Peggy Koele

Peggy Koele is a dedicated year-round volunteer who provides multiple growth opportunities for children and adults in Special Olympics.

For over 28 years, Peggy has been committed to the Special Olympics movement. In 1978 Peggy began coaching both children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Peggy coached athletes how to participate and excel in basketball, bowling and track and field. Peggy continually demonstrates the high degree of technical skill, commitment, and compassion needed to motivate and train athletes for competition and for life. Personal growth, self-confidence and physical fitness are only a few benefits obtained by the athletes through Peggy’s coaching and mentorship.

In addition to coaching, Peggy fulfills the all-important and demanding role of volunteer Area Director for Northwest Iowa. This vital position requires a person with integrity and honesty. As the Area Director, Peggy ensures that quality Special Olympics sports training programs and athletic competitions are available to all eligible individuals in the area. She plans, implements and manages all area competitions while raising funds to support and meet the financial needs of the area.

Over 830 athletes currently compete in Northwest Iowa. These athletes are given an opportunity to develop and demonstrate their skills and talents throughout the year while increasing the public’s awareness of their capabilities. Prior to each area competition, Peggy receives and reviews all athlete entry scores. She then creates divisions so that athletes of equal ability compete against each other in any given event, thus providing each athlete with a fair and equal opportunity to not only do well but to excel in their individual competitions.

Peggy recruits, orients and trains volunteers who assist with the sports competitions held in Northwest Iowa. She ensures that all National Governing rules and Special Olympic rules, policies and procedures are followed during the competitions. Peggy also establishes training opportunities for other volunteer coaches so they can and will promote the proper instruction for all athletes.

The first-ever Special Olympics USA National Games were held in Ames, Iowa in July, 2006. Over 3,000 athletes from across the United States participated in this week long competition. Peggy generously served as the Sports Commissioner of the bowling competition for the National Games. As the Sports Commissioner, Peggy completed many duties including the supervision of officials and volunteers. She ensured that equipment was properly set up for the bowling competition and that the schedules were followed. Peggy also addressed any protests made by the coaches.

Peggy Koele treats every Special Olympics athlete with the respect and dignity that they deserve. She whole-heartedly shares her time and abilities with people with intellectual disabilities.

Ansley Reagan

Over the past two years, Ansley Reagan, a recent cum laude graduate of Lee University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Telecommunications, has made a direct impact on her community. According to Ansley, she has always had an interest in and compassion for the elderly. These interests inspired her to launch Project CARE.

The mission of Project CARE is to establish community alliances that will promote interaction with the elderly, and to raise awareness for elderly citizens living in unhealthy conditions or that simply have no family support.

She created a resource website: www.projectcaretn.com. It informs Tennesseans of volunteer opportunities with elderly in their community. This website also serves as a resource page for the elderly and their caregivers. She has also instituted an intergenerational reading program with the Cleveland Public Library and the Girl Scout Council of Moccasin Bend. Participants check out books from the library and read to any elderly person of their choice. Once they read six books, they receive a “fun patch,” which she designed, that is worn on their uniform.

In addition, Project CARE schedules Beauty Days for Seniors at area nursing homes assisted living facilities. She enlists the help of students from area beauty schools to provide manicures, facials, and makeovers for the residents. The Adopt-A-Grandparent Partnership between Life Care of Cleveland Lee University is scheduled to start in the fall of 2006. Lee students are required to perform community service every semester until they graduate. This project matches a student with a resident. The pairing will involve scheduled interaction with the elderly person and student for the duration of their college career. Her efforts have instituted a permanent option for students to direct their service at her university. She is also a volunteer for the Tennessee Senior Olympics.

The most impressive component of Ansley’s program is the advocacy and support for the Volunteer Guardianship Program. For the past two years, Ansley has been the legal guardian of an elderly woman whom she visits weekly to ensure that she is being properly cared for; and Ansley meets regularly with her social worker to discuss her progress and state of well-being.

This past Spring, Ansley organized a benefit concert to raise funds and gain exposure for the Volunteer Guardianship Program. It raised $1,115 for the program and the in-kind donations totaled $7,000.

Home Depot of Decatur

Home Depot of Decatur has been an instrumental part of the community. They have taken on numerous projects in the city including work at Frances Nungester School. The volunteers diligently worked for many days repairing, painting and rebuilding the school’s playground, which had become an eyesore after many years of constant use. In addition, volunteers weeded and landscaped. One team member was seen crawling around for days to ensure she pulled all the weeds from the school’s property. The staff members believe they have the finest school in Decatur, both inside and out.

Unfortunately, the school obtains minimal parental support; however, Home Depot has stepped in as a resource. They met and had lunch with the students each day they served. The volunteers were examples of consistency and diligence, and they greeted the children and staff with smiles. They showed the children they cared and their school is something they, too, should care about. The PTA got involved to feed the volunteers and express gratitude for the extreme makeover from Home Depot.

