By CHRIS STUDOR

The Post contributor

HINCKLEY - If someone wanted to put the name Jane Carsten in the dictionary, a fitting definition could easily be "a kind connection." As trustee chairman and Citizen of the Year Committee Chairman, Ray Schulte, said, "Jane is the type of person who, when she senses someone needs help, can connect them to those who can help."

Carsten was recognized as 2011 Citizen of the Year at the Hinckley Trustee meeting on May 23. In keeping with tradition, Carsten will lead the Memorial Day Parade on May 30, her picture will hang in the township hall, and her name will be added to the township plaque of past honorees. She was selected from numerous letters of nomination submitted to the Citizen of the Year Committee.

Schulte said that a continuing stream of good works wherever her life carries her caught the attention of the committee. Schulte commented that whether it was as a bus driver for Highland schools, working with children at Our Savior Lutheran Church, Youth for Christ of Northeast Ohio, a Girl Scout Troop leader, host for Operation Homes, or working in the township garden, Carsten serves as a role model for others.

Carsten graduated from Painesville High School. She joined the Army Reserves right out of high school and was assigned to communications, patching phone calls to military families overseas, from 1983-1993. She met and married her husband, Wayne, in the Reserves and they moved to Hinckley in 1993. They have three children, Nichole, 19, Jeremiah, 15, and Leah, 13.

Working second shift at Ohio Bell from 1987-2006, she volunteered her time during the day at school helping to landscape, build a pavilion and install garden benches and sidewalks. She left Ohio Bell in 2006 and took a part time job as a Highland school bus driver in order to spend more time with her family - as one can imagine she was very popular with the students.

Carsten became increasingly involved with the community with her volunteering centering on activities which involve older children and adults. Her passion is working with children at Our Savior Lutheran Church Youth Ministry.

"She takes pride in mentoring and developing children to become community minded leaders and promoting the concept of a team effort," said Schulte. "Her church work includes raising money for a mission trip to South Carolina. She is also involved with the Youth for Christ for Northeast Ohio, donating her time driving the bus for missionaries."

She has worked with church members to create a once a month senior lunch program. She visits and assists many of the seniors in the area, including delivering lunches. She is also involved with Operation Homes, a program where the church takes in homeless families for a week at a time. When she became aware that a local Giant Eagle store was willing to donate day old bakery, she set up a daily schedule for pick up and distribution to local food pantries.

Pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church, Scott Silkox, was present at the meeting to join in honoring his parishioner. He was pleased to comment on her selection both during and after the meeting.

"On behalf of the congregation, I want to thank you for everything you do," said Pastor Silcox. "We've had a couple of our parishioners selected for this honor over the past several years and these people have all been exceptional. "Carsten has done so much for our youth and has served as an example of kindness and caring."

For the past five years, Carsten has served as leader for Girl Scout Troop No. 341. She trains program aides at Camp Ledgewood and Camp Hilaka, schooling youth in how to relate to other kids by teaching leadership skills and become role models.

There's another word which describes Carsten and that word is modest. It took some gentle persuasion to have her pose for photos but with her family and friends present, a beaming smile spread across her face as photos were snapped.

So, whether you see her working in the township garden, remember her as your school bus driver, know her through her work at church or as a Scout leader, it's easy to surmise that this humble, caring, giving person, Jane Carsten, has been chosen 2011 Hinckley Citizen of the Year.