FLEET COMBAT TRAINING CENTER ATLANTIC PEP FLAGSHIP

The goal of the partnership between Fleet Combat Training Center Atlantic and the five sponsored schools is to assist in improving the quality of education in the community. The purpose of this partnership is to provide a variety of voluntary educational enrichments by assisting both students and faculty. Specifically, this is accomplished through mentoring, guest speaking, assisting in computer labs, improving facilities and grounds, coordinating field trips, and supporting special projects.

This program involves more than 150 Sailors who are committed to improve students’ education and self-esteem. The intent is to give younger students that extra attention and encouragement to work hard for better grades, and to provide older students a positive career minded role model who can inspire them to reach their full potential. At the start of each school year, the command and the sponsored schools sign an agreement outlining the partnership requirements. Although the partnership is formalized after the beginning of the school year, the volunteer work goes on year-round. Volunteers at the schools spent numerous hours during the summer vacation painting the school library walls and assisting the maintenance staff with grounds upkeep.

Volunteers assist the school staff in computer labs to provide the students with all levels of computer skills. At the elementary schools, volunteers tutor children in arithmetic and writing skills. High school students visit the base each February for a job-shadowing day during which they are given the opportunity to see Sailors at work. A special day was dedicated to teaching the children about the importance of voting. More than 25 volunteers donated their time to assist in the “Kids Vote” project. Nearly 300 children voted in two separate precincts in Virginia Beach.

The partnership with the educators of the community finds new volunteers through an on-going and aggressive recruiting campaign. The education coordinator works to pursue volunteers by means of bulletin boards, e-mail notices, and a comprehensive calendar. This personal approach produces an average of 15 volunteers per event. The school principals provide feedback regarding the progress of the partnerships. Based on this feedback, the volunteers are given the direction in which to steer the program.

More than 5,000 non-Department of Defense people directly benefit from this program. Definite improvement has been made with regards to computer literacy at the schools. Reading, writing, and arithmetic skills of the elementary school students have improved as a result of the hours that Sailors spend tutoring children. School beautification and maintenance tasks done by sailors have allowed school faculty to focus more on the students and to spend money on projects, which directly benefit the children. The sailors feel they owe it to society, as well as to the nation, to encourage children to become better citizens. These enthusiastic men and women who donate their time and expertise are determined to raise the standard of excellence in local schools.

JOHN SANDY

John Sandy of Brea, California, is a man that has taken volunteerism to a new height. Sandy’s holiday season begins each year the day after Thanksgiving as he actively begins soliciting donations of toys and clothing for the County of Orange Operation Santa Claus toy drive for the benefit of children who are in foster placement in the county. Sandy’s organizational skills and persistence over the last 30 years have helped the holiday season be a happier and more memorable time for some of the most needy children in Orange County. Due to his dedication, more than 125,000 children have been served since 1970.

Sandy has been a resident of Brea for 35 years. In 1970, as president of the Kiwanis Club, his role in the support of Operation Santa Claus began with eliciting the help of other service clubs within Brea to donate to this campaign. He was driven by a need to assist children that were abandoned, neglected, hurt and not able to be with their families during the holidays. He was troubled when he considered that the disadvantaged children of Orange County, and especially those living in Brea, might not have any gifts during the holiday season. Those initial contacts have turned into a roster of numerous Brea companies that now lend support to his campaign. Collectively, Brea has one of the highest gift-giving totals to Operation Santa Claus compared to other involved cities.

Sandy’s volunteer efforts are expanded each year. Year after year he tirelessly tops the previous year’s donations from the community of Brea. He has been successful in getting one large corporation in Brea to donate $10 in cash for every gift that their employees donate. Last year, Operation Santa Claus received $11,000 from that corporation. He has single-handedly organized volunteers with Brea service organization, Brea City offices, many local businesses that collect toys within their companies, and organizations or offices that help the les fortunate children in Orange County. Sandy does not receive any monetary compensation, he does not wait for a pat on the back or any special recognition – he just wants to help the needy children of Orange County.

The dedication, hard work and time that Sandy contributes to Operation Santa Claus have significantly impacted the toy collection efforts. If every city in Orange County has a volunteer such as John Sandy, Orange County would not have an abandoned or neglected child, nor a child that lives below the poverty level without a gift on Christmas morning. Although Sandy’s intense efforts begin the day after Thanksgiving, he works all year preparing for the next gift collection season, which once again will bring smiles to the disadvantaged children of Orange County.