The Home Depot volunteers have not only served with the Frances Nungester School, but they have built and refurbished playgrounds all over town, especially in low income areas. Northwest Decatur now boosts a Kaboom playground due to the efforts and commitments of the Home Depot team.

The schools had drives during the fall to assist the many families in Baldwin County who lost so much due to Hurricane Ivan. The schools provided two pick-up truck loads for those in need, and Home Depot donated a truck to take all the donated supplies to Baldwin County for distribution.

Helen Hauser

RSVP volunteer Helen Hauser believes that children need to be nurtured and loved. She fosters this philosophy each Monday as she interacts with the children currently living at Domestic Violence Center in Cleveland, OH where she has volunteered since 1998 and has accumulated more than 1,200 hours of service.

Life at the Center can sometimes be an environment that is chaotic and unpredictable due to the crises that the families are encountering, and yet Hauser has always been a constant, stable presence for the children. When everything else seems to be out of place and unfamiliar, “Grandma Helen,” as Hauser is affectionately known, is someone the children know they can count on each week.

Support groups for the women at the Center are critical to the healing process and because Grandma Helen watches the children in the evening; their mothers are able to participate in these groups.

Hauser observes the children when they are most comfortable—when they are playing—and is able to offer her observations to the staff. Her input often allows staff to identify areas where the children may need help or counseling. The Youth Advocacy Program at the Center has benefited from Grandma Helen’s support.

Helen received the RSVP Outstanding Quality Service Award for her dedication and excellent service in 2006.

American Red Cross-Desoto County

What struck the new Branch Manager for the American Red Cross Southwest Florida Chapter on his arrival to Arcadia, FL was that many of the volunteers that he was interviewing were former clients who lost everything due to Hurricane Charley in 2004. A lot of them said it takes their mind off their own problems to help someone else. It is almost two full years after Charley and these same volunteers are still working every day for the Red Cross—with smiles on their faces.

The most important lesson is it does not take much to be a huge benefit to someone else. Americans respond when neighbors are in need, and these volunteers from DeSoto County have responded to not only the long-term recovery in their own community. They are also on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week in the field and behind the desk. The volunteers train others in lifesaving skills, respond to disasters nationally and locally, raise funds, assist in blood drives, and educate their community in disaster preparedness.

The DeSoto County volunteers find that people believe the American Red Cross is only in the community to take blood; however, on a day to day basis they respond to fires, disasters, assist victims with food and clothes supplies as well as education.

These dedicated men and women devoted more than 6,000 hours to their community last year. Some volunteers are retirees and others are students, yet every one of them finds the time to help a child, adult, or family that is in need.

John Lewis

Paulina Maida

Paulina Maida is a very motivated and caring young woman. Though only a sophomore at Seton Catholic Central High School in Binghamton, NY, she displays great aptitude in her studies, besides an impressive volunteer record. Paulina teaches Sunday school, participates in plays, sings in Chorus concerts, volunteers at a local hospital, participates in the Catholic Character Council and reads and serves at Mass.

One of the most enriching activities in her busy schedule, Paulina says, is helping out at Barnes Kasson Hospital in Susquehanna, PA for a couple of hours every week. She gives the nurses a much needed break by passing out and collecting dinner trays, filling up water pitchers, taking orders for evening snacks, organizing papers and making beds.

However, Paulina’s favorite part of the job is interacting with the patients at the hospital. Many of them are elderly and lonely, and Paulina has noted that it can be very meaningful to just sit and talk with a patient. Paulina witnesses first hand that the adage is true: it’s really not fun to be sick. People in hospitals often feel disconnected from the outside world and have no one to talk to. That is why Paulina makes sure to talk with the patients about their lives and interests.

The patients are also happy when Paulina takes them outside in a wheelchair so that they can enjoy nature, when she reads to them, and when she helps them with their personal toiletries. Paulina always carries a makeup bag with her containing different brightly colored nail polishes, nail files, and nail clippers. Many elderly ladies have gotten a kick out of having their nails done in the hospital, “just like at the salon!”

Samantha Luscombe

For eleven of her sixteen years, Samantha Luscombe has been a Girl Scout, focusing on service to the community and others. Samantha recently designed a project that she felt would serve the community on several levels. Although the project spanned only four months instead of the suggested six month duration for this award, she worked for more than 144 hours of that time.

Samantha identified a need to comfort children in painful and stressful situations where police, fire or rescue services are required or in hospital or homeless shelter environments. She remembered how reassuring her stuffed animals were to her when she was younger, and she decided that these children could benefit from having animals of their own. She also felt that this project could promote positive relationships between the children who receive the animals and the police officers, firefighters or rescue workers who ultimately give them out.

