PAUL MCLAUGHLIN

Paul McLaughlin is a Morgan County youth volunteer. He is involved in the 4-H and is a Teen Leader. He works with the 4-H Wildlife Club, the County 4-H Round-Up, and citizenship and leadership activities.

Paul joined 4-H in the fourth grade and was very active that first year. The next three years found him in an area where there was not an active 4- H Club. A friend who included him in after-school activities drew him back to 4-H. From there his leadership abilities have translated into activities where he now leads younger 4-H members in their projects.

Teen leaders serve as role models for younger 4- H members. Paul has encouraged his brother, several friends, and a group of younger members in the 4-H Wildlife Club to learn, study, and put into practice those pieces that make a difference.

Paul has expanded his knowledge base to include foods, compact tractor, aerospace, wood science and environmental programs. He has shared this knowledge with adults and youth across the southeast region.

Paul has served as President of the 4-H Wildlife Club. Presently he is program leader and active in determining the activities that the club members will enjoy. He also participates in the 4-H Wildlife Judging Teams. As team leader he is responsible for motivating the other members to do their best.

The 4-H Wildlife Club is only about five years old Paul has shaped the history of that club as they worked with the Wheeler Wildlife Visitors Center. The members help with management practices around the Visitors Center. They also have learned about the birds and animals, as well as the wildflowers that make up the area. Paul also was one of the first members of the Decatur 4-H Teen Club. These are very active youth who meet once a month in the evenings. They work on their leadership skills and develop programs for younger 4- H members.

Paul challenges himself to find innovative ways to relate to other youth. What information, skills and abilities Paul learns as a result of his involvement, Paul shares with others, especially his Teen Club. He works to solve problems and make changes in the school and community alike.

Paul is also active in his church. He teaches Bible School in the summer and works to maintain an honor roll average in school each semester. Paul has learned from the people he has met during his service and also learned to accept people for who they are and where they are in life.

MR. & MRS. SCOTT SCHOEN

Within each of us lies an ability to make a remarkable difference in the lives of others. It is very easy, however, in this busy and often stressful world this idea. Fortunately, Scott and Laurie Schoen have not forgotten, and because of them, amazing things are happening throughout Massachusetts.

The couple’s most recent endeavor, launched publicly in May 2000, brings generosity to a new level. The Schoens are Co-Chairs of the Millennium Fund for Children and Families, an endowment partnership between the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the Boston Foundation. The original goal of this initiative was to raise $15 million in three years to support human service agencies for children and families throughout the Boston area. The Schoens challenged the United Way of Massachusetts Bay to double the goal to $30 million and, in just over one year, $23 million has been raised toward that goal. Not only are the Schoens co-chairing the campaign, but they also contributed $1 million at its start and approached their friends, who responded by giving at the same level.

In addition to being the first contributors to the Millennium Fund, they are also members of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society, the annual giving fund, and contribute $100,000 to the annual United Way campaign. Scott Schoen is a member of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay Board, also serving on the Executive Committee and, in the past, the Community Ventures Committee.

The generosity and support of the Schoens far exceed monetary gifts. In 1987, Laurie Schoen founded Great Beginnings: Newton Transitional Kindergarten Program, Inc., where she acted as director and teacher until 1990. She later became an active volunteer for The Horizons Initiative, a nonprofit organization providing full-time daycare for homeless children at Horizons frequently, and often bringing her own children along. Both Laurie and Scott sit on the Horizons Board.

In addition, Laurie Schoen is actively involved with the United Way of Massachusetts Bay’s Suburban Women’s Action Team. Through this initiative, Laurie organized a food and toy drive for 54 families who were living in hotels because the local shelters were overcrowded. Laurie also serves as a volunteer in her children’s schools, the Weston Education Enrichment Fund, and the West Community Center, a multi-generational facility.

Meanwhile, Scott is active in other volunteer work, acting as a Director of Affordable Residential Communities, and has also worked with Combined Jewish Philanthropies and Jewish Vocational Services.

Scott and Laurie Schoen are not only benefiting the community through their human service initiatives, but also future generations, as they teach their four children the importance of volunteerism. Laurie Schoen once stated, “we see our charitable works as a family opportunity. We share our concerns and thoughts about the community with out children, as well as our successes in achieving our goals to make the world a better place for others.”

