A longtime community volunteer from St. Joseph will be in Detroit Thursday to receive an honor at the 2024 Governor’s Service Awards.
Bernice Mason is a Benton Harbor native who’s lived in St. Joe for about 30 years. The governor’s office selected her for a Volunteer of the Year Award for her 50 years of service to the area.
Mason tells us the award is a blessing and an honor. She’s spearheaded several community efforts over the years and volunteered with events, non-profits, and schools. What makes her want to do it?
“I love working with people, I love meeting people as well as helping people,” Mason said. “You can work with people and help them, that is two different things. So to sum it all up, giving back to my community, being a public servant, a community servant — however you want to address it, that’s me.”
Among many other things, Mason has earned the title of Community Service Leader and Honorary Ambassador for volunteering with the Salvation Army for more than 30 years. She’s also worked with the Toys for Tots program, the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship, and the Blossomtime Parade.
Mason tells us she doesn’t get tired because that’s not in her blood.
“It’s really the work of God blessing me to serve our community, and I’m enjoying it. I love it. I love people.”
Mason has also served more than 6,700 hours at the Benton Harbor Farmers Market. She tells us her community service all started back in the 1970s, when she began tutoring and mentoring for the PAL program at Benton Harbor Area Schools.
Mason was nominated for the governor’s award by former Benton Harbor Mayor Emma Hull. Hull’s daughter, along with Mason’s own daughter, will accompany Mason to the Governor’s Service Awards at the Detroit Opera House Thursday night. She’s looking forward to getting a photograph with Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