AL ANDRY

Al Andry wears many hats. You may see him dressed as Santa Claus and helping special children. He can also be seen providing refrigerators or microwaves needed by many of the teachers to serve the need of special food preparations and diets for disabled students. “Mr. Al,” as he is affectionately called, may also be seen taking some of his surrogate children to football and baseball games as well as boxing matches.

Andry has devoted his life to helping the needs of special children for the past 27 years. He and his wife, Elaine, founded Special Children are Privileged (SCAP), and he gives a personal account of every cent donated to the organization. Solely volunteers operate SCAP and no one is paid a salary. There is no need to pay rent as they operate the organization out of their home.

Andry seeks community partners who are willing to help him and SCAP meet the needs of children in Louisiana. Most of the children he works with are limited with regards to their extra curricular activities, but SCAP works to change that. They normally work with a budget of $10,000 to $12,000 per year, but they make each dollar count.

SCAP has made it possible for the children to play putt-putt golf, ride go-carts, have Easter egg hunts and have special holiday wishes granted. Andry has also been instrumental in getting hot water heaters, a washer and dryer, computers, education materials and supplies, and numerous other items donated to Enon Elementary School so they can provided a safer, healthier school environment. He has also assisted the Happy Trails Therapeutic Center. They also serve special needs children, and Andry has helped with fundraising so they can continue to operate.

Andry seems to spend most of his waking hours seeking ways to serve underprivileged children. He also finds clothes for a child and their family, shoes for children at the Agape Children’s Home, and he sells raffle tickets to help raise money for schools or other worthy causes. He believes he shares a rainbow of love through SCAP. Their motto is “handicap is not a defeat, but a challenge to conquer with love, faith, and understanding.”

SCAP has touched the community in so many ways since its inception in 1981. They have received letters of thanks from the Pope, President Ronald Reagan, Sandra Day O’Connor, Bob Livingston, and Mrs. Jim Finks-widow of the late Mr. Finks of the New Orleans Saints. Andry grew up in the Iberville Project in New Orleans, and he knew poverty. However, he is working to help children have a better start than he did. He and Elaine initially mortgaged their home four years ago to get the initial funds to start SCAP. They receive no federal or state help, only donations from other areas.

ETHEL SAMPSON

Ethel Belle Sampson has been volunteering in the New Bern, North Carolina community for more than 50 years. Whatever area has a need is the area in which Sampson assists. She has worked with the homeless as well as the rich, the She does not discriminate when it comes to giving of her time and talents to help someone else.

Ethel Sampson is the proud mother of nine biological children and countless others who have adopted her as their mother. She is a mentor, counselor, and a street minister. Because of her efforts to help everyone be free in every aspect of their lives, whether it is with addiction, abuse, poverty or self-love, Sampson is known as Moses. She has fed many when they are hungry. When there have been members of the community who needed a place to live, she has found a home, room or motel to give them shelter. She has also taken people who are ill to the doctor or the hospital. Some have been in trouble of the law and she has provided them with counseling and also attends meetings with clients and their lawyers along with being character witnesses for some.

Sampson attends many law enforcement trainings and meetings. She is very active in getting the community, family, and church involved in preventing crimes in their communities and homes. She also works to help people in need of spiritual help. She is involved with her church as an associate minister, and she recently began a Christian service for people to attend to uplift their spirits. Sampson shares with others about morals, ethics, honesty, love, understanding, joy, meekness, longsuffering, goodness, faith and values. She believes people need to be whole mentally, physically, emotionally, financially, and most of all spiritually.

Sampson holds a variety of uncompensated positions in her community in order to further assist the needy. She is on the Board of Electricity, works with Relatives as Parents, President of Concerned Citizens, Secretary of Craven County Voters League, and works with Craven County League of Women’s Voters, and the Democratic Party and the Democratic Women. She is the Chairman of the Eastern North Carolina Civic Group, Secretary of Weed and Seed, a hospice Volunteer Minister for 15 years and is on the Craven County Correctional Prison Board. In addition to that, she serves on the jail ministry, the Secretary of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, Chairman of the Outreach Ministry for the Church, Secretary of the West Street/J.T. Barber Alumni Association, a member of Mountain Movers, the Faith Community for Success, the Day Reporting Center, and Habitat for Humanity.

Ethel Sampson lives her life by her motto: “If I can help somebody as I pass this way, then my living shall not be in vain.”

CYNTHIA HERSCHKOWITSCH

For the past 10 years, Cynthia Herschkowitsch has worked with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Texas and community leaders to create a program for students that promotes kindness to animals, respect for all living beings, and responsibility for the environment. Cynthia is a veteran of 26 years at South Oak Cliff High School. She has taught every level of English and German and has volunteered to teach preparatory workshops for students in various areas. She has also coached the Academic Decathlon Team and three of their University Interscholastic League (UIL) Teams for nine years. She is well acquainted with children and knows how to relate to them and their needs.

