Photo by Bonnie Kratz

If you look up volunteer in any Oshkosh dictionary, it should say Ann Criswell.

That’s because the Bettendorf, Iowa, woman has volunteered for 37 years in countless places both before and during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. For her decades of dedication, she will receive the Dorothy Hilbert Volunteer Award on Sunday, August 3, fittingly at the annual volunteer wind-down party. The award honors a female EAA volunteer who exhibits the same passion, dedication, and devotion for volunteerism as did the late Dorothy Hilbert.

"Ann Criswell has been an outstanding EAA volunteer and supporter for decades and is well deserving of this honor," EAA President Tom Poberezny said. "Her commitment to EAA and members is evident by the number of areas she has volunteered at."

That’s an understatement. Criswell has volunteered at the Friendship Tent, Airplane Greeters, Operation Thirst, South Maintenance, and Pre-Convention Thirst, to name a few. And she has given not only of her time, but also of her leadership abilities, serving as co-chairwoman or chairwoman at Women’s Activities for more than 25 years.

Her first volunteer job was holding a microphone and taking it around to the audience to ask questions during forums. Then, in the mid-1970s, EAA Founder Paul Poberezny came to Criswell and others, hauling a big slab of salami, a chunk of cheese, and loaves of bread. "He asked us if we would make sandwiches for those volunteers who work on the field and can’t leave their positions," Criswell said. Out of that request, Operation Thirst was born.

When her husband, Fred, suffered from a heart attack in 1978, Criswell retired from Operation Thirst so she could help Fred out more. But she didn’t stop volunteering. She filled in and did jobs here and there, and then started Pre-Convention Thirst, providing food and beverages for the volunteers who come early to help set up for the fly-in convention. The Criswells always arrive in Oshkosh in early July.

Although Criswell has done many jobs, she says she has no favorite. "I just enjoy knowing that I’m part of making AirVenture a success. But I’m proudest of the cleanliness of the grounds. If you go to a ballgame, the grounds are littered. But not here; it’s a bright and cheerful place to be."

Her favorite part of AirVenture, however, is that every single day is a new day of reunions. "Someone comes that you haven’t seen for a whole year. The camaraderie is just wonderful."

And while she has volunteered in many places, there are still places she’d like to help out with at AirVenture. This year for the first time she’ll be working in Carts during the convention, picking up people who are having difficulty and taking them wherever they need to be.

"I can’t just sit around and read," she explained. "I need something to do. And there’s so many different jobs here; it’s what makes AirVenture so interesting."

Criswell said she was honored and surprised to receive the award. "I don’t volunteer for the awards, but it is nice to be honored."