Dan Winchester

Dan Winchester has been performing community based mentoring since 1991. His Little Brother was seven years old when they were matched and Winchester still spends time with him. Over the years, he has spend many hours providing guidance and companionship, sharing the experiences of fishing, community service, farming and hunting, and just “being there” and “hanging out.” Most important, however, is the fact that he helped his Little Brother with life choices. He was being raised by a single mom, and they experienced some difficult times. Winchester was there to listen and give love and advice. Today his Little Brother has completed high school, trade school and is employed full-time.

Winchester was a Little Brother at the age of 11. His Big Brother mentored him until he was 19 years old. Winchester learned a lot about life and the importance of community service through his relationship with his Big Brother. One of the greatest lessons Winchester’s Brother taught him was to pass on the gifts, talents and opportunities that he received from his Big Brother. That is the reason Winchester became an active Big Brother. He wanted to make the same impact in someone’s life that his Big Brother made in his.

Since 1993, Winchester has also been an active Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Since becoming involved with the organization, he has raised in excess of 25,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend. In 1999 and 2000, Winchester also served as a mentor to a seven- year-old child and still drops in to the first grade classroom from time to time to read to the children there.

Winchester is a member of the Leon County Board of County Commissioners. The Director of the Leon County Volunteer Center believes they are very fortunate to have a member of the County Commission so in tune with the importance of mentoring. Strongly supported by Commissioner Winchester in 2000, the Board passed an Administrative Leave Policy that allows employees to use leave time to volunteer one hour per week to serve as a mentor in schools. He believes it is wonderful that the County employees will give of their time and energy to make a difference in the life of a child, but there is still a great need for more mentors.

In 2001, Winchester spearheaded the Leon County Mentoring Initiative and adopted Sealy Elementary School. This is a school-based “read to kids” type of mentoring initiative that started very small. However, it is now providing over a dozen mentors to Sealey’s Elementary students.

Winchester knows that the young people and the mentors are not the only people impacted by these relationships. Entire communities benefit from the youth receiving additional guidance and nurturing. Mentoring results in young people staying or being placed on the right track to a successful future.

Lawrence Fausti

Seven years ago, Dr. Lawrence Fausti brought his Bethune-Cookman College students to an inner-city elementary school in Daytona Beach, Florida to help tutor the children one-on-one. Regional statistics indicated that over 60% of these children enter school unprepared for the demands of education and burdened with limited social interaction. Dr. Fausti was committed to closing this “academic gap.”

The Word Wizards tutoring program was formed to provide Turie. T. Small Elementary students with academic role models and to create a sense of belonging for both tutors and students within their schools and community. In addition, the program serves to encourage B-CC students to value their educational experience, while providing critical mentoring and tutoring skills to younger students. Set in an environment outside of the college classroom, Word Wizards fosters the firm belief that reading is a necessary and valuable lifetime skill.

The program began with 20 tutors and 25 elementary students working together one day a week for two hours. Over the years, it has evolved to include a network of volunteer support within the community and faculty, with hundreds of tutors and partnerships with Bethune-Cookman College, Embry-Riddle Aeronautics University and Daytona Beach Leisure Service Department. During the seven years this program has been in effect, over 500 children have received individual academic attention.

Students from kindergarten to fifth grade are tutored four days a week, with an emphasis in reading and math. Enrichment activities were later added to the program. Word Wizards promotes the education, socio-cultural growth, and empowerment of the community’s youth while providing an opportunity for continuous intellectual and professional growth, leadership, and service to others by students, tutors and mentors.

An observable trend of academic and social improvement was noted in the students, supported by testing data, teacher perception, in addition to staff and parental comments. On a district-mandated standardized test, continually increasing test scores were evident in math, reading, and language skills. Word Wizards also provides a vital connection between the college and the local community and continues to be supported by many tutors who volunteer for the program even after they satisfy their college community service component.