Herschkowitsch realizes that many colleges expect applicants to have community service, so they have established a community service project in her area. In 1989, she founded the SPCA Pet Club. This club raises funds, rescues and adopts animals, and finds homes for others. Since its inception, they have raised over 15,000 dollars for the SPCA, which has enabled them to purchase much needed equipment such as steel examining tables, dental cleaning and bone pinning equipment, thermal cage warmers, ophthalmoscope, and a dishwasher for cleaning implements. To date, they have rescued over 250 animals, some of which were severely abused or injured. The Pet Club also sponsors a cage in the clinic.

Herschkowitsch considers it her special mission to address needs in her community, and she always tries to include the students. When she educates her students about the necessity of helping others, they, in turn, will educate others the same way. They work together to create public awareness about problems like the link between animal and child abuse and the need to spay and neuter pets to prevent unwanted litters. In 1999, the Pet Club worked with the Spay and Neuter Assistance Program (SNAP) and sponsored the spaying and neutering of 191 animals in their community. They also created a “Be Kind to Animals Coloring Book” which they distribute to several elementary schools in the area. This is a great teaching tool for young children regarding the care of their pets. Currently, the Pet Club is working with the Education Director of the SPCA of Texas to organize a Coalition of Humane Educators in an effort to disseminate humane information through the school district.

In addition to working with the SPCA, Herschkowitsch participated in other various projects. She participates in the Dallas AIDS Planning Commission as a member of the Education Task Force. She sponsored a Bone Marrow Donor registration drive for a six-year-old girl who needed the transplant to cure her of aplastic anemia. Her efforts added an additional 86 potential donors to the national registry. She also has sponsored a Christmas party for needy children for the past 10 years.

The community has honored Herschkowitsch many times. Two different Rotary Clubs selected her as “Outstanding Secondary Teacher” twice. The Pet Club was selected as “Hometown Heroes” by KDFW-TV for their annual Christmas party for needy children. She was also selected as Dallas’ Teacher of the Year for 1987 – 1988.

UMO “HO” CARE ABOUT RESERVATION ENVIRONMENT

The Omaha Indian Reservation is located in the northeast corner of Nebraska, along the Missouri River. There is a 70% unemployment rate among the Omaha people. This reservation is challenged with alcoholism and poverty in its struggle to improve the conditions of its people. Years of oppression and substandard living conditions have created a culture of low self-esteem and a tolerance for an environment that is unhealthy physically, emotionally and spiritually. There is also perceived dependency on outside resources to provide people with what they want and need.

Through a collaborative effort between University of Nebraska-Lincoln Thurston County Cooperative Extension office and a group of community members from the town of Macy, the Umo “ho” Care About Reservation Environment (U-CARE) grew out of a process that examined the local resources of people, history and space to create a community vision and action plans. Beginning in August of 1999, youth and adult community volunteers decided that after looking at their community, the best way to begin their group was to work on a project that would be highly visible and could draw the wider community in the activity. Through the community visioning process, the concern of the health hazard of trash and litter in the community came up as a priority area for action in the community. Through brainstorming and idea sharing, U-CARE decided to take a simple first step and paint trash barrels and place them throughout Macy.

U-CARE’s idea of creating a place for people to put their trash became one strategy for a larger effort to beautify their community – to show that the community’s space was something that was a source of pride. As team membership grew, U-CARE’s activities became increased in number and in scope. U-CARE planted trees and shrubs at the Tribal Cemetery, the Senior Citizen Housing circle, the Pow Wow grounds and in front of the Tribal Council Building. A large “M” was placed on a hillside so people could see it as they drive into town. In each of these cases, people began to become more involved and take on the responsibility of caring for the new plants. The group has been pleasantly surprised by the contagious excitement of U-CARE’s projects.

The U-CARE team is ready to move the next level of community building and involvement. U-CARE is currently looking to build out the leadership base and create more complex strategic plans that lead the community toward its vision. Macy is a struggling community. By serving their community, the volunteers of U-CARE and Macy are taking actions that actualize and foster the pride that people have in themselves and their homes. And, in this community, young people and adults are working together to make that happen.

DONNA POLLARD

Donna Pollard believes education about mental illness empowers people to handle the challenges these illnesses present. She has been associated with the National Alliance for the Mentally-Ill Orange County (NAMI-OC) since its inception in the early 1980’s. Today, she serves in several important capacities, volunteering her time to benefit others through the Family-To-Family and School Outreach Programs.

