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Photo courtesy Bluffton Self Help
When Ida Martin received a call from the White House telling her that she was a winner of the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second highest honor a civilian can receive, she hung up on the caller.
“I thought it was a joke!” said Martin, the founder of Bluffton Self Help, an organization that helps working families with short-term emergency assistance.
“I couldn’t believe it. Then he called me back and he couldn’t stop laughing. He told me it wasn’t a joke and that I really was going to be honored with the medal at the White House. I knew I was nominated, but I was so shocked that I won.”
Even after that second call, she still had a hard time believing. Her husband insisted that the caller was just somebody after money. So Martin went to the Bluffton Police Department and they verified it was the real deal.
“They said, ‘Pack your suitcase ‘cause you’re going to The White House!’ ” she said. “That’s when I knew this was for real.”
Martin, her daughter, two of her grandchildren, her great-grandchild, and Lili Coleman, executive director of BHS and the person who nominated Martin for the award, headed off to Washington, D.C. On Oct. 18, Martin was among 13 people honored by President Obama.
Just walking into the White House was emotional. “I wasn’t nervous, but as soon as I walked in I just fell to pieces,” said Martin. “I put my foot on that floor and just cried. We went in the Green Room and then greeted the president in the Blue Room.
“He was so nice. He hugged me and asked me if there was anything I wanted to ask him. So we talked about his children and how they are raising them. He gave each of us time to talk to him. It was so amazing that he took the time to talk to the small people.”
At the ceremony, Obama said there were nearly 6,000 nominations, and it took four months to select the winners. “In the end, these 13 individuals were chosen not just for the work they do, but for the example that they set,” he said.
Then the president singled out Martin and BSH in his opening remarks.
“For many of (the recipients), a lifelong mission began with a small act of kindness,” he said. “In 1987, a single mom and her child — her children — moved in across the street from Ida Martin. Ida saw their refrigerator was empty, except for a bottle of water, so she brought them groceries. And I guess once she got started, she couldn’t stop. So last year, the organization she founded answered nearly 22,000 requests for aid.”
Later in the speech, he said, “… She continues to be guided by her devotion to helping those who desire to help themselves, and her organization remains a vital resource for those in need. For her remarkable efforts on behalf of those less fortunate, the United States honors Ida Martin.”
Martin said the experience was incredible.
“Oh my, it was the most thrilling thing!” she said. “I will always cherish this medal. It was so exciting and I’m still on the high and haven’t gotten down yet.”
However, Martin was still thinking of others after the ceremony. “There are a lot of people in need and struggling, especially in these times. The need is still there.”
By Sally Mahan