An educator for over 20 years, Dr. Fausti has teaching experience in college, elementary, and middle school. Originally from Freedom, Pennsylvania, Dr. Fausti was named Volusia County’s Education Volunteer of the Year, United Way’s Educational Adult Volunteer of the Year, and received the “President’s Award” from Bethune-Cookman College for his commitment to community service. He credits the success of this program to Principal Betty Powers, retired Principal Shirley Browder, his co-director, Dr. Gloria Markette, faculty peers from Bethune-Cookman College, and his B-CC Word Wizard tutoring students for their generous support and donation of time.

Clara Delaney

Clara Delaney, an 18-year-old high school senior, has volunteered with Mississippi Valley Therapeutic Horsemanship since the day that it began in February 2001. Since then, she has attended every session, whether they have been in the evenings or on weekends. This unique program, which provides disabled individuals the opportunity to ride horses, has relied on Clara’s experienced hands. She volunteers as a side walker with the riders, all of whom have a disability, to make sure that they are safe in their saddles.

Clara receives special education services and her single mother has battled cancer for the past several years. Before volunteering with the program, she had never even ridden a horse. Clara has now overcome all of these challenges and accomplished well beyond her desired results.

In the beginning of the program, it was desperate for volunteers. Since Clara has been so dependable she knows all of the riders very well and trains new volunteers about the individual strengths and needs of each rider. Clara has made a positive difference in the lives of more than 10 children because it is so important for the riders to have a stable volunteer who works with them week after week. This allows her to recognize improvements or changes of any kind concerning the riders and thus adjust the level of support provided to facilitate continued growth. Clara also offers many suggestions within the program and is always quick to help with anything.

Clara is a special young woman and although she has had to face many challenges already in her life, she cares more about others before caring for herself. She is willing to give large amounts of her time and energy and expects nothing in return. Many young people with Clara’s background would have turned to drugs, alcohol or other dangerous behaviors, but Clara has chosen to help others.

Mel Arnold

Mel Arnold became a Hospice of Volusia/Flagler volunteer in 1991. Since that time, he has consistently contributed over 2000 hours and 4000 miles of documented volunteer time, although it is probable his official hours far exceed what he actually reports. Arnold is a patient and families volunteer. He works with his patients and families by providing whatever he can. This includes home repairs, errands and lending a listening ear.

Arnold has had a tremendously positive effect on the families he is assigned. In hospice volunteer training, perspective volunteers are taught that the most important attribute of a hospice volunteer is to meet people where they are and to never be judgmental. He truly loves unconditionally. When he accepts a patient assignment he never questions how far he has to drive or how much time will be needed for the patient. His only concern is how he can be of service. He then sets out to support and help his family, no matter the need. Arnold realizes that the patients and families he is assigned to are strangers. He sets out to make sure they know he is sincere in his efforts by calling, visiting and keeping eyes open for areas of need.

Arnold has replaced plumbing, installed doors, pruned trees, ran hundreds of errands, and taken patients’ pets for grooming or veterinary appointments. He lets patients know that they can call him anytime day or night. One of Arnold’s most marvelous skills is his ability to listen to people and to make them feel safe, secure, and unconditionally loved. Arnold is always available to stay with a patient to give the caregiver a chance to get out and take care of him/herself. Arnold always arrives at the patient’s home with some kind of treat: fresh fruit, homemade bread, a milkshake, or the patient or caregiver’s favorite food. He even brings treats for the family pet.

Arnold is an inspiration. He is always there with a kind word, a loving gesture, a shoulder to lean on and beautiful prayer.

Brittany Wilson

Brittany Wilson, a sophomore at DeLand High School, has volunteered in many areas of hospice care. As an eleven year old, she began her volunteer work in the hospice office by helping with large mailings, filing and trying to keep up with the shredding of confidential patient documents. At the age of twelve she began working in the Hospice Care Center patient kitchen preparing and serving patient meals. As she became more confident she began visiting with patients, delivering their meals and offering her assistance to them in any way she could. Brittany continued her work in the Care Center during school breaks and on the weekend.

After becoming a licensed driver she decided that she would like to become a home patient volunteer. The first assignment she accepted was to mentor and support a twelve-year-old girl whose grandmother guardian was terminally ill. Her duties included being a friend, taking her to doctor appointments, taking her grocery shopping and being available to listen and support the child as she dealt with the impending death of her beloved grandmother. Brittany gave up much of her Christmas holiday from school to spend time and support the patient and her granddaughter in any way she could.