She is a member of the NAMI-OC Board of Directors, serving as Education Chairperson. She also continues her work as a teacher for the Family-To-Family program, which is a 12-week course designed to educate parents, siblings, and significant others of persons diagnosed with severe and persistent mental illness. As a family member of an individual of schizophrenia, she is able to help others deal with a loved one facing the challenges of mental illness.

Pollard has gone beyond serving as a teacher to become a state trainer for the Family-To-Family program. She and her teaching partner, Bill Harwood, have conducted 1/3 of the classes help since 1996 and have personally trained over half of the 55 volunteer teachers now offering Family-To-Family classes. While NAMI-OC was previously only able to send two people each year for teacher training, Pollard’s willingness to become a state trainer and offer local training sessions has more than doubled the size of the Family-To-Family program teaching staff. The program is now being offered in Spanish to meet the needs of one of Orange County’s fastest growing and largest ethnic groups.

Family-To-Family classes have been conducted in 15 different cities throughout Orange County, helping to meet the needs of local communities. Pollard believes that the requirement that Family-To-Family teachers themselves be family members of a person diagnosed with mental illness is the key to the tremendous success of the program and its unique ability to support these families.

The staff of NAMI-OC credits Pollard with the creation of a growing school outreach program. This began in 1995 as a way to present an overview of mental illness to students in Orange County junior high and high schools. Since its inception, the School Outreach Program has now been presented in every public school district in the county. While the School Outreach Program helped approximately 2,500 people last year, the program has a goal of reaching 6,500 teachers and students during the 2000-2001 school year. It has grown so much that NAMI-OC has successfully obtained a grant from the Orange County Community Foundation to hire a coordinator for School Outreach. Donna Pollard is continuing her work with the program as a volunteer because she believes that the stigma of mental illness will only be eliminated if people obtain a greater understanding of the illness.

PROJECT PHOENIX

Project Phoenix is a youth tutoring/mentoring program coordinated by a group of dedicated student volunteers at The College of William and Mary. William and Mary students established the program six years ago. The students recognized the opportunity to impact the lives of middle school youth who are not currently achieving to their fullest potential and noted a responsibility to serve as effective role models.

Each week students tutor at three local middle schools, working with approximately 20 students at each of the schools. Volunteers tutor students one-on-one followed by an educational program, which is conceived, organized and facilitated by volunteers. Volunteers also organize weekly Saturday education programs. Program areas include Career Exploration, Civic Responsibility, Culture/Education, Life Skills and Health and Fitness. A sample of programs include: a demonstration at the local fire house, an annual etiquette dinner, a trip to the Virginia Living Museum, historical scavenger hunt and trips to local museums.

As a consequence of participation in various educational activities, college volunteers motivate and inspire middle school students to aspire to succeed. The interactions build confidence in middle school students and expose the students to experiences they would likely never have an opportunity to take part.

Project Phoenix works in partnership with guidance counselors from each middle school. Students who are not currently achieving academically and/or socially are offered an opportunity to participate in the program. Counselors discuss the program with each student’s parent or guardian and determine whether Project Phoenix fits the student’s needs prior to being accepted into the program. Periodic communication with guidance counselors and family members is integral to the success of the program.

Project Phoenix has approximately 60 volunteer who serve as tutors and mentors. Each year 12 students accept leadership positions on a volunteer executive board. These students plan each tutoring session and weekend activities. In addition the volunteers coordinate transportation, orientation, training, team building activities, and program evaluation among other responsibilities. These volunteers are integral to the function and success of the program. Without their tireless efforts, the program would not exist. The corps of volunteers gives more than 10,000 hours each academic year to making the program a success. Since the program’s inception approximately 600 students have volunteered an estimated 50,000 hours to the program and the community.

Project Phoenix has touched the lives of college students and local middle school students. Coming together weekly, the students recognize the similarities among them and educate one another. For many middle school children the interaction with volunteers is the highlight of their week. They are reminded that people indeed care about their well-being.

The program literally changes lives. Middle school graduates of the program have gone on to accept leadership positions in high school and now some of the graduates are attending college. The students involved with Project Phoenix make a conscious choice to make a difference in the lives of children.

BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB MEDICAL IMAGING, INC.

LifeLinks, Inc., the largest provider of services to individuals with mental retardation and other forms of developmental disabilities in Greater Lowell, is just one of many nonprofit agencies routinely receiving the volunteer service and support of Bristol-Myers Squibb Medical Imaging’s community-minded employees.

