaria Vine Celebration. And that's the short list. De is also a member of Kiwanis Club.

The Alcorns attend almost all Commission and Council meetings. It's no wonder they are called "Mr. and Mrs. Public."

They have two sons, Alan and Mark, six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren with one of the way. And they still have time for all of the volunteering. The Alcorns are truly role models for Sierra Madreans in their retirement years.