WESTMINSTER’S BUILDERS CLUB

Westminster’s Builders Club of Annandale, Virginia believes it is their commitment to serve all those in need with enthusiasm, spirit and pride. They have done just that in the Annandale area. The Builders Club is more than just a program; it is a philosophy and a pledge by many young students at Westminster, to take on the responsibility of making a world the better place for all.

The Center for Multicultural Human Services (CMHS) is a mental health/social services agency in Falls Church, Virginia, whose mission is to assist the low-income, at risk refugee and immigrant population of the Washington metropolitan area to adjust mentally, emotionally, physically and economically to life in the United States. Staffed by multiethnic, multilingual professionals, CMHS is able to provide them with the help they need in their native languages. They rely heavily on volunteers not only for reasons common to nonprofit agencies, but because they regard the help-oriented interface of the clients with mainstream Americans as a primary facilitator of acculturation, integration and understanding among diverse cultures.

The Builders Club, headed by faculty advisors, Dennis Miller and Julie LaRose, is made up of 7th and 8th graders. With more than 60 members, they have provided more than 1,500 hours in community service to CMHS and Fairfax County this year alone. The students voluntarily stay after school two to three times a month to participate in a Builders Club activity. The students do this despite the academic rigors of Westminster School, which requires an average of at least two hours of homework a night.

Under the leadership of Miller and LaRose, the Builders Club conducts one-on-one tutoring services at Timber Lane Elementary School. Once a week, eight students spend 1.5-2 hours sessions helping a group of elementary school students improve their reading, writing, and arithmetic. During this year, they have been able to help approximately 30 youngsters with their schoolwork. Many students have benefited from this program as a result. The program not only empowers the students and improves grades, but it also gives them a sense of hope of succeeding in school. If not for the commitment and dedication from the Builders Club, this program would not be the success that it is today.

In addition, the Builder’s Club gets involved in special activities during the holiday seasons. They hosted a book drive to help improve education. They adopted four needy families and provided the 25 children with Christmas gifts, necessities and food baskets. They also solicited donations for coats to help those who did not have weather appropriate clothing.

The Builder’s Club also has adopted a highway through the Virginia Department of Transportation. They also serve the needy and homeless families in the Washington area at Martha’s Table. They made and distributed more than 1,000 sandwiches. The Club also solicited donations of food from the community and donated it to the United Community Ministry. They were able to donate more than 754 pounds of food to that program.

EDUCATION BRIDGE BUILDERS

The mission of the Schenectady Bridge Builders AmeriCorps Program is to address the community’s educational need specifically in the area of literacy. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Schenectady County collaborates with the Schenectady City School District and the Schenectady Job Training Agency to implement this successful AmeriCorps Program. The program’s ultimate goal is to connect school and home in helping school-age students become proficient readers by the end of third grade. The program began in October 1997 with 12 members serving 1,200 students. Today, the program has 16 full-time members who serve 11 elementary schools and more than 1,400 students annually.

Each AmeriCorps member commits to one year of full-time service. In exchange for their commitment, they receive a modest living allowance of approximately $9,000 per year, health care benefits and an educational award when they fulfill the required number of service hours. Each member is assigned to an elementary school to work with students, Pre-K through 3rd Grade, on strengthening literacy skills. Many students participate in one-on-one or small group tutoring during the school day. After school, members implement programs that they have developed with teachers to address identified needs of the particular school. Some schools have implemented homework clubs, reading clubs, leadership clubs and community service clubs. The members take an active role in identifying the needs of the school, planning appropriate activities for the students and recruiting volunteers.

The Education Bridge Builders Program recognizes the paramount importance of the home and school connection. In order for students to succeed, their parents/caregivers need to provide stimulation and support learning activities at home. AmeriCorps members develop activities that families can complete at home to continue to strengthen literacy skills. Last summer, the members created a summer bag of learning for families. This bag included numerous tools such as an activity book designed by the members with simple literacy activities that could be done at home, at the store and in the car. These bags were seen throughout the city during the summer. Members also communicate with parents of students they are working with to keep them informed. One member designed newsletters for parents that suggested book titles and ways to extend a book after they finished reading it.

During the school vacations, the members implement literacy activities at various community agencies, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, Girls Inc., the Schenectady Museum and local branches of the library. Every year, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the members develop activities that focus on peace and freedom for children who visit the Boys & Girls Club that day. During the summer, members assist with summer school activities for elementary students. Many develop summer programs to continue the development of reading, writing and speaking skills, such as a newspaper club and a theater program. The members also assist with the implementation of SKORE (Schenectady Kindergarten Orientation and Readiness Experience). The primary purpose of the program is to give at-risk incoming kindergarten students a positive, supportive first school experience as a foundation for learning and school success.

