BURGE DEWITT

Minnesota is the home of a unique organization, the Center for Victims of Torture. In 1985, the Center was founded to give aid to immigrants and refugees. Many of whom were living in Minnesota communities and were in need of help to heal from psychological as well as physical wounds of politically motivated torture. The Center has been a resource in Minnesota the past 16 years. Many immigrants have become successfully assimilated into the American culture while being productive citizens.

Burge DeWitt has been a volunteer at the Center for Victims of Torture for the past six years. Clients receive a myriad of services, but they cannot receive them if they are not able to get there. Thus transportation is a vital part of the organization. DeWitt takes pride in transporting clients. He has to deal with frequent schedule changes, heavy traffic, and sometimes-difficult winter driving conditions.

Many clients are unable to get to appointments at the Center or to other necessary medical appointments without the assistance of volunteer drivers. DeWitt has been the most active volunteer driver at the Center. During his years of service, he has driven clients to appointments 3 to 4 days per week to 6 or more appointments. His volunteer service is a community support that enables citizens who may other wise feel alone and isolated become encouraged and supported. The clients not only have to deal with being survivors of torture, but they also have to learn about a new culture in the United States.

The most important concern for DeWitt is making his clients feel comfortable and getting them to all of their scheduled appointments. He not only is a part of the transportation at the Center, but he effectively advocates for the clients so they are able to receive the assistance that is available to them. Clients have complemented him on his steady and calm demeanor; they feel like they have a friend with him. Because of his commitment to the Center, he has developed relationships with the clients he regularly transports. Those relationships are therapeutic for the clients, and the Center believes his work goes far beyond being a volunteer; he is a companion and a friend.

DeWitt has to deal with challenging situations while working at the Center. He intuitively responds appropriately and takes special care with everyone, and this is particularly important to those who come to the Center for assistance. He does not shirk from challenging situations, but he is willing to work with whatever he confronts and turn what may seem to be a problem into another opportunity to help someone. During one of his days a service, DeWitt encountered a frightened and anxious child. He immediately positioned himself within a comfortable distance and calmly read a soothing story to the child. He took this opportunity to sooth the child and make the youth feel more comfortable. DeWitt understands the emotional needs of children and makes it his mission to be consistent, reliable, and protective of their safety. He practices interventions that are specific to the child and works well as a treatment team member also.

In addition to working with the Center, Burge DeWitt serves in his church. He is a sacristan for the morning communion service at St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church several days weekly. He also leads the service twice a week and provides transportation to senior parishioners.

PRINCE WILLIAM AREA’S RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of the Prince William Area is proud to announce the beginning of its fourth year of tutoring students who are experiencing challenges in reading!

RSVP Prince William began in 1998 when the Voluntary Action Center of the Prince William Area, Inc. was awarded a grant from the Corporation for National Service to support the America Reads Challenge. The program’s service area of Prince William County, The City of Manassas, and Manassas Park, shares the same challenge as the rest of the country. Over 40% of children in grades K-3 are reading below grade level. The challenge to all Americans is to have every child reading on grade level by the end of the third grade year.

Boasting almost 200 volunteers, the phenomenal “Grandpals” tutored more than 800 students in 40+ schools this past year. Putting in 5,800 hours of service, these wonderful volunteers not only helped increase the reading skills of each child, they also touched their hearts. The wonderful bond that develops between the student and their tutor is heartwarming. Many of the tutors see their students as surrogate grandchildren and vice versa. With so many families spread across the country, it is great to see dedicated volunteers and these loving children reaching across the generations and learning from each other.

There are many factors that contribute to a child reading below grade level. The only essential factor to increasing their reading ability is one-on-one time. When a RSVP volunteer shows up at the classroom door, their student’s face is beaming. That child knows that there is a special adult in their world who takes the time to care about them, encourages them, and support them. What a priceless gift to give a child. But it does not stop there. The RSVP volunteers tell fabulous stories about how fantastic they feel when helping their students. The excitement of learning and the satisfaction of hard work are felt by both the volunteers and their students. What a great win-win opportunity!

Awards and accolades for the program are numerous. RSVP Prince William was the recipient of the Shelley Krasnow Community Service Award this past February. This award is given once a year by the Prince William County-Greater Manassas Chamber of Commerce and is the highest honor a local community service organization can receive. The Board of County Supervisors presented a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding volunteer service to the RSVP volunteers in May.

