MILTON DYE

Milton believes that one should serve his country by serving others. For eight years, Dye has volunteered his time at the local VFW Post. He is the Chairman of the following Post Activities: Americanism, Safety and Youth, Youth Essay, Voice of Democracy, Community and Public Relations. Dye was selected as one of 25 All State Post Commanders out of 225 Posts in Virginia for 2000-2001. He also works with the Youth Essay Program at Richlands Middle School for 7th and 8th graders. This program gives the students the opportunity to express their thoughts about their country. The past year’s theme was, “Is Freedom Really Free?”

Dye has a Voice of Democracy Program, an Audio Essay for all 9-12th grade students. The theme this year is “Reaching Out To America’s Future.” He has held Safety & Youth Programs at three elementary schools on such topics as Drug Awareness, Home/Fire, Highway Safety and Recreational Safety, also.

Dye works with other organizations on community activities, organized and assists in Blood Drives, Neighborhood/Highway action, such as Planting of trees and set up days to help Parks and Playgrounds for the kids. He also helps set up the Relay For Life for Cancer, which is a 24-hour WalkA-Thon, which raised $65,000 last year. Dye works with the March of Dimes and works with others in our community on setting up programs for Veterans Holidays. On these days, school students also participate in such programs as Loyalty Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Veterans Day and the Pearl Harbor Day.

Dye is a member of the VFW Post Honor Guard and helps with the military funerals. There were 42 this past year. Dye also makes himself available on as as-needed basis. If a school or business in the community calls him, he makes himself available to meet the need.

LOY DENNIS

Loy Dennis is a World War II Veteran who continues to give of his time and talents to benefit his country. He volunteers for the VFW Post #5686 in Billings, Missouri, the Missouri Veterans Home in Mt. Vernon, Missouri, his church Bible study groups where he is a teacher on Fridays, Marionville Methodist Manor and specifically for his neighbor Mrs. Hicks.

The Billings VFW Post utilizes Dennis’s volunteer service. He is committed to helping others enjoy life, so he visits with Veterans, shut-ins and disabled persons. He also provides entertainment and parties for various people to bring a little sunshine in their life. The VFW can count of him whenever they call. He does not work for status or to be recognized, but he volunteers because he believes that is our duty as Americans who are fortunate to have that opportunity.

Dennis also serves at the Missouri Veterans Home and Ozark Methodist Manor. He always brings a smile and encouragement for the residents. Dennis has been a fixture at these two residences for nearly 18 years. He provides musical programs, collects and donates books for the Veteran’s Library and adopts Veterans on a yearly basis. The part of his service that has the most impact is just listening to the needs and concerns of the Veterans, which shows them they are important and respected. He can also relate to them because of his prior military experiences.

He also serves the Veterans by going to various schools and talking to the classes about Veterans. He passes on a piece of history to them and lets the children know what he and other men and women did for their country.

In addition, Dennis is a valuable member of his local church. He makes sure the parishioners walk into a heated or cooled building, and he keeps it maintained, cleaned and stocked with proper bathroom and cleaning supplies. Dennis also tapes the church services and gives them to shut-ins as gifts. He also teaches a Friday Bible Study Class.

Loy Dennis is one of three Work War II Veterans left in the town, but he continues to persevere. Though he is in poor health and increasing in age; he will not stop giving of himself. For 11 years, he kept watch over his neighbor, Mrs. Hicks. He made sure she was physically well and took her to doctor appointments. He made sure her home was in good repair with regards to her doors and water. Though she passed in August of 2001, Dennis continues to keep a daily watch over her home because it is presently vacant.

CHARLES AND GAIL HELFER

Since 1996, Charles and Gail Helfer have been civilian volunteers for the Park Police Friends Board, a nonprofit group that provides additional funds and in-kind services to supplement the Montgomery County Park Police. The group works in cooperation with the Montgomery County Recreation Department and Montgomery County Park Police. The Helfers were elected to the board in 2000.

