Jan is pictured with husband, Henry, and daughters Susan (top) and Nikki (bottom).

The Cedar Springs Women’s Club named Jan Hammersmith, of Cedar Springs, the Club’s 2010-2011 Outstanding Member of the Year. The award was presented at the final meeting of the Club year on June 2.
The annual award recognizes one club member for exemplary spirit and outstanding service to the club during the year.  It is based on the member’s enthusiasm in promoting the Club, her support and contributions to the Club, and active community involvement.
Hammersmith has been a Club member since 2002 and has served as president the past three years.  She will serve a fourth term for the coming 2011-2012 year. The selection committee noted she “is a vocal and staunch supporter of Women’s Club and is a generous, giving person” for the Club’s benefit. She takes on projects with enthusiasm and donates generously of her time and resources.
Volunteering has always been an important part of her life.  In addition to the time she has given the Women’s Club, she has donated time to Spectrum Butterworth, the Kent County Humane Society, the Michigan Community Blood Center, and the Cedar Springs Schools Senior Party Committee.
Hammersmith also enjoys being social and getting involved in groups, especially if they raise money for charitable causes.  The Women’s Club meets that goal as it raises money and contributes to many organizations in our area. When she is not working for the Women’s Club or donating time to other organizations, Hammersmith enjoys traveling with Henry, her husband of 35 years, a retired emergency medical physician.  She does the driving when they take road trips to Maine, the southern USA, or other destinations. They take an annual trip to London, and she goes camping with her grandchildren each summer.
At home, Hammersmith enjoys hosting gatherings and cooking. She also enjoys gardening and making her yard burst with color all year long.
She and Henry have two daughters, Susan and Nicole. Susan lives in Howell, Michigan and works in healthcare fundraising. Nikki lives in Zeeland with her husband, Martin, and their two children, Morgan and Noah. Both daughters made the trip to Cedar Springs to join their father in surprising her at the award presentation.