School boards, principals, teachers, parents, area newspapers and business leaders praise these volunteers, both in writing and in person, for their selfless efforts. However, the greatest praise can be summed up in a short story. At the beginning of the school year, a new student was reluctant to go for his tutoring session with this man he had met only once. A boy who worked with this gentleman last year walked over and told the new student, “It’s ok. He’s cool.”

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of the Prince William Area is reaching its goal – one volunteer and one student at a time.

GEF FRICK

Gef Frick is not new at volunteering as he has devoted literally half of his life to helping others. He volunteers because he cares deeply about the needs of those who are less fortunate. He even forgets about himself and his health concerns to provide services to those in need. He serves as a way of life; volunteering is not a duty to him but a part of his everyday life.

Frick is a charter member of Family Renew Community (FRC) since 1988. This organization is the only transitional housing program for families in Volusia and Flagler Counties. He has been a part of FRC even before it was actually born. Fr. Larry Redmond, who was a priest at the Prince of Peace Catholic Church, conceived the idea of a shelter for homeless families and children in 1988. Frick was there when Fr. Larry was able to get a Holly Hill motel and began the project. Frick was employed full-time as the manager of Examination division of the IRS in Daytona Beach. He became a charter member, pledged financial support and vowed that upon retirement he was going to knock on their door and offer his services as needed.

Frick retired in September of 1995 and knocked on Family Renews’ door in October of 1995. He became actively involved with the clients as a mentor and advocate. In 1995, he developed and initiated a comprehensive follow-up program, himself personally visiting successful graduate clients in their new homes, and staying in touch up to a year and longer. Frick helped open two thrift stores for Family Renew Community and currently helps at the Secret Attic Thrift Sores where he works one day as a cashier and the other day he picks up donated goods. He generously provides his pickup truck whenever it is needed, and he is lovingly referred to as “Sanford and Son.” Frick established a liaison agreement with Halifax Habitat for Humanity and Family Renew Community to help qualifying families, graduating from Family Renew Community, receive a home from Habitat.

Gef Frick has been a leader with FRC. He organized volunteer crews to help with the renovation process, and he also challenged others to solicit donated materials and additional volunteers. He helped with the conception of the idea for the new home of FRC and continued expanding the follow up program, which impacted the well being of FRC graduate families. The opening of FRC in 1989 provided a desperately needed service in the community; a safe, secure, clean environment for homeless children and parents. The follow up program continued the relationship successful families have with FRC caseworkers and gave them an opportunity to access additional resources. It also provided statistical information for grant writing.

In addition to his work with FRC, Frick has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, led a mayor’s team that was charged with raising the dollars and building one house per year for five years. He is the Lay Pastor for the Habitat Ministry Team at the First United Methodist Church of Ormond Beach. They now build one house a year in their community. He has traveled to Americas, Georgia to help President Jimmy Carter with a Habitat building blitz. He also volunteers for AARP during tax season to help senior citizens get through the complicated process of filing income tax returns as well as continuing to provide budget counseling in the Good Sense Ministries at First United Methodist Church of Ormond Beach. He has worked on mission teams in Belize to build a school lunch room; and in Honduras to lay a foundation for a church.

GLENDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE – TELL ME A STORY

Changes in the education system in California over the last few years have created the need for new programs as well as expansion of programs that serve the literacy needs of children, specifically the K-3 students. These formative years are critical for the development of reading skills, which will effect the overall academic achievement of students.

The mission of the Tell Me A Story program is to create an innovative and fun literacy program which engages students in developing literacy skills through one-on-one tutoring and interactive storytelling component with the goal of improving reading levels as well as developing a lifelong love of reading.

Tell Me A Story has been effectively improving the reading and writing skills for more than 400 K-3 students annually in the south Glendale and Los Angeles area over the last three and a half years. The current program design has 76 part-time AmeriCorps members serving Monday through Thursday at 11 elementary school sites, conducting one-on-one tutoring sessions during school and then leading an after school program with the same children. This after school program is unique because it infuses literacy with theater and art. Tell Me A Story members use read alouds and interactive storytelling to promote oral language skills, reading comprehension (characters, sequencing, cause and effect) and self-confidence. On a monthly basis students participating in the after school program have theatrical presentations for their schools.

