Ronnie Vaughn awarded Ignite Government Volunteer of the Year award

The United Way of Central Alabama recognized Mountain Brook’s director of public works, Ronnie Vaughn, as this year’s Ignite Government Volunteer of the Year.

The award recognizes a government employee or official who provided hands-on volunteer service and had a commitment for the betterment of the community. Vaughn has worked for Mountain Brook for nine years, and he first started connecting with United Way in 2002 after a family tragedy. Vaughn’s daughter was killed in a car accident that year — on Feb. 12, 2002. It wasn’t her fault, Vaughn said, but someone crossed the interstate and hit her.

“We’re all Christians and attend Gardendale Baptist Church, but sometimes when you’re going through something like that, you need a little bit more counseling than what you might get from someone close to you,” he said.

They visited the Amelia Center at Children’s of Alabama. The Amelia Center provides counseling for parents who have lost a child, and it also provides counseling for children and teens grieving the death of a family member.

“We only went a couple of times because we were in a pretty good place and were able to cope with it,” he said. “But we were so appreciative of what they did and could tell it was a well-run organization.”

In addition to providing grief counseling for Vaughn and his family, the Amelia Center also sent counselors to all three of the local schools as the community grieved the loss of Vaughn’s daughter. Vaughn said he remembers feeling even more appreciative of the Amelia Center once he found that out.

Vaughn discovered the Amelia Center is partially funded by the United Way of Central Alabama. His appreciation for the Amelia Center fueled an appreciation for United Way, and he became a loan executive for United Way that fall.

He had that position one year and then joined the United Way Speakers Bureau. He said he has done hundreds of speaking engagements over the last 18 years.

“I tell my story and what happened to us and go back through that day,” he said. “Toward the end of my speech, people know what United Way did for us. ... I let them know that my belief is that we do serve a God that created us and created this Earth. He created Heaven and a place for us to be, and that’s where I believe my loved ones are.

“I try to make it as subtle as I can, because I am talking to a diverse group of people. But I’m not ashamed of my story, and it is my story. I hope it helps somebody.”

Vaughns enjoys volunteering with United Way because he sees firsthand the generosity of the people in the area, he said.

“It’s not always the most wealthy,” he said. “You go into a factory setting, and a man signs up to give $5 or $10 a payday. That’s a lot for him.”

His heart for serving others also translates to his job in Mountain Brook. Public works employees wear a lot of hats, Vaughn said. If there’s a tornado and a tree falls down, a public works employee helps out. If a citizen asks for a speed limit sign, a public works employee works with a police officer to make it happen. They help clean up before and after parades and events.

“We’re still servants,” he said. “We of course work for a salary, but there’s some satisfaction helping any citizen.

“In Mountain Brook, the residents are very appreciative of what our department does for them. It’s not unusual for someone to send us doughnuts or cards or emails. They’re very, very appreciative and easy to work with.”

When he’s not speaking about his story or serving others, Vaughn enjoys spending time with his nine grandchildren. Between ball games, dance recitals, pageants and church, he said he stays busy.