Brittany’s latest volunteer work has been working with a terminally ill patient in a local nursing home. This patient had begun to isolate herself from others and repeatedly refused visits from volunteers and staff members. After hearing her mother talk about this particular patient Brittany had an idea. She told her mother about an article she read concerning pet therapy for people who were sick, isolated or homebound. Brittany wondered if maybe she could try to connect with the patient by taking her three-year-old dog to visit. At the care-planning meeting, the team decided it was worth a try. Brittany took her dog in to visit the patient and the patient responded positively. Brittany has continued to take her pet in once or twice a week, even enlisting the help of her mother. Brittany is a member of the Stetson Children’s Choir and recently traveled to North Carolina for a performance. Brittany asked her mother to take Hannah in to see the patient in her absence. The patient lights up when Brittany and Hannah walk in her room. Brittany and the patient are developing a warm and loving relationship and the patient’s state of mind had improved dramatically.

Brittany has been an integral part of the holiday projects at Hospice of Volusia/Flagler for the past four years. She has wrapped and decorated the holiday dinner boxes that the volunteer service department presents to hospice patients at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Brittany has spent hours helping other volunteers prepare the homemade holiday food and has also delivered the gifts, with the assistance of her mom, to our hospice patients.

Brittany is a member of Key Club and has been a member of the Stetson Children’s Choir since 1996. She has also volunteers as a member of Teen Court in Volusia County. She is a bright, kind, and compassionate woman who has definitely grasped the volunteer spirit and made a positive contribution in the lives of many.

Michaely “Mike” Wieland

Michaely “Mike” Wieland is one of those bubbly people you can’t help but love. She came to a Volunteers In Protective Service’s (VIP) training program in January, 2001. There were over 20 people in the training. Wieland made over 20 friends by the time the six-week training session ended!

Wieland and her 11 year-old mentee “Z” were matched in May of that year. They are as different as two people could be as far as age, race and socio-economic status is concerned, but where it matters they connected. Z hasn’t had an easy life. She’s been bounced around from foster home to foster home, making connections and then having those connections taken away from her. Wieland has been the stabilizing force in this little girl’s life since the day they met. Wieland is always there for Z; that is never in question.

Wieland has advocated for Z from day one, obtaining permission from foster parents to act as Z’s educational liaison, making sure she has the necessary medical and psychological evaluations, exposing Z to new and wonderful experiences, including sailing and going to places ranging from museums to garage sales and flea markets! She has taught Z the importance of doing homework and even made a connection for Z to have a pen pal from another state.

Wieland has incredible insight into Z and the dynamics of Z’s life, and she has always maintained and respected her boundaries in her relationship with Z. She is a caring, dedicated mentor, with unqualified integrity. She gives the word mentor meaning. She has shown Z that life can work if you pick up the tools to make it work, and she has helped Z identify her own incredible strengths. She has encouraged Z to follow her dream of being one of the first black astronauts and even helped her submit an application to space camp! Wieland and Z have become like two peas in a pod. They have taught each other and they’ve both grown incredibly from this experience.

Eve Sullivan

In 1991 Eve Sullivan and a friend co-founded PARENTS FORUM, a nonprofit organization designed to give parents the opportunity to share their successes and struggles. Sullivan, mother of three adult boys, saw that her experiences in developing emotional awareness and using it to successfully resolve family conflicts could help others avoid crisis. The program draws on a peer-support philosophy which believes that the best people to suggest solutions to a problem are those who have experienced it themselves.

The mission of PARENTS FORUM is to “bring together groups of parents and others to practice good communication skills in order to be more responsible in our families and more involved in our communities. With respect and honesty, wework through conflicts and strong feelings that can arise in family and community life.”

PARENTS FORUM provides practical training on meeting the challenges of parenthood. Trained volunteer leaders facilitate workshops based on eight questions about family life. The discussion, focussing on personal experience, not professional training, gives participants a chance to evaluate the balance in their lives. Using the program’s ‘Handy Guide’ individuals consider what and how they are doing in self-care and decision-making, relationships with family and friends, achievement in school or work, leisure and community activities.