In 1998, Maryland Governor Parris Glendenning honored the Park Police’s civilian volunteer bicycle program with a Crime Prevention Award in Annapolis. Charles and Gail were both, personally acknowledged by the governor, during the ceremony. In October 2000, Park Police Chief Elizabeth Kreiter awarded the couple for their contributions to the Park Police and the Park Police Friends Board. They received the award at the Police Awareness Day, an event in which the police, fire and rescue agencies get the opportunity to build community support for crime prevention programs. The event draws 3,000 to 6,000 people annually.

Charles and Gail Helfer have been involved regularly in other Park Police special community awareness events including National Night Out, Friends of the Park Police Bicycle Time Trials, Capital Crescent Trail Opening and Trail Safety Initiatives, Brookside Gardens Light Show, Wheaton Bicycle Safety Program, Long Branch Community Day and Pathways Schools 5k Race. Since 1996, the couple has served over 1,600 combined hours of community service.

While on volunteer patrol, the Helfers report violations to the Park Police Communications Section. They assist in searches for lost children, evidence – under the direction of an officer after a subject has fled from the area, observe alcohol abuse incidents, controlled dangerous substances, parking and report any safety hazards in the parks they observe. The Helfers also recruit volunteers to the Park Police volunteer corp. They also helped to write two manuals used by Park Police Volunteers.

KEVIN MEDINA

Kevin Medina has been a volunteer with the American Red Cross in Greater New York since September 1996. He joined the Queens Chapter Youth Group after having visited the Chapter to obtain information on First Aid Services and Blood Donations for a school project. He has increasingly assumed leadership responsibility of the Youth Group’s management, including the recruitment and development of new volunteers and the implementation of service activities. In 1998, Kevin was appointed Vice-Chair of the Youth Program. In this capacity, he coordinated Fire and Burn Safety presentations for pre-school children and organized youth volunteers for disaster relief operations.

Kevin demonstrated his commitment to the Queens Chapter Youth Group when following high school graduation of the Youth Group’s Executive Board and in absence of a Chapter Director and staff, he had to assume full responsibility of the Youth Group’s administration. Determined to succeed in his effort to preserve the Queens Chapter Youth Group, he enlisted the help of adult volunteers Mario Velez and John McGee. He also traveled frequently to the Manhattan Chapter to meet with the Volunteer Resources staff and their youth leadership group and continued holding bimonthly group meetings at the Chapter.

In July 1999, as Kevin assumed the role of Queens Chapter Youth Group Chairman, he reconstructed the roles of the executive board to better meet the needs of the Queens Chapter. He created two new committees to assist the Chapter in its community outreach and fundraising efforts and delegated more responsibility to his new Vice-Chairs. Because of Kevin’s leadership, the Youth Group membership not only increased from 30 to 198 volunteers but has also diversified, including students from pubic, Catholic and private schools and from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Under his leadership, the Youth Group was able to raise almost $5,000 dollars in contributions during the 1999 Holiday Drive.

Kevin has played an important role in major disaster relief operations, mobilizing youth volunteers during the Times Square Scaffolding Collapse where he provided support in areas of mass care, logistics, record keeping and communications. He also worked long hours with volunteers during the floods that affected the Queens neighborhood of Springfield Gardens. During Tropical Storm Floyd, he mobilized a team of volunteers to assist in the distribution of clean-up kits and to provide support to the staffing coordinators.

As a member of the American Red Cross in Greater New York Youth Board, Kevin has participated in numerous state-level conferences and was instrumental in the success of this past summer’s New York State American Red Cross Annual Youth Summit. In June 2000, he was appointed a member of the Queens Chapter Board of Directors and in September of the same year, he was designated a Youth Group Advisor.

ANGELINA KELLY

Friendship House of Christian Service has been serving the Billings Southside since 1958 when the American Baptist Churches, Yellowstone Council of Churches and committed leaders organized to create a neighborhood center. They are an agency of the United Way of Yellowstone County and provide direct services to children and youth, which is one of the priority areas identified by the United Way. The mission of the program is to minister to children, youth and adults as individuals, groups and as a community. The need may be physical, social, educational or spiritual.

Angelina Kelly is a 16-year-old young lady who came to the Friendship House as a child and grew up through some of the programs. As she matured, Angelina continued to develop healthy life skills she needed to break the common cycle of defeat and despair in her life. Angelina had the ingredients that normally result in failure. Her neighborhood was full of negative elements such as drugs, violence, anger, racism, abuse and neglect.