MARY HAAS

Mary L. Haas has achieved much in the course of her volunteer service, not only for the elderly, but for all ages. For the past three years, she has been the General Manager of a gift shop at Heathwood Health Care in Amherst, NY. This is an all-volunteer staff, including Haas. All the money raised in this gift shop is given back to the residents of the home, and is used for concerts, Easter plants, birthdays, Christmas presents, etc. for 160 residents. Often when someone is unable to pay for an item, Haas will pay for the item(s) herself. She spends approximately 80-90 hours per month working at the gift shop, and is responsible for the buying, selling, recruiting and scheduling of volunteers, and often fills in for others in addition to her regular Monday volunteer day.

In addition to her volunteer work at Heathwood Health Care, Haas is secretary of the St. Ann’s Society at St. Mary’s Church in Swormville, NY. From this organization, Haas coordinates birthdays of the month parties at Heathwood Health Care, and St. Francis Nursing Home in Williamsville, NY.

Haas is also in charge of a Bereavement Committee at her church that serves hot lunches after funerals. She does all the calling for donations of hot and cold dishes, recruits volunteers to serve, including her husband and herself, and purchases the rest of the items needed for each lunch. Haas handled approximately 30 funerals per year, serving anywhere from 40-350 people at a time.

Besides meeting the elderly and bereaved needs of her community, Haas is very involved in a mission that takes supplies to Nicaragua for relief. She makes up 1,000 bags containing toys and candy for children; 100 hygiene bags containing shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, washcloths, lotion and Kleenex for adults; 125 sewn bean bags for children; and 100 sewn and stuffed Teddy Bears for children. She purchases or makes all of these items herself and fills these quantities on a yearly basis. Haas is also involved in a local organization called Home Bureau, which does other projects for the mission in the evenings.

For the past five years, Haas has participated in the annual Multiple Sclerosis Society Walk. In the year 2000, she raised $750 in pledges. Also in 2000, she raised $1,300 for the St. Luke Mission of Mercy in Buffalo, NY.

Haas’ volunteer community service is an ongoing, everyday part of her life. These are only a few of the projects to which she actively contributes to better society. She helps to meet the needs and concerns of a wide range of individuals, not only locally in her own community, but thousands of miles away.

DR. ROGER NOOE

Since 1985, Dr. Roger Nooe has volunteered his time and effort to describe the problems of area homelessness and to increase community awareness of the needs of these individuals. In 1985 the Mayor and County Executive asked Dr. Nooe to chair a newly appointed group of community representatives to examine area homelessness and make recommendations. Because the initial report in 1986 was so well received by governmental departments, social service agencies, and community groups, in the ensuing 15 years Dr. Nooe has conducted biennial surveys and smaller focused studies in alternate years.

These studies are among the most comprehensive surveys of homelessness undertaken for an area the size of Knoxville/Knox County – enumerating the number of individuals on the street during any given month, and describing demographics, causes of homelessness, health problems, substance abuse, employment and services needed. The findings of these studies are published and distributed (without charge) by the Knoxville Coalition for the Homeless. The data is used by agencies for reference and service planning and extensively in the HUD required consolidated plan and the community continuum of care. Students studying homelessness frequently use the report, according to city and university librarians.

Beyond the study, Dr. Nooe has volunteered his time to increasing community awareness of homelessness, sharing his finding and knowledge with service providers, and consulting with other communities. He has made approximately 200 presentations to classes, civic groups, churches, and also interviews on radio and television. He has provided in-service training to emergency shelter and social service agency staff and orientation for boards of directors of organizations serving the homeless.

Homelessness has continued to increase in East Tennessee as in other parts of the nation. Dr. Nooe’s efforts have provided the community knowledge of the problem, data for planning services, and enhanced involvement of community volunteers, all of which are crucial factors in addressing homelessness.

The studies conducted by Dr. Nooe have trained agency staff, students and community volunteers to participate as interviewers. For example, in 2000, 40 volunteers interviewed in emergency shelters and outdoors locations. In his presentations, Dr. Nooe encourages involvement through identifying opportunities to serve in shelters and other agencies. He has strongly advocated that we not ignore the homeless. The regular studies, the most recent being Homelessness in Knoxville and Knox County: 2000, reflect 15 years of ongoing involvement. Dr. Nooe is scheduled to release a 2002 report this summer.

