RUTH HARRIS

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 50% of Denver’s female population over the age of 65 lives alone and the majority have annual household incomes below poverty. The combination of gender, age and poverty creates an environment that disconnects elderly women from the larger community. This can be followed by fear, isolation, a feeling of helplessness and even death. Without a concerted effort to re-establish connections with the community, there is little chance for improvement.

Ruth Harris is an 83-year old woman who has gone beyond the call of duty as a Senior Companion Volunteer. She is the Point of Light who turns fear into courage, isolation into engagement and helplessness to empowerment. More importantly, she brings friendship, love and a reason to live into the lives of persons she serves. Single-handedly, she greatly improves their quality of life and becomes the family to clients that have no family.

Ruth ‘serves’ as a Senior Companion Volunteer for 20 hours per week at Denver’s Health Center at Franklin Park. For those 20 hours, Ruth receives a stipend of $2.65 per hr. Additionally, Ruth donates her own personal time on holidays and weekends to visit with her clients. She humors them with jokes and sometimes sings to them. Ruth was an entertainer in her younger years and utilizes these talents to help clients experience a brighter side of life. Some days, Ruth pushes wheelchairs outside so that her clients can get some fresh air and say hello to neighbors Ruth believes that being connected to the community is a relative measure; it depends on where people are at the moment.

Despite her height at four feet and two inches, she lets nothing interfere with her volunteer work. She faithfully boards the Access-A-Bus (Denver’s handicap bus service) everyday to arrive at her volunteer site on time. Ruth’s activities include providing companionship and support to chronically ill senior citizens as well as Alzheimer’s and AIDS’ patients.

Seniors! Inc. in Denver, CO, is the nation’s first Senior Companion Program, starting in 1974. Remarkably, Ruth has served 23 of those years. She has volunteered over 22,000 hours and served over 1,100 clients. Ruth says “This involvement gives purpose and meaning to my life. It keeps me young.”

Regular survey results show that over 80% of Ruth’s clients believe their quality of life has improved greatly due to the services she provides. Her supervisors say she’s irreplaceable and that when Ruth walks through the door, the environment brightens noticeably.

Ruth Harris and other Senior Companion Program Volunteers improve the quality of life of persons often left behind; and exemplify the spirit of “Seniors helping Seniors.” Ruth Harris brings a loving face and big hearth to this spirit, which is why she’s know throughout her community as “Little Ruth with the Big Heart.”

ERIN LEA TURNER

Erin Lea Turner, 20 years old, is a Communication Arts major at Troy University. She actively demonstrates her sincere passion for the arts with a focus on meeting the educational needs of others. In 2003, Ms. Turner responded to a multi-million dollar budget-cut effecting Alabama’s community and educational arts programs by founding and leading ArtStart, Alabama. Ms. Turner’s ArtStart, Alabama website serves as a communication conduit. It gives schools an avenue to reveal their needs to the community as well as providing the community a positive way to intervene through volunteering time, supplies or services and secure continued successful students.

Ms. Turner’s professional service attitude combined with personally caring, sends a clear message regarding the importance of the arts in a diverse society. Through her performances in theatre, festivals and arts educational workshops and overseeing drama/vocal/dance students throughout the state, many young (and young-old) people, have met and developed healthy friendships in a respite from the stress and pressures of school, work and home. Ms. Turner’s belief that there is emotional satisfaction and logic by supporting the arts encourages the development of young artists who might otherwise never use their talent. These young people have been enriched intellectually and emotionally by what they have seen, heard and learned.

Ms. Turner’s ArtStart, Alabama program is individualized to meet the social and physical needs of diverse groups. She has devoted time with our special need communities in Hoover and Valley, Alabama and creates plans for their future arts interests. Erin puts her heart into volunteerism with her ArtStart, Alabama platform. Yet, with this busy schedule, she displays poise and balance throughout her lifestyle. Academically, she’s a Dean’s list scholar, while her spiritual needs are witnessed by her active on-going church support. Socially she actively participates with her university sorority and honors fraternity as well as her family and friends.

