By Janet Wetzel
Enquirer contributor

Gloria Stewart was raised in a family of nine children and learned about social consciousness as a young child. Her parents taught her: "Wherever you are, always try to do something for others that you don't get paid for, or get graded on."

Six decades later, Stewart has never forgotten that lesson, and she practices it daily - from doing a variety of church work to volunteering for local agencies.

The 65-year-old Springfield Township widow is on the board and membership committee of Greater Cincinnati Community Shares, a federation of area non-profit organizations whose stated mission is to increase support for social, economic and environmental justice. Stewart helps with fund raisers, office work, and organizes the potluck dinners.

Through Community Shares, Stewart helps several of the member organizations, including Power Inspires Progress (PIP) and Muse Cincinnati Women's Choir. She's also been a Muse choir member about two years. She serves on the board of PIP, which helps the undertrained and/or underemployed to upgrade their skills. She uses her social services training to help some of the clients on an individual basis.

"People often want to tell me their problems, ask for guidance or help," she said. "I always try to be available to listen and help."

Jane Rega, Community Shares administrative coordinator, called Stewart a "volunteer extraordinaire" who willingly steps forward when there's work to be done. "Every time I talk to her, she's out working to make the community better, figuring ways to get youths involved," Rega said.

Stewart, a semi-retired licensed practical nurse and licensed social worker, teaches stress management as part of her part-time job as adjunct staff person at Cincinnati State Technical & Community College. But she also volunteers her time to give PIP staff members stress management training, and she teaches it to others as part of her volunteer work at The Community Church of Cincinnati in the West End.

The mother of two and grandmother of four, is a life member of the National Council of Negro Women, and helps with the annual Black Family Reunion.

"If I think about all I do, it would make me tired, so I just don't think about it," Stewart said. "This is just the way I was raised, and I can't get away from it."

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Do you know a Hometown Hero - someone in your community dedicated to making it a better place to live and helping others? E-mail Janet Wetzel at jjwetzel@siscom.net, or fax to 513-755-4150.