SILVIS, Ill. — Volunteers are the backbone of the John Deere Classic and many of them also provide community service year round.
Pay It Forward recipient Susie Archer is one of those volunteers who gives back in more ways than one.
"Do as much as you can while you're here," Archer said.
Archer, of Moline, is a retired teacher who serves as a co-chair of the carts committee at the John Deere Classic.
"It's my favorite two weeks of the year," Archer said.
She also pours her heart into several other organizations throughout the Quad City Area.
"I just like to give," Archer said. "I just like to give to other people."
Her involvement also includes the Moline Kiwanis Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters and she's led the effort to bring pickleball courts to Moline. She is also a member of the Western Illinois University Holocaust Committee and Moline Little League.
"She just cares about the outcome of whatever she gets involved with," Cathie Rochau, Pay It Forward nominator said.
Archer says it's not about her, but others.
"I want to help out the community obviously and I want to set a good example for all of the students that I've taught," Archer said.
"Cathie, thank you so much for nominating Susie for the Pay It Forward Award," Lindsey Osborne with Ascentra Credit Union said. "Her commitment to serving the community is really admirable and it truly reflects Ascentra's model of listening, caring and doing what's right. So on behalf of Ascentra and WQAD, I'd like to give you this $300, so you can pay it forward to Susie."
"Thank you," Rochau said. "It will actually be kind of exciting to see how she receives this award."
"On behalf of Ascentra Credit Union and WQAD, I'm going to pay it forward to you with $300 for everything you do and everything you're involved with," Rochau said to Archer.
"No way," Archer said. "You're amazing."
Archer said she is doing what she loves in retirement.
"I don't have a lot of money that I can give, but I have a lot of time that I can give," Archer said. "Whatever I can do to help, I think people know that I'm willing."
Archer said the money will go toward one of the charities she's involved in.
If you know someone you'd like to nominate for the Pay It Forward Award, click here.