Earlier this month, Mayor Denis Law proclaimed Jan. 14, 2015, as Ann Grinolds Day. So who, pray tell, is Ann Grinolds? Well you might recognize her face as one of the women behind Renton’s City Hall Information Desk.

As a longtime volunteer, Grinolds has spent approximately 8,600 hours in the last 30 years greeting visitors and staff, with her “special brand of warmth, sense of humor and personality,” the proclamation stated.

Grinolds on Jan. 19 celebrated her 94th birthday and City of Renton officials honored her at the Jan. 12 City Council meeting.

Grinolds was born in London and is a World War II survivor of the German blitzkrieg on London from 1940 to 1941. She met her husband, an American soldier, and moved to Renton in 1953. All six of her children graduated from Renton High School.

She stumbled upon the volunteer position one day on a visit to City Hall, when she asked a woman there what she does.  She’s been volunteering ever since.

“It seems like it’s one big family there,” said Grinolds of City Hall. “Everybody knows me, everybody likes me and I liked the job, meeting people.”

Grinolds did not attend the reading of her proclamation, however, because she is afraid of heights and won’t go above the third floor of any building. Grinolds said in an interview that she suffers from “shell shock” from during World War II, after her house in London was bombed and she was thrown “two blocks down the street.”

So terrifying is her fear of heights that she’s never been on an airplane, choosing instead to cross the Atlantic three times on the Queen Mary ocean liner.

Grinolds was overwhelmed by the attention from the city and thought it was wonderful of Mayor Law to recognize her, she said.

The city commended her for her service and for being a four-time heart attack survivor and 64-year breast cancer survivor during her time with the city.

“Whereas, Ann’s resilience and indestructibility kept her going through these crises and she still refuses to give up at age 94 and continues to make a positive impact on our city’s history and our lives…,” read City Clerk Jason Seth.

Calling her his friend, council member Don Persson remarked on Grinolds strength as he sees her walk down to the bottom of the hill in their neighborhood almost everyday.

Council member Greg Taylor mentioned her beautiful smile, heart-warming and very compassionate nature.

“If you haven’t met Ann Grinolds, you just haven’t met one of the most wonderful human beings on the planet,” Taylor said. “She is that and more.”