In our technology-oriented society, the arts are more necessary to the quality of our life than any other time in history. We are more hurried and hyper, there’s more crime and drug abuse revealing a desperate need for visual tranquility of a museum, rich sounds of music, or the dazzling sights of dancing. Ms. Turner demonstrates her passionate belief that the quality of life can be improved through the arts and she has a plan to do it.

MARION H. BAKER

Let your light shine before men. Each community has someone who helps the poor, cares for the ill, serves the church, supports community agencies and gives of oneself. Seldom can this person be found in one person. But the Mayville-Portland area has Marion Baker who fits all these descriptions.

Marion’s involvement in providing organizational skills for fundraisers for the local hospital, the Catholic Church, Mayville State University, and the Women’s Club, has resulted in numerous successful projects as a result of funds raised. Her time volunteering at the local food pantry and driving over 150 miles at least every other month to pick up foods staples from the North Dakota Community Action Agency for low income elderly people, displays her commitment to make all lives better. She’s also involved with Meals on Wheels and a local hospice for many years. One year she sewed and knitted numerous hats and caps for those in chemotherapy. She is involved directly with some Hospice clients, but helps Red River Valley Hospice in any need, including running errands, office help, special needs and fundraisers.

Often it is the little things that stand out about Marion. She is the one who volunteers to deliver gifts for the Catholic Church Ladies Guild and to the homebound or nursing home members at Christmas and Valentine’s Day. She is usually one of the first to help prepare and serve at parishioners’ funerals or weddings. It is the card she sends, the thoughtful word or surprise, often a handmade gift, to those who need that extra touch. Her sewing skills have resulted in quilts being given away when the heating went out at the university and quilts being auctioned off to benefit specific fund raising needs like Relay for Life and Luther Memorial Nursing Home Benefit.

It isn’t everyone who will volunteer their home phone number to take reservations for numerous community activities, but Marion contributes even in her ‘off’ time. They often say giving of oneself is the ultimate gift and Marion does just that not only by service, but also by donating blood regularly since her type is needed and is rarely donated.

In conclusion, many people wish to make some impact on those around them at least once in their lives. It is the rare individual who can touch the lives of the young and old, community activists and homebound, the wealthy and the needy and do so with a cheerful smile, never asking for anything in return. This is Marion Baker, our community Point of Light nominee.

JOSEPH S. AUBAIN

Joe Aubain is a man who loves his island, his home. He has seen the devastating effect of cruelty on animals in the Virgin Islands and its link to family abuse. Since 2000, Joe Aubain has worked constantly to help prevent the epidemic of animal cruelty and its subsequent toll on families.

As President of the Board of Directors of the Humane Society of St. Thomas, he has significantly affected the lives of thousands of animals and countless children and adults. His unrelenting volunteer efforts launched a campaign to build an Animal Care Campus for the purpose of providing proper care to the island’s many unwanted animals and providing the value of humane education principles to thousands of school children.

As a seasoned nonprofit professional and animal lover, Joe Aubain envisioned a “campus” of facilities and activities designed for the enjoyment and education of people along with meeting the needs of unwanted animals. Dogs would be able to romp in one of several dog parks, or be exercised by taking a leisurely walk on nature trails. Cats would have lots of room to play in a tropical cabana. Families would visit the beautiful grounds and bring their beloved pets for walks and socialization with other animals, something unheard of in the community. Injured iguanas and migratory birds would be cared for in sanctuaries. Most importantly, children would visit the campus and learn to respect animals and the environment, and thus, display the values of humane education to one another, and as they grow into adults, teach these values to their children.

A steadfast believer that animal abuse is family abuse, Joe Aubain has already begun to see a dream realized-the positive impact of humane education on the community.

Joe Aubain has worked to enhance the quality of life of Virgin Islanders through his involvement in numerous causes and community based organizations. As Executive Director of the St. Thomas-St. John Chamber of Commerce for the past 14 years, he has stepped in and assisted numerous individuals and organizations when the “community safety net” failed them. His experience and the relationships he has built throughout the community has enabled him to launch this massive effort of (1) raising 3 million dollars for the construction of the Animal Care Campus, (2) managing the project design and construction, (3) developing the organization by raising funds for an executive director to develop and implement a strategic plan, (4) diversifying and growing the organization’s membership from less than 200 to a goal of 2,000 in less than two years, and (5) mobilizing the community’s elected officials to enact stronger animal cruelty legislation.

