At their 8th Annual Celebration of Service event, the Rotary Club of Lake Wylie awarded Gene McCarthy with the 2018-19 Unsung Hero of the Year Award. The Award is given annually to a non-Rotarian in our community that exemplifies the motto, Service Above Self.
Gene McCarthy began volunteering for the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program in 1999. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program has more than 5,000 locations in neighborhood libraries, malls, banks, community centers, and senior centers. There’s no fee and no sales pitch for other services and AARP membership is not required.
Gene, through this service, offers free tax preparation help to anyone especially if you’re 50 and older, and can’t afford a tax preparation service. After seven years he took over the local coordinator duties. He “manages” 12 Tax Consultants and helps prepare hundred’s of individual’s taxes. He makes sure there are enough consultants available to assist clients. He also sets up the equipment, makes sure the software is installed and operational, and the Library is set up properly.
Gene is onsite at the Clover library two days a week and many hours before and after the actual client work making sure the client’s taxes are processed correctly and in a timely manner. This program helps hundreds of local residents every year. He has been the coordinator for twelve years and had participated in the program for a total of 19 years and growing.