Each year, more than 20 Medical Imaging employees help LifeLinks to overcome the obstacles faced in addressing the expensive repairs needed for a dozen residential homes in the community. Without having to hire outside expertise, they manage to combine their collective home repair skills and complete all needed repairs with thoroughness and quality, giving the nearly 30 developmentally disabled people living in these homes beautiful and safe homes to live in.

The LifeLinks Community Center is a thriving and busy classroom and therapeutic setting where daily 135 community members with the most severe levels of developmental disabilities come for education, therapy and recreation activities. The Center takes a lot of physical abuse and each year needs many small and moderate repairs and painting. Tens of dozens of Medical Imaging employees take the lead each year to make these repairs with love and quality.

Less than 10% of LifeLinks’ annual budget is directed to administrative overhead. For the past five years, the volunteer office work of Medical Imaging employees has helped to free up thousands of dollars in overhead which LifeLinks has been able to put back into improving program services for the disabled.

Each year Medical Imaging has hosted LifeLinks’ Annual Barbecue donning aprons and wielding spatulas, as they cook and serve hot dogs, hamburgers and ice cream to nearly 150 individuals and their families, while other Medical Imaging volunteers coordinate outdoor games and challenges. These good works leave a lasting impression on the people served that Medical Imaging employees are truly their “friends.” This close relationship with people with disabilities has also opened the minds and hearts of Medical Imaging’s volunteers, with many expressing delight in their new friendships and greater awareness of the rich potential of people with disabilities.

In just this past year alone, Medical Imaging volunteers have not only improved the quality of life for community members with developmental disabilities, they have saved LifeLinks 47,500 in maintenance and repair costs and another $3,000 in donated office supplies and clerical help. In the past six years, Medical Imaging’s direct donations such as their Annual Golf Tournament and direct volunteer service have resulted in tens of thousands of dollars for Lifelinks, most of which was in the form of donated time and skills. They have donated an average of 350-400 hours a year, every year directly and indirectly serving the community’s most vulnerable citizens, people with developmental disabilities.

Just a few of the other organizations benefiting from Medical Imaging’s community service are Big Brother Big Sister, YMCA, Boys & Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Elder Services and Catholic Charities Food Pantry.

REBECCA SKLEPOVICH

Rebecca Sklepovich has been striving to make a difference in the area of human needs in a variety of ways. In 1998, Rebecca was elected co-chair of the Youth Service Coalition, a youth volunteer group, and was also elected vice president of the Inter School Council, a branch of the American Red Cross. In both organizations, she worked to address vital concerns in the community through mobilizing teen volunteers to commit themselves to a number of service projects. Projects included holding food drives for the needy, participating in crafts and games with nursing home residents, planning and executing parties and art projects for underprivileged children, assisting with major community events, and having numerous fundraisers to buy holiday presents for the community’s poverty stricken.

Not only did these projects provide joy to all those who directly received benefits from them – they provided a sense of satisfaction to all who volunteered for them. Additionally, these projects contributed to the alleviation of serious social problems. For example, visiting elderly nursing home residents helps them combat loneliness – holding food drives provides nourishment to the hungry – providing activities for underprivileged children gives them stimulation that they wouldn’t normally receive.

Rebecca is still active as a co-chair for the Youth Service Coalition. She is still with the Inter School Council, but completed her term as vice president. Instead, she is now the youth representative for the Red Cross Board of Directors, and voices the concerns of Alexandria’s many youth to the adult board members. She also serves as a youth HIV educator for the Red Cross – teaching other youth in her community about HIV prevention through organized presentations and informal outreach.

Rebecca spends weekly time working with the children of her city. She has been a Brownie Girl Scout leader for four years now, and helps them form into young ladies by teaching them fundamentals for life, introducing them to the idea of service and helping them to achieve their goals. Her work has helped these children to build confidence in themselves and spread happiness to others. Rebecca also serves on a weekly basis as a 4th grade religious education instructor at her church, teaching children morals, values and reinforcing the basics of religion. This helps them to strengthen their faith and love for others.

Lastly, Rebecca has begun a service organization at her school called the Christian Student Association. Though this club is very new (she just started it two months ago) they have already assisted the Red Cross with a toy drive and have several projects lined up for the upcoming months including helping ship bikes to third world countries and making bookmarks for child abuse awareness. In short, Rebecca is a cooperative and hard working young woman whose ideas for service are innovative and original. She not only has personal desire to serve, but motivates others to serve as well, which is perhaps her greatest contribution of all.