In addition to this phenomenal undertaking, Joe Aubain finds time to adopt and rescue animals. As he will step out of the Presidency in June 2005 at the organization’s annual meeting and preparation for the groundbreaking, Joe Aubain will remain on the Board as the volunteer project manager for the capital campaign and construction of the Animal Care Campus.

JAY LAPHAM

The leadership of Mr. Jay Lapham manifests itself in his quiet and steadfast commitment to keeping our children protected. Through his dedication and leadership skills, Jay Lapham tirelessly works on community, state, and national levels to develop and promote programs that hold child abusers criminally responsible for their actions. As part of Mr. Lapham’s dedication to the children of his community, he has donated over 2,000 hours developing and implementing quality training programs in partnership with other community agencies to train professionals in the prevention, investigations, and prosecution of child abuse. All of Mr. Lapham’s time devoted to providing outstanding leadership to community agencies has been as a volunteer.

Mr. Lapham began his journey as an outstanding leader in issues related to children in 1996 by assisting the local children’s hospital in its efforts to teach others about the dangers of those who prey on children. He continued his efforts throughout 1997 by partnering with Tarrant County College to provide leadership in developing a training program for social workers, police, and medical personnel. In 2000, Mr. Lapham joined the Shaken Baby Alliance as a Board member of the agency. Thus began a formidable record of developing and teaching in the Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma and SIDS Regional Training Institute and the Serious Physical Child Abuse and SIDS Program. These nationally recognized programs have resulted in the training of over 15,000 Texas professionals dedicated to protecting our children.

This list includes seminars and conferences where Mr. Lapham has volunteered as a lecturer-trainer, and provided leadership and direction in the development of the training program:

The prosecution of Child Abuse Cases 2002-A Workshop for Child Abuse Professionals-sponsored by the Texas Children’s Justice Act Project and TDPRS Austin, TX (07/02)

Shaken Baby Syndrome/Abusive Head Trauma & SIDS Regional Training Institutes: Paris, TX (07/04); Killeen, TX (06/04); Brownwood, TX (06/04); Lubbock, TX (08/03); Harlingen, TX (07/03); Abilene, TX (07/03); Corpus Christi, TX (06/03); Galveston, TX (05/03); Marshall, TX (04/03); Denton, TX (01/03)

Serious Physical Child Abuse and SIDS Advanced Investigation Training, Fort Worth, TX (12/04, 07/04, 06/04, 04/04, 02/03, 01/03); Austin, TX (01/04)

New Mexico Multi-Disciplinary Conference on Serious Physical Child Abuse (03/03, 11/04)

Florida Conference Serious Physical Child Abuse (03/04)

“Offense to Prosecution” Serious Physical Child Abuse-Second Annual Starfish Conference (03/04)

3rd Annual Child Victims: Interventions and Investigations-Bastrop, TX (07/04)

The Alaska Maltreatment Conference-“Translating Ideas into Action” Anchorage, AK (10/04)

Mr. Jay Lapham is an outstanding choice for the Daily Points of Light Award for his outstanding leadership skills in developing quality training programs that provide professionals with the tools they need to prevent child abuse and seek criminal prosecution of those who dare to hurt our Texas children. His leadership and willingness to donate countless hours of his personal time have no doubt led to the prevention of child abuse to our littlest Texas citizens.

ALEX RICHARDVILLE

Every once in a while in life, you cross the path of an individual that just seems to stand out. I have had the opportunity to cross paths with a young lady that fits perfectly into the “stand out” description. For several times I have seen her and each time it has left me in amazement. Many teenagers today have little or no respect for their community and in fact sit around waiting for handouts.

During the weekend of September 17th, the town of Ligonier, along with many other communities of Western Pennsylvania were fighting floods as a result of the hurricane. Alex walked up to a fire truck, pulled down hoses, threw them over her shoulder and turned and walked away as if it was a normal everyday activity. I sat and watched in awe for quite some time as she went from house to house working right along side the other volunteer firemen helping the flood victims. Before long, I heard several people talking and everyone was curious to know who she was and unfortunately I stood in silence.

