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Volunteer's Dedication Earns Him 'Point Of Light' Honors

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By ELIZABETH LEE BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 8, 2007

LUTZ - For 18 years, William 'Bob' Peterson dutifully made the drive twice a week to the repair shop at the Museum of Science & Industry.

In a place where young visitors discovered how things worked through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, stuff would break.

It was Peterson's job to help fix it. He worked on mechanical and cosmetic repairs.

'I fixed about everything they brought in,' he said. 'I think I had my hands on everything they had on display. I've always been what you would call a tinkerer - just fixing things and doing something.'

Although the 89-year-old retired as a volunteer two years ago, the Lutz resident continues to win accolades for his nearly two decades of dedication to MOSI.

The national Points of Light Foundation honored him Aug. 29 by naming him a 'Daily Point of Light.' The distinction is given to a volunteer each weekday by the nonprofit organization in Washington.

The award, which began in 1989, recognizes citizens who are committed through volunteer service to help the needy in their communities. Peterson is the 3,540th individual or group honored.

Peterson, who retired from his trash disposal business in 1986, learned about the need for volunteers at MOSI when he was fishing on Lake Allen and started chatting with his neighbor. The neighbor was in charge of the repair shop at the science museum and encouraged him to help out.

'I was busy all my life, and it was just another thing,' he said. 'I used to look forward to my Wednesday and Thursdays going in. I never had a dull day there.'

He said he's 'just amazed' at the recent Daily Point of Light award.
Mementos marking his dedication to MOSI decorate his lakefront home in Lutz.

A caricature of Peterson in the MOSI repair shop holding up a 'Bill's Exhibit Repair' sign sits atop the mantel.

On a nearby shelf is the etched glass United Way of Tampa Bay Volunteer of the Year award he received in April. A tall trophy marks when he surpassed 7,600 volunteer hours in 2001.

Peterson estimates he was close to hitting the 10,000-hour milestone before arthritis forced him to retire about two years ago.

Peterson said he looked forward to his volunteer work, which became like a part-time job.

'I was just going to work every day, twice a week, and the hours just accumulated. I put in a full day,' he said.

When Peterson won the United Way's volunteer award for the arts and recreation category in April, his nomination was forwarded to the Points of Light Foundation.

Beverly Kieny, the MOSI board member who nominated him, said Peterson was a model volunteer who left a big hole in the organization when he left.

'He was just able to bring this whole toolbox of things he could do,' she said.

Reporter Elizabeth Lee Brown can be reached at (813) 865-1502 or ebrown@tampatrib.com.

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