ARTHUR FINOCCHARIO

Compeer, Inc. is a nonprofit agency that recruits, screens and trains community volunteers to be matched in supportive, friendship-based relationships with adults and youth who are coping with mental illness or emotional disorders.

Arthur Finocchario came to Compeer in September 1998. Another Compeer volunteer who spoke of his experiences as a youth mentor at a luncheon fundraiser inspired him. He was matched with 10-year-old Clayton. Clayton was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Depression. He lived with his mother and was having behavioral trouble in school with his teachers and his peers.

Finocchario approached his match with an open mind. He is patient, calm and most importantly, consistent. He meets with Clayton every Tuesday evening for about three hours. They go out for dinner, a movie or miniature golf. They spend a lot of time just talking.

It wasn’t long before Clayton began to open up and share some of his feelings with Finocchario. He listened, respectfully, and gave advice when he thought it was requested. In one instance, Clayton won the “Citizen of the Week” award at school. Clayton and Finocchario had a special celebration. Although there have been many ups and down since with Clayton, Finocchario is always there for him.

After realizing the tremendous need that Compeer has for volunteers, Finocchario encouraged family, friends and business acquaintances to volunteer. He agreed to be the speaker at that same luncheon and tell his and Clayton’s story stressing how much he had gained from the relationship. He also came up with a new strategy for how to recruit volunteers from that luncheon. Last fall, he co-chaired another luncheon in which nearly 1,000 area business people attended, breaking previous fundraising efforts.

Finocchario is now a very active member of Compeer’s Board of Directors and has recruited community members for various board committees. He is also a board member for the local Ronald McDonald House and is taking a major role in their building renovations. He manages to volunteer in all of these capacities while maintaining his job as vice president and partner in a large wholesale building supply company, which also sponsors gold tournaments for other youth charities. He is also a family man, married with three children. His wife and daughter have followed his lead and are also Compeer volunteers.

ERIC WOLFE

Eric Wolfe helps others on the local, state and national levels through service as a member in the 4-H program. Specifically, he has been on the Indiana 4-H Foundation Board of Directors for two years as the Junior Leader Representative. While on the board, Eric has served on the Allocations, 4-H License Plate, and Indiana Congress Committees. The Allocations Committee decides what state 4-H programs are to be funded. The 4-H License Plate Committee promotes the sale of the new 4-H license plate to help fund programs that will teach youth vital life skills. The Indiana Congress Committee plans and organizes the annual Indiana 4-H Congress scholarship presentation, Junior Leader programs, and banquet to recognize outstanding youth accomplishments. He has also been a member of the Foundation’s Speaker’s Bureau, which is a small group of people who tour the state, speaking for the 4-H program and the Indiana 4-H Foundation.

Along with being a 4-H advocate, Eric has been the Master of Ceremonies for the Indiana 4-H Round Up, Area Five Share the Fun Contest, and the 1998 and 1999 Indiana 4-H Congresses. He has served on the State Junior Leader Council, which develops a leadership conference for all Junior Leaders in the state to attend. The conference is one week annually, and it demonstrates to young people how they can improve their community through service. He has taken an active role in this by actually teaching classes at the conference. He has also been an Indiana delegate to the National 4-H Congress, which builds leadership skills and does networking with the best 4-Hers in the United States and Puerto Rico. Along with these many prestigious titles and service works, he has been a delegate to many state 4-H events, representing all of the youth in his community.

Eric has given thousands of hours of volunteer service to the 4-H program and his local community throughout his 4-H career and involvement in other service groups. He improves the lives of all the young men and women who come through anyone of the state events that he has helped to make possible. These programs that he is involved in teach leadership, citizenship, and so many other life skills to youth that may not otherwise have the chance to learn these life-long assets.

Eric acts as a youth advocate setting an example of leadership for every other young person that he comes in contact with. He gives American youth an alternative to the many negative situations that they may become involved in. The governor has recognized him for outstanding 4-H leadership. The 4-H programs that Eric is involved with provide ways for hundreds of people to come together to achieve the common goal of service to their country. Most of the programs are also annual programs that have been going strong and will continue to do so. He has given so much time to these fantastic programs that promote youth learning life skills and participating in service. He has also taken his service to another level by becoming an AmeriCorps member.