Recently, I was among a group of people that were helping to locate a local woman that was missing. Once again I crossed the path of this young lady. I heard through the grapevine that she had volunteered many hours with the search and rescue mission.

Alex is very active, from being involved with the girls’ soccer team to being a member of the Blue Grass Committee to volunteering time as a junior firefighter. She attended firefighting school at St. Vincent and has been volunteering for a year and a half. Alex says that she has been to a lot of calls in her tenure as a volunteer firefighter.

LT. COL. LEES BROOME, USAF RETIRED

Following Col. Lees Broome’s retirement from the USAF, in 1974, he has spent most of his time helping Air Force active duty personnel, military retirees, military veterans and their families.

He is a member of Barksdale Air Force Base (BAFB) Louisiana committee, “Friends of Family Support,” that meets four times a year. The committee promotes quality of life issues and activities for all the 7,800 Barksdale active duty and reserve personnel and their families. They plan and conduct fundraising activities, make requests for funds from charitable sources, determine expenses not covered by appropriated or non-appropriated funds. Lees is also a member of BAFB’s Volunteer Advisory Council (VAC), which meets twice a year. VAC is responsible for base funding and policy recommendations for all base volunteerism, maintains a forum to address base volunteer issues, recognition of all base volunteer efforts, and provides local, regional or national and logistical support to the base volunteer resource program.

He is a member of Barksdale’s “Base Exchange (BX) Advisory Council” and is also a member of Barksdale’s “Commissary Advisory Committee.” The BX and Commissary Committee each hold 4 meetings per year to improve quality of life service, solve suggestions and complaints from Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve, Retired Military and their families, who utilize these base facilities. Lees is the representative for over 19,500 local military retirees and their dependents on these committees.

Lees is a member of the Northeast Louisiana War Veterans Home Ancillary Committee that meet at the Home in Monroe, LA which is about 115 miles one way from his residence. The War Veterans Home has accommodations for 156 male or female patients living in 4 different wings: Maximum Nursing Care; Alzheimer’s; Ambulatory; and Limited Nursing. The committee meets 4 times a year to assist in setting policy, obtaining donations, plans and supervises all the Home’s activities. During 2004, we arranged for a local elementary school art class to make Valentines and local JROTC Unit to address these valentines to all the Home’s patients. He also got local individuals to donate 124 pieces of all types of men’s clothing in large and extra large sizes, plus a United States Flag, POW/MIA Flag and the Louisiana State Flag.

As a member of the Northeast Louisiana Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Advisory Council, he served as Vice President for the last two years. This local RSVP has 837 volunteers over age 55, who contributed 154,000 hour at 93 volunteer stations in 2004. Lees established an RSVP volunteer station for BAFB Retiree Activities Office, base’s Family Support Center and Air Force Association (AFA) local chapter at the base. The RSVP Advisory Council meets 4 times a year to develop, assist, advise and evaluate all volunteer programs for the local RSVP. The Council works directly with the RSVP director on all RSVP projects each year. During 2004, Lees performed 2,589 volunteer hours and drove 6,335 miles at his own expense to perform his volunteer service locally and around the state.

DON L. RONDEAU

Don L. Rondeau is an asset to the Heart of America Quilt and the community at large. He has been a volunteer with the Heart of America Quilt since March 2004. His enthusiasm, work ethic, and positive attitude have been exceptional. Currently, he serves as our organization’s security advisor. Don works hard to provide the security for our events and to make sure all who take part are safe, along with the memorial itself.

Don’s work in the field of security has affected our country in a positive way. He works hard to bring together all walks of life for the security of all. He diligently spends his time working for our national security on a day-to-day basis with much effort to give back to his community in anyway possible, including his work with our organization in the focus of not only protecting it, but helping to create a sense of unity within our organization and with the public we serve to educate children on working together to solve problems in their community. Don’s belief of giving is in his pride of a person, the great return of the larger picture, the betterment of our community and country.

In addition to providing the Heart of America Quilt so much time and dedication, Don has worked as board member of Africa Mix International Charities (African relief) and was recently recognized as Homeland Security Executive of the year 2004. His accomplishment was recognized by former DHS Secretary, Tom Ridge. He also served on the county partnership advisor board against hate crime and violence. He is not one to support ‘accepting being a victim.’ He is proud to have educated a few on how not to let hate and fear stop them from embracing all that America has to offer.