As the workshop continues, participants consider their household values and rules: not only what rules are in place, but how these are made and, just as important, when and how rules are suspended or changed as family situations change. At the end of the session, parents and others — day care providers and young adults have often attended workshops — receive certificates and are given an opportunity of giving their own ‘graduation speech.’

This positive, preventive approach earned the organization a Social Venturing Award from the MIT Entrepreneurs Club in 1993 and recognition from the Massachusetts Volunteer Network as an Outstanding Service Program in 1994. Participants at the PARENTS FORUM seminar at the Family Support America conference in Chicago, April 2002, said, “This is what’s missing in many other parents programs!” and called it “one of the best workshops I ever attended!”

Through Sullivan’s involvement in national and nternational organizations — she serves on the board of the International Federation for Parent Education — as well as through community-supported publication of the PARENTS FORUM handbook Where the Heart Listens (2001), she has brought this message of encouragement and support to parents and others in diverse communities who share a common concern for the well-being and healthy development of children and youth. The program’s newly launched membership drive offers individuals around the country a chance to become involved.

Ginger Katz

In 1997, Virginia “Ginger” Katz founded The Courage to Speak Foundation, a non-profit organization whose mission is “to save lives by inspiring youth to be drug free” through fostering education and open communication about drug and alcohol abuse. After her promising 20-year-old son Ian Eaccarino died of an accidental drug overdose in 1996, Katz vowed to do everything in her power to prevent such a tragedy from devastating other families. She was stunned to discover the pervasiveness of illegal substances in her Connecticut community, even among kids barely into their teens. All children are “at risk.”

For the past five years, at middle-schools and high schools, colleges, churches and civic organizations, and more recently at prestigious national “prevention conclaves, Katz has given more than 300 presentations to thousands of young people and the adults who care about them. In an intensely personal 60-minute presentation about a family shattered by drugs, Ginger exhorts young people to develop “the courage to speak” when they or a friend are in trouble, and to have at least three adults in their lives with whom they are able to share their secrets. Her hard-hitting presentation is enhanced by a professional Power-Point display (funded by a Fleet Bank) providing up-to-the-minute information and statistics on substance abuse and prevention.

Katz’s message emphasizes that substance abuse endangers not only the individual, but also the family and the entire community; where there are illegal drugs, statistics show there are gangs and guns, criminality and violence, murders and suicides. Today leading educators, prevention specialists and government and law enforcement officials in communities nationwide are recognizing Katz’s work.

Perhaps the greatest testament to Ginger’s effectiveness as a mentor and a catalyst for change, are the thousands of communications she receives from young people via e-mail after her presentations, and through the Foundation’s bilingual website www.couragetospeak.org – funded by Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services). Ginger responds to each message personally and immediately, providing confidential referrals to young people and their families in crisis. A “Courage to Speak” workbook is being developed to guide teachers in providing crucial, ongoing follow-up in the classroom. Ginger has also launched The Courage to Speak Support Group, a lifeline for parents who have lost children to drugs.

This support group and a small percentage of Katz’s presentations have been funded by modest grants from government, private and corporate sources, but the vast majority of Ginger’s expenses (“Courage to Speak” video, travel, presentation and follow-up) are barely covered and remain out-of-pocket. Only rarely has she ever received her full honorarium – a fee designed to help the Foundation grow and meet its goals – and many of her presentations are donated. Each year Katz, who in 2000 was named “Connecticut Woman of the Year” by the Connecticut Post, is the driving force behind a star-studded basketball tournament that serves as the Foundation’s annual fundraiser. At age 54, Katz is a Senior Olympic athlete in basketball and running another way she (by example) successfully inspires young people to achieve their dreams.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service

Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Southern Nevada (CCCS) , established in 1974, is a non-profit-United Way organization certified by HUD as a comprehensive housing counseling agency. Three primary services are provided, in English and Spanish, to any member of the community and most services are entirely free of charge: individual financial counseling, debt repayment/consolidation and financial education. CCCS, as the premier credit counseling agency, has partnered with financial institutions to create options for residents that will lead them to financial solvency such as Fresh Start Checking which recently was awarded the 2002 CRA Award by the Federal Home Loan Bank and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

