Every summer, Madison Youth & Family Services (MYFS) has hosted an award ceremony through its MADE program, recognizing residents both young and old for their everyday contributions to the betterment of the community.

This year, due to the pandemic, there was no way to hold an in-person ceremony, and so most honorees were recognized through the now-familiar setting of a Zoom meeting. But seeking to add a more personal, celebratory touch to the awards, MYFS also led a motorcade to personally present award-winners with their plaque and congratulate them—an effort that was especially meaningful to one woman.

Gloria Thiela, 98, received special recognition as this year’s Starfish Award recipient, which is meant to shine a light on someone whose everyday attitude and actions snowball into greater change and kindness, according to MYFS Assistant Director of Community Support Catherine Barden.

Thiela was unable to attend the Zoom meeting, as she doesn’t own or have access to a computer, and so MYFS staff members and the motorcade took extra time to show their appreciation, having a few people sit down to chat in her front yard.

“She’s always gone above and beyond to make those connections, that everyone gets a seat at the table,” Barden said. “She’s just a really special individual.”

A Madison resident her whole life and someone who had visited the Senior Center every day for the past several years, Thiela said she has been isolated since the onset of the pandemic with little contact with her friends. The motorcade, with all its honking and cheering, was “amazing,” she said, offering a chance to enjoy the company and appreciation of both acquaintances and strangers.

“I got to see a group of folks. I miss seeing everybody,” Thiela said.

Thiela was nominated for the away by a few of the MYFS staff members, who saw her engaging with the young kids who visit the Senior Center at every opportunity, listening, helping with art and other projects, and always having a kind word for everyone.

It is this kind of everyday positive energy and helpfulness for which the award was meant, according to Barden.

“There have been different times when maybe the attendance wasn’t great at an event [we] were doing,” Barden said, “and [Thiela] would say, ‘Let me go home and get my coloring book and my coloring things, and I’ll color with you guys.’”

Cynthia Barker, a longtime friend of Thiela, described her as “quiet but mighty,” who draws everyone, not just children, to her side with her empathy.

“She’s just a very kind, caring person,” Barker said.

Though she said she was very happy to receive the award, Thiela characterized all these commendations as simply stemming from what she has always done.

“I was friendly. Everyone is not always friendly,” she said. “I tried to be interested in what other people are interested in.”

The Senior Center has served as a second home to her, Thiela said, and that MYFS staff who bring children in for various programs “always knew I was there.”

Barker described Thiela’s presence as always drawing a crowd, with a particular table and seat serving as her de facto hub of friends and groupies.

As to why she has this sort of effect on the world around her, Thiela was again dismissive of any suggestion she was a special character or community activist.

“I’m just plain me,” she said.

Thiela said she is counting the days until the Senior Center fully reopens following the pandemic and she can return to see her friends and put together crafts or paint with visiting children.

Barker recalled the last time before the pandemic Thiela had missed a day at the center—it was a couple years ago when they decided spontaneously to ditch and go shopping together.

“They [at the Senior Center] had a fit,” Thiela laughed. “They were looking everywhere.”