FAIRVIEW PARK, Ohio -- The Fairview Park Community Council recently named longtime resident and volunteer Sally Lisowski as the 2018 Citizen of the Year.

"I'm very humbled by it," said Lisowski, 61, who is currently the newly elected co-vice president of the Fairview Park Women's Club. "It's something that I appreciate people recognizing, but that's not why I volunteer."

Lisowski's benevolent efforts began with the PTA when her three children were small and led to working with several school booster organizations. Also, as an Eucharistic minister at St. Angela Merici, she distributes communion to O'Neill's Skilled Nursing and the retirement apartments next to City Hall.

In addition to serving eight years on the Fairview Park Education Foundation Board, Lisowski remains dedicated to the Fairview Park Women's Club. She's credited with coming up with the idea for the Women's Club Wine Tasting event.

In fact, it was a ruse involving the latter that led to Lisowski being presented with the news that she was the 2018 Citizen of the Year.

"It was very much a surprise, it really was," Lisowski said.

Fairview Park Community Council President Tom Davis said this year's seven-member Citizen of the Year selection committee had various opinions, but in the end agreed that Lisowski met the criteria for the award.

"From my perspective, Sally is yet another selfless individual who gives her time and talent to benefit other people," said Davis, who was the 2017 Citizen of the Year. "None of the past honorees on the selection committee did what we did in order to get recognized.

"Sally is the same way. It's just a simple commitment to doing what's right and trying to make things better for Fairview Park."

Born in Bay Village, Lisowski moved to Fairview Park as a child, where she attended St. Angela, Lewis F. Mayer Middle School and Fairview High School. The 1975 graduate moved out of the city; however, she was happy to return when her husband, Ray, got a new job in the area.

"Volunteering is important no matter what city you're in," Lisowski said. "It's all about everybody working together and getting a wonderful end result."

With that in mind, Davis would like to spread awareness about the annual Citizen of the Year award.

"First of all, I hope more people in Fairview Park become aware that this recognition exists, and has for 65 years," Davis said. "Second is the value of giving back to the community.

"Not only does the community benefit, but people who volunteer likely get more out of their actions than the true benefit to the community. Volunteering just makes you feel really good about yourself."