Seventy-four-year old Anne Ubl was announced today as the Sertoma Club’s Service to Mankind Award.

Purpose of the award, given annually by all Sertoma Clubs, is to give recognition to an outstanding citizen, man or woman, for his humanitarian, heroic, civic or other type of service to his community. Any citizen is eligible to receive this award except members of Sertoma and their wives.

Mrs. Ubl will be presented a plaque at a club banquet to be arranged during the next few weeks.

She will be recognized by the club as “a mother, grandmother and friend who has touched the lives of many in the New Ulm community.”

Her husband Robert has been without complete vision for many years, and totally blind since 1951. Mrs. Ubl has been “his eyes.”

COMMENTING on her many acts of service at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, the Rev. Celestine Pistulka said,“She is so deserving of this award.”

Each morning, the priest said, she opens the church for early worshipers. She arranges books, flowers, attends the sorrowing and even oversees the candles and appointments for worship services.

“As far as the church is concerned,” said Father Pistulka, “her efforts are untiring.”

She has been mission-minded all of her life, giving money and working on clothing drives often repairing and packing the collected clothing.

Back in the years when nuns did not drive, Mrs. Ubl donated her car and time to them. Later they turned to her for instruction in driving.

Many persons without transportation depended on Mrs. Ubl to transport them to medical facilities both here and out of town. Elderly persons who have no way to go shopping count on her help, too.

BEFORE SCHOOLS provided rides to basketball and other sports events, Mrs. Ubl would be ready with her car to get the young people to their activities.

Her grandchildren had more help from this grandmother in jobs as paper boys than most youngsters have from their parents. She always was ready to act as “a sub.”

Affectionately known as “Grandma Ubl,” many families have been rewarded by her babysitting, mending, cleaning, decorating and even dog caring. One comment from a local woman was “she’s a saint, but how do you write it down?”

One example of her generosity comes from the following story about an older woman in town who uses a cane.

By necessity the woman always carried a certain type of bag to use when shopping. She took her favorite bag to Ubl to see if he could repair it someway. Ubl found the repair job impossible so Mrs. Ubl went to her attic where she found the first bag her husband had woven. She gave her keepsake to the woman to fill her need.

MRS. UBL, one of four children, was born in New Ulm where her father worked for the railroad. She and her husband recently celebrated 54 years of married life.

The Ubls have one daughter, Mrs. Gus Argodale of Tulsa, Okla., and one son, Jim of New Ulm, along with 17 grandchildren.

A district winner is selected each year from the club winners in each district. Winners of district competitor then compete for an international award.

Hazel Mickelson, recipient of New Ulm Sertoma’s award last year, took district honors and became a finalist in the international competition.

New Ulm Daily Journal

Dec. 22, 1974