Becky Nickels, 62, worked in Renton School District 21 years. She began as a non-teacher substitute, then served as the principal’s secretary at Dimmitt Middle School. She was executive assistant to the district superintendent her last 15 years. Nickels retired from Renton School District in 2001.

But she didn’t retire from volunteering. The president of Soroptimist International of Renton, Nickels has organized that charitable group’s auction for the past seven years. She’s been a soroptomist 16 years. Nickels is also secretary of the Renton Community Foundation, and she has helped organize the Renton Chamber of Commerce auction for the last few years. Nickels has been a member for 37 years of the Laureate Gamma Tau Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, which she says is a social, service group.

Nickels began volunteering after her children were born. She was a Girl Scout leader for 10 years, a PTA president and a member of the Lindbergh High School booster club.

A longtime Fairwood resident, Nickels now lives in Kent.

“But I’m a Rentonite at heart,” she says. “I love the community. I love the people who are in these organizations. Those people are great; they’re wonderful people; they’re wonderful friends. They have the community’s best interest at heart. I love being part of that. It’s just a very positive thing.”

Nickels says being named one of 2008’s Outstanding Citizens is a “great honor.”

“I just think it’s wonderful,” she says. “I’ve been to lots of previous dinners when people were honored and I always think it’s so neat for the people, never thinking I would be nominated or selected. It’s a thrill for me. I’m very excited and honored.”