Wolfe has served on the national level as the Administrative Coordinator for the National 4-H Youth Directions council, where he coordinated youth and adult partnerships within the national 4-H system and championed the youth voice on the national, state and local levels of the program. he served as the emcee during the National Power of Youth Ceremony at the National Conversation on Youth Development held in Washington DC this past February. Eric has served on such national groups as the National 4-H Strategic Directions Team, National 4-H Leadership Trust and Centennial Initiatives Coordinating Committee.

Eric Wolfe has also finished an entire year as an AmeriCorps member in Clay County, Indianna as the Cooridnator of the Youth As Resources program, where he established a board of directors and managed the program that issues grants to groups of youth to conduct community service projects that address community needs. The Youth As Resources program that Eric reorganized is still in existence at the YMCA of Clay County in Brazil, Indianna.

LYNDA HALES

Lynda Hales is aware of her community’s serious social problems – the problems that face children and youth. She has been involved with many service activities that address these problems. Hales represents Kids Cause, and organization supported by educators in the Alpine, Provo and Nebo School Districts. Hales’ work through Kids Cause enables many children with literacy difficulties to receive clothing, shoes, eyeglasses, food, vision care, dental care, and medical care. These basic needs are being addressed so students will have more success in school.

Hale brings her commitment to both the South Utah county Medical Coalition and the North Utah County Medical Coalition. Her knowledge and resources assist in finding ways to improve health care access for low income or uninsured families. She has selflessly given her time to the Nebo School District Summer Migrant Program. This program is a service offered to children of migrant farm workers who are at-risk students due to the fact that they are highly mobile.

Hales has also spent many hours with United Way, Kmart’s Shop-With-a-Cop, migrant students, Utah County Community Connect, Sub for Santa, Taylor Elementary School, public health fairs, and Kids Cause pilot programs. She had been a valuable asset writing grants for Kids Cause.

In addition, Hales serves as a volunteer Board Member for the Nebo Foundation for Excellence. There she works to fill the needs of education for Nebo District students. She also serves as secretary of that organization. Her service with the Foundation, the medical coalitions, migrant students, and Kids Cause each compliment the other. Lynda Hales believes in children.

BILL AND MARY LOUISE KINGSBERY

Women’s Protective Services (WPS) has grown from a three-bedroom home to a 27-bed, 11,000 square foot shelter to their current facility with 204 beds and 45,000 square feet. Mary Louise and Bill Kingsbery have been dedicated to WPS since the late 1970’s. The agency’s mission is to reduce and prevent incidents of family violence by providing a safe haven that promotes an atmosphere of empowerment for women, children and families. They accomplish this mission by providing a shelter, community prevention and training, rehabilitation for violent family members, transitional services and intensive counseling. Their goal is to enable women to become and remain self-sufficient.

The Kingsbery have volunteered and assisted financially since the organization’s inception. Initially, only Mrs. Kingsbery was serving, but her enthusiasm inspired her husband to come and support the mission of WPS also. Both now work to save lives of women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Because of their financial support and dedication, the new WPS facility has been named Kingsbery Haven.

The Kingsbery have been instrumental in helping to provide most basic needs for the women and children clients, love and security. The Kingsbery also were instrumental in helping WPS to develop their capital campaign list, which allowed WPS to raise the money to build the new center. WPS received a grant funding a portion of the annual salary for a Children’s advocate based on getting a match for that grant, the Kingsbery’s paid for the matching portion. In addition, they decided that the children at the center needed a fish tank in their playroom, so they purchased the tank, the fish and they paid for a maintenance contract.

In addition to working with the clients at the center, the Kingsbery are committed to the staff members. They provide encouragement, support and guidance to them, and even sent the past Executive Director to a spa for a week to improve her personal health. The Kingsbery have also taken a personal interest in the Coordinator of the Children’s Service to empower her to build her skills and expand her knowledge so she can become a leader in advocating for children survivors of domestic violence. She has since been invited to speak at Texas Council on Family Violence Conferences.

WPS is not the only organization served by the Kingsbery. They also volunteer their time with the south Plains Food Bank, Breedlove Dehydration Plant and Second Baptist Church. The Kingsbery’s donated 27 acres of land to the South Plans Food Bank for construction of a dehydration plant. Their gift is now home to 2,500 apple trees that have provided more than 100,000 pounds of fresh nutritious fruit for the hungry. As a result of their generosity, Breedlove is able to provide food banks and international hunger relief organizations with dehydrated vegetables and soup blends to feed the world’s hungry. Breedlove products are included in food boxes distributed by the Food Bank throughout the South Plains as well as food aid for disaster victims throughout the world.