You probably won’t find Virginia Sorenson out on the front lines of any project. But she’s there, quietly working for a number of local causes.

The unsung volunteer is the 2003 Albert Lea Sertoma Club Service to Mankind winner. She was recently honored by the club.

Sorenson has been active with the Friends of the Library, and has helped with book sales. The Salvation Army benefits from her assistance, especially at Christmas time, when she enjoys buying items for children off the Sharing Tree.

For the last five years, she’s served as a volunteer tax aide, working with senior citizens and low-income people on income tax preparation through the American Association for Retired Persons.

Sorenson is past volunteer for the Hawthorne School Reading Partners Program, where she helped children improve their reading skills.

For Lutheran Brotherhood, Sorenson has helped with fund-raisers and served as a historian. She is a member of Grace Lutheran Church, where she is treasurer of the altar guild, is chairwoman of the kitchen cleaning committee and helps keep the church grounds beautiful. She takes care of the church library, and with this, is a member of the Librari-anns, a ecumenical group of church librarians.

Sorenson is a member of the Naeve Hospital Auxiliary and until recently worked at the surgical desk. She also volunteers for the Legion Auxiliary.

A favorite organization is the Eagles Auxiliary. Sorenson said she enjoys working at charity luncheons and fund-raisers and dedicates a great deal of her time to the &uot;Home on the Range for Boys and Girls&uot; in North Dakota. She’s also served as treasurer for the auxiliary, and was honored with the &uot;Mrs. Eagle&uot; award.

Sorenson said she got involved with a lot of her projects through her love of books. &uot;And I can’t stay home,&uot; she added.

&uot;I enjoy volunteering with and for people, who, once they find you’re dependable, let you do things on your own sometimes,&uot; Sorenson said. &uot;I’ve met some very nice people.&uot;

Sorenson, a native of Albert Lea, worked for Benson Optical and then in the office of Wilson and Company, later Farmstead Foods, until it closed. She is married with two grown children.

Her hobbies include reading, taking pictures, working in her yard and spending time with her family.