While the YMCA does have paid staff, for the last 150 years, its backbone has always been its volunteers, including the four South DeKalb residents - Uldine Golfer, Janie Livsey, Lisa Downs and Daniel Gatch - who were honored last month.

The four, who have a total 78 years of volunteer service, were among 20 Volunteers of the Year honored Nov. 9 by the Metro Atlanta YMCA at its 2004 Volunteer Recognition Dinner at Atlanta\'s Hyatt Regency hotel.

Across the country this month, the men and women who give freely of their time to the YMCA are being lauded as the nation observes National Volunteer Month.

At the South DeKalb YMCA, where Golfer has been volunteering since 1990, everyone calls her \"Ms. G.\" For more than 14 years, Golfer has proven herself to be tireless, dedicated and devoted. And she is not just filling time. Golfer does the kind of work employees get paid well to do - accounting, bookkeeping, filing as well as other office duties for the Child Care Academy.

\"I think in terms of freeing up a paid professional to do their work,\" said Golfer, a retired schoolteacher. \"I can do grunt work and the staff can do more serious work.\"

Downs and her husband, Bruce, established the \"Happy Club\" at the Decatur-DeKalb YMCA in 1992. She has been smiling every since.

Downs\' Happy Club now has more than 120 members and provides social activities for teens and young adults with developmental disabilities. It provides an opportunity for family members to get a little break as well as helps educate the community about people with disabilities.

Livsey has been actively involved in her East Lake community for the past 40 years and has made the East Lake Family YMCA her second home.

She is a board member and a Y member and consistently participates in a number of fundraising activities and special events.

As part of the Partner With Youth annual campaign, she organized a bowl-a-thon and raised $20,000, twice the event\'s goal.

The youngest of this year\'s Volunteers of the Year is Daniel Hatch, a high school junior who volunteers at the Bransby Outdoor YMCA Center at Rock Chapel. Daniel became involved with the Y when he spent his seventh-grade summer there as a camper. He has been hooked every since.

Last year, Daniel was a leader-in-training and spent this past summer as a junior counselor. He feels his experiences have helped him in the \"real world\" and will give him the edge he needs when it is time to go to college or look for a full-time job.

\"I get a great feeling of accomplishment knowing I helped with such a great summer camp program,\" he said.

There are more than 2,400 YMCAs nationwide and they are all volunteer founded, based and led.

For more information on the YMCA or serving as a volunteer, call 404-588-9622 or visit www.ymca.net.