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Community Corner

Dexter Village Trustee Named Humanitarian of Year

Faith in Action of Chelsea honors Paul Cousins for his volunteer spirit.

In recognition of Dexter resident Paul Cousins' contributions to local service organizations, Faith in Action of Chelsea awarded him its Humanitarian of the Year award Thursday.

The award recognizes someone in the Chelsea or Dexter communities who exemplifies leadership. FIA is a community-funded nonprofit group that provides aid to the Dexter and Chelsea school districts, runs a food pantry and helps with employment searches.

"I was shocked (when I found out)," said Cousins, former environmental studies teacher and coach at .

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Cousins said he was attending a regular Dexter Rotary Club meeting Thursday when Jack Edington, board president of FIA, and FIA Director Nancy Paul presented the award.

"I didn't know what was going on," Cousins said. "There were tears in my eyes. It was emotional. You don't get these (awards) every day, that's for sure."

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Edington said Cousins was given the award because he embodies what FIA stands for.

"He's a very selfless person. He helps his neighbors," Edington said. "He does a lot for the community."

This year,  Cousins got the Rotary Club involved in starting a community garden, from which club members picked fresh produce that they donated to the FIA food pantry.

Cousins said giving back to the community comes naturally to him because he grew up in a family that believed in helping others.

"I have a picture of our house with my sister and I standing in front of it. I was about 6 or 7. It was a tar-paper shack," he explained.

Despite the small home, his parents took in neighbors whose house burned down next door, which Cousins said taught him how to be humble living in cramped quarters.

Edington said the FIA considered several people for this year's award.

"I've known (Cousins) for several years, and I like him," Edington said. "He's a blessing. So is his wife, Pat. They're a good team."

Cousins will be honored at the FIA banquet April 30 at Chelsea Community Hospital.

Cousins said that at the banquet, he plans to acknowledge friends and family members who have been a part of his life.

"I've been married 50 years to my wife. Even though I've won the award, half should go to her," he said. "She's very supportive. She worked in the (community) garden and sacrificed for me to win this award."

Cousins said he enjoys serving the Dexter community.

"I believe that being part of a community means to be philanthropic," he said. "It is an honor to receive something like this, but I don't do it for the awards. I do it because it is the right thing to do."

He said he likes to help people because he likes to see an end result of his hard work. When he started the community garden, he was delighted to see the excitement at the FIA food pantry with donations of tomatoes and zucchini.

"You do the best with what you have," he said. "(Eventually), we leave this earth. You have to do the best you can."

As a teacher, Cousins was named the Environmental Teacher of the Year in the '70s. He has belonged to the Huron River Watershed for 40 years, has been a member of the Rotary Club since its inception in 1998, and is a member of the Ann Arbor Summerfest committee.

"A song I've been listening to has the tagline, 'When I look at you, I see you with my heart,' " Cousins said. "I think people need to look at people and see them with their hearts."

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