The impact of the one-on-one tutoring is highlighted by the results of the on-going tutee assessments. For the past three years 67% of the students increased their reading levels by the end of the year. The remaining 33% increased their basic alphabet skills. Teacher pre- and post-evaluations have directly linked students’ reading and writing improvement to tutoring. In addition, schools have noted an increased confidence and self-esteem in their students and have been pleasantly surprised at their increased participation in the classroom. In order to reinforce and encourage more reading by students, parents and consistently involved in the program and keep track of their child’s home reading through a log.

Tell Me A Story part-time members are enrolled at Glendale Community College. These students receive federal work-study funds and are paid minimum wage. Upon completion of their service hours (900 or 450) they will receive an educational award to use toward continuing their education.

Most of the Members are recent high school graduates and many are the first person in their family to go to college. With so many new expectations and responsibilities, Tell Me A Story has been pleased that the Members keep their focus on the children and often go above and beyond the call of duty to support their growth and learning. Members sometimes face apathy and bias against these children and they have learned to become advocates for them at the school sites and even with their parents. As a result, Members learn how to be advocates for themselves – something that is not quantifiable but will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

JOSEPH SADLIER

Shining his light is something that Joseph Sadlier has done for decades, from soup kitchens to his local parish, annual community fund-raisers to special causes. He’s done it with his time, his baker and meat pieman skills, and most of all his ceaseless energy and unstinting compassion and generosity.

Joseph Sadlier raises thousands of dollars annually to help needy children in the city of Pawtucket. In a city of approximately 80,000 people, Joseph is known as a giver and one who will do anything for the kids.

“All the time he wants to do something for someone” and is no sooner finished with one project before he’s on to the next one, said Amy Breault, who has worked with Sadlier on numerous fundraising projects.

Sadlier donates his time, efforts, and money to help the leaders of our future. He bakes hundreds of meat pies and sells them. All of the profit is turned over to the city newspaper, and they in turn have a fund set up for the children. The Times sponsors the needy children to summer camp, and they are also able to purchase gifts during the Christmas holidays.

In addition to his baking and selling of pies, Sadlier also sponsors breakfasts in which the proceeds go towards “The Times” fund for the children. Any fundraiser that he is capable of doing, he will plan and implement.

When he is not cooking or baking, Sadlier spends time with the area drug abuse program where he is a board member. Because of his tireless efforts, he has been inducted into Pawtucket’s Hall of Fame.

Sadlier completes many projects that many people do not hear about, such as taking two handicapped men under his wing and, for decades, at St. Mary’s parish, where Sadlier for years was in charge of assembling and distributing toys for disadvantaged families and also cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners for the needy.

For Breault, 39, “Joe’s made a big difference in my life,” ever since the two hit it right off after doing a Save-the Leroy fundraiser about five years ago. Now the two share morning coffee almost daily. “I know of no one who gives of himself as Joe does. He is an angel who has touched countless lives. There is hardly a charity in the Blackstone Valley that does not owe some of its success to Joe Sadlier.”

THE BLACK STALLION LITERACY PROGRAM

The Black Stallion Literacy Program has a young readers program and an imagination celebration program. The mission of the young readers program is to create in young children the excitement of reading by combining a live horse experience with the reading of Walter Farley’s books, Little Black, A Pony, and Little Black Goes to the Circus.

Each student receives full color, hard cover copies of the books. Posters also stand in every classroom, and there is a live horse appearance at the school. Schools are supplied with the material in advance and the students begin to look forward to the program. Initially, a horse is brought to the school to interact with the children. During this learning experience, the children are told after learning to read the books; they can have their own personal visit with a horse. Once the child completes the assignment, they are asked to read their favorite part of the book to the horse handler. This is their own personal time with the horse as well as a reward for learning to read the book. Once the students have completed their time with the horse, they are given a certificate for another book, which they may redeem at any Barnes and Noble bookstore.

The objective of the imagination celebration program is to ignite in fourth grade students the excitement of the arts. They also use Walter Farley’s Black Stallion as the model for how they can translate the ideas of their imaginations to the reality of the arts.

The fourth graders also receive hard cover copies of The Black Stallion. In addition, they receive posters and access to the movie, The Black Stallion. They also get imagine notes containing facts, activities, and a poster of the Black Stallion. This project provides a fourth grade curriculum developed in conjunction with The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC and the Fort Worth Independent School District (ISD).