Angelina chose not to be a negative product of her environment, and her drive and parental support is causing her to succeed. She has ambitions and wants more than to just settle and end up where many in her neighborhood do as adults. Her drive to success inspires other young girls her age to follow in her footsteps of excellence and to also become a volunteer.

Angelina did not ever abandon her friends; however, when they were involved in unhealthy choices, she chose to remove herself from their activities. She believes that everyone needs to know they have a friend that will give them good, sound advice. Her friends around her soon succumbed to her peer pressure and found themselves making positive life choices and being “role models” to other girls their age.

Angelina has been a part of “Keepers of the Hood”, which is a creative club founded to provide children with opportunities to become productively involved in their neighborhoods and their cities. Children become aware of community needs and as a group makes plans and a commitment to minister to those needs in the best ways they can for their special neighborhood. Through positive and challenging opportunities, Angelina took ownership and contributed to her community by serving others. One service project Angelina has been involved in through this program engaged 30 preschool through junior high school students to distribute over 300 pairs of mittens and hats to their neighbors in need.

Angelina has also volunteered numerous hours with her father’s Volunteer Incentive program. Her work has resulted in program’s receiving matching dollars. To date, through Angelina, $2,000 has been donated. She serves as a mentor, tutor, friend, and Junior Program helper, Teacher’s Aide and Snack and Nutrition Helper. She is also active in volunteering with her church. Angelina was honored recently with the Dominoes National Teen Volunteer of the Year Award for her tireless efforts, and she was also chosen for the 1st annual 20 Under Twenty Community Service Academics Leadership Award for Billings, Montana.

RAINBOW BRIDGE

Rainbow Bridge, co-founded by Linda Holloway and Sharron Brandrup in 1993, enhances the lives of nursing home elders and brings generations together in mutually rewarding relationships. This is accomplished through volunteer programs involving youth, families, individuals, businesses and community organizations.

Rainbow Bridge is dedicated as a living legacy to Holloway’s grandmother, Bessie “Granny” Stephens. It was her nursing home experience in Texas that flamed a passion within the two co-founders to shine a light on the forgotten elders. The work of the organizations is just as beneficial to the youth who volunteer. Participation in activities designed by Rainbow Bridge enhances the youths’ reading and writing skills, as well as interpersonal and leadership skills. The youth and the nursing home elders feel needed and valued by each other.

Recognized largely for its intergenerational and service-learning work, Rainbow Bridge trains and works with thousands of youth each year. There are Rainbow Bridge Volunteers of all ages in nursing homes and assisted living facilities throughout the Front Range of Colorado and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Rainbow Bridge trains all volunteers, coordinates and facilitates the visits, provides activity planning and materials and creates the structure in which deep bonds and special life-transforming relationships are cultivated between the elders and the volunteers.

LANCASTER AREA VICTIMS OFFENDER RECONCILIATION PROGRAM

The Lancaster Area Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (LAVORP) has a sincere commitment to making life better for victims, youthful offenders and the community through a distinctive team approach to juvenile crime. In partnership with Juvenile Probation and Youth Aid Panels, LAVORP carries out its mission by providing “unique opportunities for victim restoration and offender accountability with a focus on reconciliation, healing, restitution and safe communities in Lancaster County.” The end result is victim empowerment, reduced recidivism, lower cost of administering juvenile justice and safer communities.

LAVORP, a nonprofit, faith based organization, was organized in 1994 to complement the juvenile justice system. The system works with juvenile offenders by assigning consequences for breaking the law, while LAVORP works with victims and offenders to address the harm caused by crime. This latter, innovative approach known as victim-offender conferencing, had it recent beginnings wihin the faith community of Mennonites, well known for their peace work. By addressing the harm and broken relationships caused by crime the community is drawn closer to the Biblical concept of Shalom (Peace); which is the existence of right relationships among individuals, the community and God.

