Vineyard Village at Home recently announced its recipient of the 2025 Spirit of the Vineyard Award — a two-time cancer survivor and environmentalist who claims to have had the first recycling bin in downtown Vineyard Haven.
Penny Uhlendorf is this year’s recipient of the annual award that acknowledges selflessness and contributions made to the Island community.
Uhlendorf has worked for and volunteered at a multitude of local organizations for the past 35 years. Her work includes serving as a board member of The Island Autism Group and Vineyard Conservation Society, and volunteering with the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, and BiodiversityWorks, among others.
Vineyard Village at Home — which provides services to the Island’s elderly community to support their independent living — sponsors the annual award.
Uhlendorf said that she was overcome with emotion when she learned the news. “I was overwhelmed. But then as it sank in, I just felt very privileged and very grateful.”
Originally from Kent, England, Uhlendorf moved to the Island from Framingham in 1976 after hearing about the Vineyard from a friend. Uhlendorf, who arrived with her son, said that it was the perfect place to live for many reasons, such as the quality of the public school system. “It really was the best place to move to as a single parent.”
Initially settling in Vineyard Haven, Uhlendorf worked as a secretary at the Colonial Inn in Edgartown before becoming a paralegal, a profession she continued for a decade. She would later use her legal background to assist Island charities to incorporate as nonprofits, including The Island Autism Group and Sense of Wonder Creations.
A self-described ‘nature lover,’ she turned her passion of environmental conservation into a sustainable goods shop called The Conservatree in Vineyard Haven during the 80’s. Uhlendorf said that she set up the first recycling bin on Vineyard Haven’s Main Street, recalling how it was an unfamiliar concept for many people.
“Recycling was barely a word used back then,” she said. “It was a fun new thing to start spreading the word about.”
Uhlendorf continued her environmental advocacy work as a board member for the Vineyard Conservation Society, a seat she kept for 16 years. She helped organize the Society’s annual Earth Day beach cleanups.
Along with conservation, Uhlendorf also devotes herself to supporting people battling cancer. A two-time breast cancer survivor herself, she has helped the MV Cancer Support Group organize Daffodil Time — its springtime fundraiser sale of daffodils at Island grocery stores — for the past 20 years. Currently, she’s working on organizing the group’s Brunch Under the Tent Fundraiser.
“It’s been very meaningful to be able to help them further their fundraising efforts and get the word out,” she said. “Every penny they raise goes to help families on the Island with cancer.”
In their nominations, many officials from the organizations Uhlendorf worked with spoke about her generosity and dedication to community service.
“If there is a conservation cause, we all know we can rely on Penny to show up and offer her service to help. You feel like anything is possible with Penny at your side,” wrote Biodiversity Works Director Luanne Johnson.
“With her gracious charm, Penny stuffs and seals envelopes, warmly welcomes guests to events, and happily helps with any task that presents itself,” wrote Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation Executive Director Adam Moore. “She has a great love of birds and the natural world, and she helps the natural world by helping those organizations who try to care for it.”
Although there is no public presentation of the award planned, Uhlendorf advises people wishing to honor her to spend time outdoors.
“If anyone wants to celebrate me, they can go and take a walk in nature, but make sure to watch out for ticks,” she said.
Ever humble, she also emphasized that there are plenty of other community members who deserve the recognition.
“I would love to share this award with almost everybody I know out there because so many are so deserving,” she said.
When I first moved to the island I always looked up to Penny. She saw the need to conserve, and to limit the wastefulness way before most- so nice she is recognized for her efforts, commitment to good living, and community involvement. Great person-Thanks Penny!
How do I nominate an islander for the Island Spirit Award? I have in mind Laury Binney who was the Principal of the High School as well as a teacher at the elementary school. He retired and for the last 8 years has volunteered his many skills to a project Precious Orphans Childrens Home) in Tanzania. His impact on Precious Project has been profound and has literally saved the lives of many destitute children in the village of Nshupu Tanzania. His work at the Precious Leaders Secondary School led to the Prime Minister of Tanzania bestowing the coveted “Uhuru Torch Award” which is given to one organization in all of Tanzania for a given years. Mr. Binney is the real deal and no one has given back more than he has for many years. Thanks . . . Gil Williams
Penny volunteered at Windemere with Felix Neck. She would get everything set up and ready to go for the residents. Always smiling, always helping our residents by bringing around the items from nature that were being discussed that month. It was wonderful to have Penny( and Josie, from Felix Neck!) visit every month. Congratulations to Penny! She is so deserving of this award.
Congratulations, Penny! I’ll always remember how much you helped me become a paralegal for Ed Coogan and that year we spent together on Beach Road. You’re very deserving of this award, and I’m proud to know you!
Congratulations Penny, I recognized that rock you’re sitting on because I spent most of my teen afternoons sleeping next to it. Glad to see it’s still there like you are.
If kindness is a criteria, the award is well deserved