September 11th required CCCS to draw upon all their reserves to assist with the additional financial needs faced by Las Vegas. Unemployment and under-employment exploded overnight. Over 15,000 residents suddenly found themselves unemployed and thousands of others found themselves with shortened workweeks. Many of those affected had never before dealt with financial predicaments and had no idea of resources available, much less how to access them. Families that had never before considered themselves at risk suddenly faced potential homelessness. CCCS, at the request of the United Way, American Red Cross and other organizations associated with Helping Hands I (a program created by over 25 local non-profit and governmental agencies designed to provide a one-stop resource shop for those affected by 9/11) agreed to be the fiscal agent for those disbursing over $525,000 to landlords throughout the valley on behalf of the recipients and meeting the demands for accountability of the money disbursed. This project helped keep 800 families from becoming homeless.

Helping Hands II was established at the Community College of Southern Nevada campus. In addition to providing the resources found at Helping Hands I, CCCS was asked by community members such as the MGM Mirage and Park Place Entertainment to provide individual confidential financial counseling to displaced workers. Assistance with housing issues and prioritizing and controlling expenses were among the services provided. CCCS would serve almost 400 displaced workers and their families through this forum.

The above requests came on top of an incredible increase in the normal workload of CCCS. The agency regularly provides services in Southern Nevada over 90 hours each week to more than 1,000 individuals/families. October 2001 saw an increase of over 60% in direct requests for assistance. Incorporating the over 1,200 families/individuals helped through the special programs listed above meant CCCS’ requests for assistance increased almost 300%. Even with limited staff, all needs were met. Helping Hands II took advantage of CCCS staff and local volunteers, trained in a very short time period. The devoted staff of CCCS, working six days per week and most working 10-12 hours each day, met all other needs. The agency and staff realized the services they provided were imperative (and offered by no other agency) and any and all effort needed to meet the needs of the community were expended.

Volunteer Program of The Children’s Shelter

Volunteers are part of what is best about The Children’s Shelter. The Shelter is a private, nonprofit, nationally accredited agency that has provided emergency shelter and adoption services to San Antonio and Bexar County children since 1901. Today, the Shelter also offers foster care, child development services, abuse prevention programs, and nationally recognized teen pregnancy programs. Its mission is to effect positive change in the lives of children through advocacy and quality serviced focused on protection, intervention and prevention.

To frightened children who are brought to the door, the Shelter provides love, safety and volunteers hugging and telling them how special they are.

Volunteers—160 individuals and 70 groups—give more than 14,000 hours a year to abused, abandoned and neglected children who are in the care of The Children’s Shelter. They hold and rock infants, read stories, play games, and help with meals. They teach preschoolers, parents/caregivers and teachers about personal safety and abuse prevention. They work in administrative offices and on special projects such as golf tournaments, school supply drives and radio-thons. When there are foster parent meetings, volunteers are there to take care of the children.

The Shelter continually works to build relationships with community, corporate and civic groups throughout the area. Every week, they participate in children’s activities that include field trips, parties and game nights.

Volunteer screening is rigorous, and the program requires eight hours of orientation and training. Volunteer ages range from 18 to 77. The Volunteer Council facilitates dialogue to address the strengths, weaknesses and growth of the volunteer program. Council members represent each Shelter program and serve as a source of communication between volunteers and the agency. The Council Chair sits on the agency-wide Continuous Quality Improvement Committee. A monthly newsletter fosters a sense of community and gives volunteers the opportunity to learn about one another. This year, 150 volunteers representing individuals and groups attended the Shelter’s Annual Recognition Banquet to receive thanks for their dedication.

During April’s Volunteer Appreciation Week, the staff wear a “We Love Our Volunteers” sticker. If a volunteer does something special, staff will present him/her with a certificate stating, “I caught you in the act of caring.” Quarterly socials hosted by the Council for all volunteers are held at different locations around the city.

Recently, one of the Shelter’s long-time volunteers, Gordon Wing, received the health and human services “Volunteer of the Year” award from the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. The city’s largest awards program recognizes those who have dedicated their time and talents in service to others.