Volunteer Mediators work with offenders and victims to ascertain their interest in “making things right” as a result of a crime incident. Only with the permission of both parties do volunteer mediators arrange face-to-face meetings, which take place in a safe, neutral location to discuss the actions of the offender and address the needs of the victim. Offenders come acknowledging their wrongdoing, offering apologies and taking responsibility for their actions. They work towards an agreement regarding the victims’ needs and to restore matters as much as possible to the condition they were before the incident. Victims tell their stories, get answers to questions about what happened to them and why, arrange for restitution and better understand the juvenile that violated him/her. Both work towards building trust for the future.

During 2001, LAVORP volunteers worked with 205 incidents involving more than 500 victims and offenders, an increase of 15% over the year 2000. In the last two years, the number of volunteers has grown from 20 to 55. Volunteer mediators receive 27 hours of instruction in understanding personal relationships, victim empathy, offender accountability, listening skills, case development and role-plays.

LAVORP’s impact on the community is very positive. By working together , agreements between citims and offenders have a success rate of completion from 85% to 90% compared to court ordered restitution of 30%. Victims and offenders, through their own evaluations, express 85% satisfaction with the LAVORP process. Research has shown that juveniles who work with LAVORP are 50% less likely to repeat another crime compared to those who do not work with LAVORP.

ILENE GORZITZE

Ilene Gorzitze (Mrs. “G”) is a retired physical education teacher; however, she is still involved in molding the lives of youth at Upland Terrace Elementary School. Her grandchildren attend the school, but instead of working only in their classes, she works with nine teachers in grades kindergarten through fifth grade. Though she cannot work with all the classes in the school, Gorzitze indirectly impacts all of them with her instruction.

Gorzitze has taken responsibility for supplying and maintaining the school’s physical education equipment She shops at thrift stores and buys quality used physical education equipment. Without her interest in the supplies, the school may still be dealing with a minimal amount of sub-standard equipment. Teachers applaud her idea and effort and wish they had the time to do the innovative things she does.

In addition, Gorzitze has worked to build the physical education curriculum. Instead of working with what was presented to her, Gorzitze decided to be innovative. She decided to use the school’s limited supply of bowling equipment (Gymbowl). Through the years she has helped the school acquire enough bowling pins and balls to teach 60 children at a time how to bowl. They learn proper technique as well as how to score bowling. After the bowling unit is completed, the classes, around 200 students, are able to go to a bowling alley for a real game.

Gorzitze believes the children need constant encouragement. She searched to find discarded and economical trophies and had them engraved to present to the highest scoring boy and girl in each grade after their tournament at the bowling alley. Without her assistance, this would not have happened.

Gorzitze worked with the school on a Fundraiser for the American Heart Association (Jump Rope for Heart). She has made folders for teachers with instruction techniques, general information for organizing games, jump rope skills, Fitness and testing, so the teachers could be informed and prepared.

For the last few years, Upland Terrace has also set aside a special day for “Focus On Fitness”. Gorzitze has served many hours to assist the teachers, PTA and others in creating, organizing and actually implementing the events of the day. She also gave of her time to teach one of the sessions. Upland Terrace Elementary does not have the budget for a physical education specialist. Gorzitze makes herself available to the school so the children do not miss out on another paid staff person. Though she is a volunteer, Gorzitze works as if she is earning a paycheck. She is an invaluable resource for the children and teachers at Upland Terrace.

SOLOMON’S PORCH MEDICAL OUTREACH

Solomon’s Porch Medical Outreach was started by a group of medical professionals from Faith Community Church in Tucson, Arizona, including physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, a chiropractor and other ancillary volunteers, who wanted to help bridge the gap in the health care system for members of the Tucson community. They are assisting the working poor, the uninsured and under-insured, by providing and assisting in accessing medical care. Their first outreach was held in May 2000, and was followed by monthly clinic days through November 2000. They became a 501(c)(3) organization in April 2001.

In January 2001, the Healthcare Team held a Family Clinic Day, in March and June Well Woman Clinics were held and in August they participated with another faith-based organization at a community children’s health fair. In addition, they were the core volunteer staff for the Medical Area for the Tucson Festival of Hope, sponsored by Compassion in Action, held on October 27, 2001. Together with other medical professionals from throughout Tucson, they provided 2,300 individuals with care and services. This event was recognized in USA Weekend for Make a Difference Day under the newspaper awards – Tucson Citizen, Compassion in Action.

