Jon Reidler SEOWV Volunteer of the Year Award

Nomination excerpts for the 2014-2015 Award to Meg Reidler:

Since 1996, Meg's been a volunteer at most every meet she attended. It started out as a timer or working in concessions. At many of the earlier invitationals you would find Meg in the awards room. She always performed that role with diligence!  When the children shifted to the Gahanna YMCA, Meg took over the timing console responsibility. For years, she was THE timing console operator for both YMCA and for the high school team. Every meet, every time.

When Jon started his work with the league around 2002, Meg became the "everything else" person for Champs. Many a time Meg would be creating deck passes (individually printed and laminated in the early years) a couple of days before Champs. Over the years, she sorted thousands of lane timer sheets and stuffed hundreds of coaches packets. For every Champs meet since, and THREE Zone meets at Ohio State, Meg would handle many of the operational duties around the meet. Not with the officials or with scoring -- just EVERYTHING else. When coaches forget to submit certifications, Meg is there to ensure they are current and can be on deck. She does whatever it takes for the coaches or swimmers to have a better meet.

Meg knows where all the action occurs and where to find all of the stuff it takes to run a meet. When timers break a pencil, Meg seems to be ready with one in her pocket. So also tries to keep Jon sane (maybe) and keeps on helping with Champs and Zones, five years after Sara last competed for the Y. That is one dedicated volunteer and an outstanding supporting spouse!

Introduction for the 2013-2014 Award to Jim DePietro:

In 2013, the SEOWV executive and league members recognized it's longtime champs meet director and past league president, Jon Reidler, by honoring him and naming our volunteer of the award in his name.   The award is given yearly at our winter champs to honor a volunteer who exemplifies the character of the YMCA and it's mission and  to someone that has given their time effort to the SEOWV.

The 2013-2014 recipient is Jim DePietro.  Jim is a team parent from Lancaster YMCA and has held numerous positions within the organization.

Jim has been a YMCA official since 2002.  He has been a YMCA officials trainer since 2007.  Jim has been an integral leader in the development of numerous officials.  Jim is always the calm leader during the craziness of any swim meet.

He has been the SEOWV Winter and Summer champs meet referee or co-referee from 2005.  Jim worked as one of the Great Lake Zone referees in 2008, 2011-2013 and will be again serving during 2014 at Ohio State.  He has worked numerous sessions at YMCA Nationals.

Jim has put countless hours and days into serving the Lancaster YMCA, the SEOWV league and the YMCA in general.  Our thanks go to Jim as we recognize him as the 2013-2014 Volunteer of the Year!

Introduction to the initial award:

We would like to take a moment to recognize a person who, through his commitment to swimming, has exemplified the values of the YMCA.  

This man first volunteered as a timer at SEEYA meet in 1996 before deciding to become an official in 1997. By 1999 he was training both officials and evetually an officials trainer.

In 2002, he became the President of the SEOWV Swimming League and both established and ran the league’s first summer championship meet. The same year, he also become a member of the Great Lake Zones Committee and has been the Zone meet’s director in 2007, 2011, and will be the director in 2014.

In 2004 he moved to Gahanna where, as a volunteer, he helped run the team. Furthermore, he has officiated at Y Nationals in 2001, as well as every year between 2004 and 2010. He has also officiated at YMCA Masters Nationals the past 3 years.

In addition to his commitment to the YMCA, he is a High School Official, a USA Official, and has officiated at NCAA Division 2 Nationals the past three years. He is a proud father of 2 swimmers who are in attendance along with his boss, his wife, Meg.  

The SEOWV would like to recognize the Volunteer of the Year, Mr. Jon Reidler.  

The League Executive Board and Members would like to present a plaque and a commemorative Silver Whistle to Jon for his years of hard work that he has done to make our league what it is today.  Although his efforts often go unappreciated, without his hours of work and commitment we could not have these champs.   At the May Spring League it was unanimously approved that starting at the 2014 Winter Champs meet, the league will present the Jon Reidler SEOWV Volunteer of the Year to a other volunteers who show the dedication and volunteerism that Jon has exemplified for the last 11 years.   Please give Jon a big hand for his hard work.