One of Don’s noted accomplishments that has gone without recognition was during the siege on the DC Metro Sniper, he lead a patrol of citizens throughout Aspen Hill, Maryland. He knocked on doors of complete strangers asking them to patrol with him. His neighbors and himself patrolled a stretch were three people were killed. They wanted to make sure that the kids felt safe going to school. They were black, white, Jewish, gentile, Hispanic, young and old. One neighbor who since has passed shed tears at the sight of this “young black man leading this multi cultural brigade.” The neighbor could not walk with them as he was having kidney trouble but he said he would pray.

The recent release of his book was just another reason for Don to give more, including a donation from the proceeds. Don’s altruism is amazing and he clearly demonstrates that an individual’s actions can make a huge difference in our country. Don is a father, husband, executive, volunteer and outstanding member of our community and country.

KATIE LUMPKIN

The tragic loss of her brother due to underage drinking has made Katie Lumpkin an activist and advocate for reducing underage drinking in our society. Katie created and implemented an underage drinking awareness program for 5th through 12th grades in various schools throughout Georgia and at no cost to the schools recently introduced this program in Alabama, Florida, New York, and South Carolina.

Katie is now expanding her program to reach college level students as well through a 15 minute video that she produced and directed called “Think Again.” This video tells the story of how her brother lost his life because of underage drinking and gives current facts about the effects of alcohol on the teenage brain.

This video has aired on two local public access channels reaching thousands of homes during prom season, which is an especially tempting time of the year for young adults to drink. The video has been introduced to all 50 states and is being implemented in five of those states so far. Katie’s goal is for “Think Again” to be a part of every middle and high school in the United States. Her passion for this cause has motivated her to speak to over 1,000 students in schools, clubs and after school programs throughout the state. She has also filmed a Public Service Announcement that has reached thousands of homes locally.

In April 2003, she authored a keg registration bill that was adopted by the city of Thomasville to make it more difficult for minors to obtain alcohol. As a statewide spokesperson, Katie would like to ensure that Georgia’s Keg Registration Law is implemented in every city and county of Georgia. She has contacted the State School Superintendent of every state in the United States to help to spread her message nationwide. She is working to place more responsibility on merchants by advocating for more compliance checks to help decrease the number of minors that are able to purchase their own alcohol.

Katie Lumpkin is an excellent role model for today’s youth and she stands strong in her belief that one person can make a difference. Katie has taken a personal tragedy and turned it into a mission of hope, dedication, and community service.

VON E. WHATCOTT

Von Whatcott is a unique volunteer in his area. Though he is only 23 years old, he volunteers 20-30 hours every week. Whatcott was injured in an accident when he was young, which sent him into cardiac arrest, and caused some injury to his brain. However, through great determination, Whatcott relearned all the skills he lost in the accident. He was in special education classes, worked hard, and later, received his high school diploma. After high school, Whatcott spent six months serving a mission for his church. He then attended culinary arts school and received his Food Handler’s Permit.

For the past two and a half years, Whatcott has volunteered at the Pahvant Senior Center, spending at least 20 hours a week serving the seniors. He helps as kitchen aide, preparing food for the seniors, cleaning up after meals, and putting away groceries. He also helps in the center foot clinic, where he assists the nurses in taking care of the residents’ feet by making sure they have enough water and supplies, and helping with clean up. Whatcott also accompanies the seniors on shopping trips called Senior Trips. On these trips, he helps them get around in the stores, and serves as a companion.

Whatcott loves volunteering at the Pahvant Senior Center. Whatcott has a smile and kind word for all the seniors he works with. He is a willing worker and is quick to accomplish any task he is asked to do. Often he will notice that things needs to be done and will do so without any prompting. Virginia Josse, Administrator of the Pahvant Senior Center says the seniors “love him-he fits right in and he’s willing to do anything.”

In addition, Whatcott volunteers two afternoons during football season helping out at football practice for the Millard High School football team. His father has instilled a work ethic in him so Whatcott works hard at whatever he sets out to do. As a hobby, Whatcott also grows a garden and shares the produce with others during harvest time.