On March 2, 2002, Solomon’s Porch Medical Outreach held a Women’s Health Day, a community-wide event, for medically underserved women. The outreach was held at Faith Community Church. Solomon’s Porch Medical Outreach partnered with community agencies and organizations, as well as other faith-based organizations to help the women in obtaining needed health care and social services.

Along with the Solomon’s Porch Medical Outreach team and those coming from community agencies and organizations, individuals providing services and those working with the children, were 150 volunteers. Seventy women from throughout the Tucson community were served. At least 50% of the volunteers also received assistance, bringing an estimated total served to 150 served.

The scope of services during Women’s Health Day included a discounted health care plan for low-income working adults provided by the county, as well as other government sponsored programs, such as Kids Care. Other services included opportunities to schedule well-women health checks with the county or with Solomon’s Porch Medical Outreach, bone density screening, blood pressure checks, domestic violence information, smoking cessation, low cost mammography, chiropractic care, chair massages, facials and manicures. Other agencies there offered social services for the homeless and living assistance. Groceries and diapers were distributed to those in need. Vehicle and home repair services were offered, as well as tax preparation and budgeting information.

A Well-Woman Clinic Day was held on April 6, 2002, as a follow-up to the Women’s Health Day, to provide for those who did not qualify for community services.

SANDI MARTIN

On her own time as a volunteer, Sandi Martin leads the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.Ò) program for Intermountain Therapy Animals. Martin conceived and launched the program to address children’s literacy. She is a Friend of the Salt Lake City Library and a Board Member of Intermountain Therapy Animals. In combining her two passions, animals and a life long love of reading, Martin developed a literacy skills program for children utilizing certified therapy animals and their owners as literacy mentors. The program began in September 1999,and it offers a direct intervention to enhance children’s motivation to practice reading. Each child reads an animal related book to a therapy dog. When the child has completed ten books, he or she receives a ““pawtographed” book to keep which has been “signed” by the therapy dog.

The program was piloted in a program called, “ Dog Day Afternoons” at the Salt Lake City Library, where more than 100 children attended. It’s popularity quickly spread to all of the libraries in Salt Lake City and into Weber and Summit County. Public libraries across the country have also begun similar programs modeled after this one. Bennion Elementary School began a pilot R.E.A.D.Ò program with a small group of at risk students in April 2000 and it continues weekly. Martin and her founding R.E.A.D. partner, Olivia (adopted from the Salt Lake County Animal Shelter) volunteered weekly at Bennion. In the very successful pilot, all children increased their reading levels significantly and 2 children by almost 4 levels. The program continues at Bennion as well as in Clearfield, Utah at Holt Elementary.

Since the debut of R.E.A.D., more than 500 children have participated, many coming on Saturday afternoons to the public libraries to read with one of the Intermountain Therapy Animal R.E.A.DÒ teams. Others have been helped in public schools. A child at the library offered this observation: ““When I read, I stutter a little bit and when I read to the dog it didn’t make fun of me” stated Beatrice Flores. A child from Holt Elementary noted that the dogs “really listen” making reading more fun. With these kinds of observations, it is not surprising that the national media has noticed this Utah program. Martin has received more than 500 inquires from individuals across the country and as far away as South Africa and Israel requesting information about using therapy animals as literacy mentors or wondering how to start a program.

Since creating her idea for R.E.A.D.Ò, Martin has donated over 1500 hours to the community through this program. She has spent time educating the community about R.E.A.D., negotiating with organizations to introduce R.E.A.D. teams into their settings, working with over 30 other Intermountain Therapy Animals R.E.A.D. teams, orienting more teams, volunteering with her late Olivia and now her new R.E.A.D. companion, Zelda at Bennion Elementary School and the library, answering inquiries from across the country, negotiating with booksellers and publishers for book donations for the children in the programs, and assisting Intermountain Therapy Animals with R.E.A.D. fundraisers. She does all this while maintaining a very demanding full time position as a RN at University of Utah Hospital.