The curriculum includes study guides for the beginning of the book, screen play excerpts from the actual screen play, movie story boards sketches, and suggestions for art and writing contests. The children are taken through the process used in creating this story and movie and encouraged to express their own creative ideas in whatever form they choose. Each student also receives a free membership to the Black Stallion Fan Club, which includes a quarterly online newsletter.

The pilot projects for the young readers program have already confirmed that students who have participated in the Black Stallion Literacy Project’s young readers program have an increased enthusiasm for reading and learning. All the schools of the Fort Worth ISD that are involved in it have endorsed the imagination celebration program. During 2000, the volunteers of the Black Stallion Literacy Project were asked to participate with the ISD immediately after their statewide testing. In 2001, they have been asked to come shortly before statewide testing because of the students increased interest in all aspects of learning during and following their Black Stallion Literacy Project.

JOHN JACOBSON

“To kids who feel they have no hope, from kids with hope to share” is the motto of America Sings!, a national non-profit organization established in 1988 by John Jacobson to provide young people involved in the arts the opportunity to combine music, charitable giving, and community service.

John Jacobson is a professional choreographer, writer and arranger and has served as the volunteer president of America Sings! since its inception. His founding vision and message are that individuals – no matter who they are; despite their age, experience or skills; and regardless of where they live – can impact the lives of the less fortunate.

America Sings! began as an all-volunteer effort with Jacobson asking everyone he knew to join him in a one-time event to reach out to young people through the arts. The festival’s goal was to offer student choral groups of all ages an opportunity to perform in a non-competitive setting and to encourage community awareness and involvement by providing service projects onsite. More than 15,000 participants attended the first festival. Their overwhelmingly positive response to the experience encouraged Jacobson to continue his efforts.

Since 1989, America Sings! has held 30 festivals across the country. More than 110,000 youth representing 2,300 choral ensembles have attended an America Sings! event. At each festival, performers have the opportunity to participate in hands-on service activities. For example, at a festival held near Chicago, 3,500 young people made more than 4,500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to support a local soup kitchen. They collected and donated more than 8,000 pounds of toys, clothing, canned goods, and school supplies to organizations serving local underprivileged children. For more than a decade, similar contributions have been made by America Singers at each festival. Through America Sings!, Jacobson encourages youth to embrace the spirit of service and incorporate it into their everyday lives – not just at the festival.

Jacobson’s consistent and unique message also has been shared with thousands of parents, volunteers, teachers, school administrators and community leaders. In his own words, “We at America Sings! believe that there are at least two ways that we can all touch the future. First, make an artistic contribution to the world. Your words, paintings, dances, poems and music ultimately have lives of their own – lives that often outlive the artists. Second, serve your fellow citizen. Your gifts of time, goods and talents will change your life and the lives of others forever and ever. When you lighten the load of your fellow man through selfless generosity, you impact the future in the most remarkably constructive ways. You eventually realize that you have the power to change the world.”

Whether he is rehearsing choreography with festival participants, giving a speech to encourage young people to help those less fortunate, or offering acknowledgement of the students’ contribution in the peanut butter and jelly tent, John Jacobson is a role model and inspiration.

THE WINNER’S CLUB OF CALHOUN, INC.

The Winner’s Club is a modest white clubhouse decorated with marigolds on the outskirts of Calhoun, Georgia. This little white house is the culmination of a dream. It was planted in the heart of William Balliew 30 years ago and birthed not too long after. It is now a place that aids mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed, and handicapped children do things others believed they could not.

William Balliew was born in Calhoun. He was the son of a cotton-mill operator and just an ordinary country boy. He married, had a family, and worked in the Juvenile court system in the city. He initially began his service when he started a Cub Scout pack for mentally disabled boys. Though it was a grand undertaking, he took it on and succeeded. Once he met the young men and had a chance to interact with them, he decided against Cub Scouts and started a Boy Scout troop. He realized everyone could be a winner at something.

The scout troop was a success, and it eventually expanded to include girls and young children. Soon, the needs, goals, and ambitions began to strain at the scouting guidelines. Balliew then created the Winner’s Club. The children that no one else wanted suddenly had a place all their own. It was a special place just for them filled with love and encouragement. It was a gateway to finding self-confidence and self-esteem.

