Lately, two Beaufort County residents have been named, by the highest office in the state, as people worthy of emulation: Margaret Peterson, for her work with the Beaufort County Humane Society, and Trudy Nelson for her three decades of work at Vidant Beaufort Hospital.

For Peterson, it’s her love of animals that drives her to dedicate time and energy to our homeless animals. For Nelson, it’s a stabilizing force in her life and her way to give back to those who’d helped her and her family.

While the awards and recognition are an honor — one well deserved in both cases — and these two women exemplarize volunteerism, look around. Count how many volunteers you know. Count how many opportunities there are to lend your talents to a cause.

Gov. Pat McCrory had much to say about 92-year-old Trudy Nelson at the Executive Mansion last week, but a large part of his message was about how, when it comes to volunteering, there is a place for everyone. Age should never inhibit the ability to sign up and join in, whether you’re answering phones or hammering a nail into a Habitat for Humanity house.

A volunteer fire chief pointed out the importance of any and all volunteers recently, when he talked about the department’s roster. Many of their volunteers had aged out of actively fighting fires, but it didn’t stop them from showing up. And they are always put to work: directing traffic, lending their assistance in any way they can —always appreciated, always needed.

Gov. McCrory got it right — age has nothing to do with it.