On yet a third level, Samantha decided not just to collect stuffed animals, but she wanted to use this project to teach younger children the joy of helping others by having elementary school aged children come to stuff an animal for another child in need. Samantha created a website, wrote newspaper articles, and made fliers to place in local stores and restaurants to advertise the event. She solicited donations of supplies and asked individuals to “Adopt a Bear for the Fair,” by purchasing an unstuffed animal and donating it to the fair. She found 27 adult and teen helpers for the event through Girl Scouting, church bulletins and school newsletters.

In all, 155 animals were donated to the Westfield, NJ Police, Fire and Rescue departments, the Hospitality for the Homeless Network through Church of St. Helen in Westfield, and the Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, NJ. The animals are being distributed to children present at police calls, home fires and accidents, and to those in the hospital and homeless networks.

During her project, Samantha received an e-mail from an eight year old boy with brain cancer. He had seen her website and loved the project. He told her how much his animals help him in the hospital and during his chemotherapy sessions. He “adopted’ five bears to help other children. Samantha was so impressed with this caring child that she has kept in touch with him and his mother ever since. Her latest project is to collect picture post cards from all 50 states and as many foreign countries as possible to show him “the world” and how many people care about him. She says that he’s often stuck in hospitals and at home after treatments, and she wanted to let him “travel” during those times.

Samantha is further continuing her work to help others with plans of running a Hepatitis C awareness day, working at a Breast Cancer Awareness Day on October 14th, and helping at a senior/teen dance planned for later next year. She will also be running a Brownie Girl Scout Troop for the next 2 years as a Girl Scout Leader in Training.

Sheila Molden

Sheila Molden has been a volunteer with the March of Dimes in Sioux City, IA for over 17 years and through her continued support and leadership has personally raised over $78,000 in just the last nine years. While employed at Gateway Computers, Molden served as a team leader helping her team to raise more than $435,240. She has held various volunteer positions through the March of Dimes such as Team Captain, Walk Chair, Honorary Walk Chair, and Siouxland Division Board Member. She was awarded the Distinguished Volunteer of the Year Award at the March of Dimes National Volunteer Conference in Pittsburgh in 1998.

Molden has been quoted as saying, “I volunteer for the March of Dimes because I believe in their mission. Every baby deserves to be born healthy. Together with the March of Dimes and their research, community services, advocacy and education, my hope is that one day all babies will be born healthy and have a fighting chance at a healthy life.”

Because of Molden’s influence many people have become involved with the mission of the March of Dimes. While employed at Gateway, Molden has been a dedicated volunteer who has planned many events that has raised money and mission awareness for the March of Dimes.

At the 2004 Walk America Awards ceremony, the Siouxland Division of the March of Dimes initiated the Sheila Molden Walk America Volunteer of the Year Award. This award has been given each year to a volunteer who exemplifies leadership, lasting dedication and determination, and the compassion to inspire others. Ted Waitt sent a personal message in 2004 to help them honor Molden, “Sheila is simply a wonderful person, and her passion and dedication to the March of Dimes inspires me to contribute every year.”

Molden serves on the Board of the March of Dimes, currently she is the co-chair. Each year she serves on the Walk America steering committee and has helped this annual fundraiser grow over the years.

Matthew Wettach

Matthew Wettach has created an ongoing program to provide the basic school supplies for kindergarten children in the Mt. Pleasant area who have been identified as economically disadvantaged.

The need for the program was identified by area educators, the community Action Program and the Southeast Iowa Head Start Program. These entities provided Wettach with suggestions on what type of supplies were needed, how to implement the project, and identify the group of students who would be attending kindergarten in the fall.

With this information, Wettach began his “Write Smart” project in August of 2005. Using the proceeds earned from his summer lawn mowing job, he decided to provide each student with a back-pack filled with the materials listed on area school supply lists. In addition to the supplies, he enclosed a hand-written note encouraging the child to do their best in school throughout the year.

A total of 32 back-packs were filled with materials by project volunteers at the Tolson Community Action Center in Mt. Pleasant. The cost of each pack with materials was $71.42 and the total cost of the project was $2,285. Extra back-packs were sent to Louisa and Des Moines County for distribution by their Community Action Directors.

In October, Wettach followed up on his “Write Smart” project with a Halloween book, stickers, pencil, small treat and a personalized note, which cost $2.95 per child. Community Action Director, Sheila Church, suggested with fall approaching, that a coat drive may also benefit area children.

In December, Wettach held a coat drive at his sister’s store in Mt. Pleasant and collected more than 150 coats of all sizes. The coats were taken to the Community Action Center for distribution. In addition, “Write Smart” provided each of the project students with mittens and hats, a hard-bound Christmas book, additional crayons, pencils, glue and a personalized Christmas card, which cost $4.55 per student.

In February each kindergarten student in the program receiving a soft-cover book, Valentine stickers, paints pencils, and a small treat, which cost $1.95 per student. He also polled area school secretaries for input as to how the project could be improved.

Matthew Wettach’s “Write Smart” project is being continued this school year. This is a result of his commitment to enhancing the early impact in individual students who may otherwise not have this positive influence in their early educational life.