The Club began in an old storage shed. However, as the years went by, the community responded to the love that this man and his wife were doling out in generous portions. The entire community saw the changes that were taking place in their lives. The Club saw a young boy who had always wanted to play football but was never encouraged to do so because he was different receive his high school letterman’s jacket. They saw a young man who loved running win the gold medal at the International Special Olympics in Brockport, New York. A 12-year-old girl who rarely spoke to anyone became a college graduate and is now one of the Winner’s Club Directors.

Balliew and the Winner’s Club have touched many lives. They have showed the community the diamonds that many wanted to forget. They have also shown a special group of children that they are indeed important and can succeed in whatever they work to do. Balliew takes every opportunity to booster the children’s pride with his love and gentleness. They know and are determined to do their best because they can and they know “Mr. Balliew” expects it.

The Winner’s Club is involved in many aspects of the community in addition to ministering to the youth that are a part of the club. They sing for local churches, rebuild automobiles, refinish furniture, grow gardens, take field trips, cook, manage honeybee hives, and attend church together. The Winner’s Club has received national and international attention through Reader’s Digest, American Express-United Way Hometown America Project, and Betty Crocker.

CHARLES WINSTEAD

Charles Winstead was injured in the Army about 15 years ago, and he was forced to retire when his superiors realized he was not able to read. He then took on a job driving trucks, but because he could not read computer screens he could not continue that job either. Though it was challenging, he knew he had to learn to read; eight years ago he joined the literacy council. He has been diligent about improving his reading ever since and loves to work to help others find the joy of learning to read.

Winstead is on a fixed income and is raising two of his grandchildren, but he is volunteering with the Durham County Literacy Council. He provides the students, staff, board of directors, and volunteers with the motivation essential to overcoming illiteracy in Durham County and in the Triangle area. He also encourages contributions to the United Way and has spoken for at least 40 United Way presentations in the past one a half years. This has helped the Literacy Council to raise thousands of dollars.

Without his encouragement, dozens of students would never have attended their classes and many tutors would have never knows how vital their services are to the agency’s clientele. Winstead believe teaching people to read is helping to save their lives. He has worn many hats at the Literacy Council. He drives other literacy students to their classes, workshops, and training programs. He has served on the board of Directors and awards an annual volunteer award to students who have contributed to the Literacy Council. He helps to conduct workshops, recruits other literacy students as tutors, serves as a representative of the Literacy Council on local, state, and national levels, and provides regular office and clerical support to the Council’s staff.

Winstead has developed and still leads a student-writing group at the Literacy Council. In addition, he has helped organize a state literacy conference in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1997. This conference addressed the needs of literacy students through the collaboration of literacy providers and the students themselves. He was the first person to win the Literacy Council Student Volunteer Award, which were later named the Charles Winstead Outstanding Student Volunteer Award in his honor. He was also the first grandparent to attend the Literacy Council’s Family Literacy classes. Winstead also collaborates with other literacy agency partners to create a national awareness of literacy problems.

GABE BYARS

Gabe Byars is a volunteer advocate for the Durham Crisis Response Center: Domestic and Sexual Violence Services. He was the overseer of the committee that formed this merger between the Durham and Arise Centers. As a volunteer, Byars has many responsibilities. He answers calls on the 24-hour crisis line, accompanies sexual assault survivors to the hospital, and gives general support and encouragement to survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence. He serves a great need.

Last year, Rape Crisis of Durham served more than 360 clients and Arise served more than 600 clients. In addition to the aforementioned work, Byars also serves as a Support Advocate. This job involves carrying a pager for a week to be a back-up support to the Primary Advocate who answers the crisis line calls.

Byars has demonstrated a unique contribution and commitment to the agency that primarily serves women. As an advocate for over a year, he has had to work with several sexual assault and/or domestic violence survivors. Initially, these women are hesitant about asking for help from a man; however, they soon realize he is committed to serve them. He does not judge them or patronize them, but he serves them with the deepest of respect. Clients he has worked with have only positive accolades for him. Most people he comes in contact with in the agency have deep personal words about his ability to help them through an extremely difficult time.

This fall, Byars will be facilitating a support group for male survivors of sexual assault and abuse. He demonstrates leadership by taking charge at the center. When he sees something that needs to be done, he stops and looks for resolution. He lives the way he serves. He does not just “talk the talk,” but he also “walks the walk.”