Herbert “Hobby” M. Beich
Herbert “Hobby” M. Beich is the founder of the Friends of the Island Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports Grand Island National Recreation Area. The Foundation is dedicated to preserving the breathtaking beauty of Upper Michigan’s Grand Island, part of Hiawatha National Forest. Visitors to this site find 13,500 acres of beautiful cultural and natural history. Hobby Beich has made it his business to see that this landscape remains in this state for many years to come.
This area has held a special place in Hobby Beich’s heart for over 50 years. However, after Grand Island was designated a National Recreation Area in 1990, the National Forest’s budget began a steady decrease. There were no longer sufficient funds to repair equipment, perform necessary maintenance or hire summer interns to work on the Island. The progress that once existed to save deteriorating structures and make the Island’s history available was considerably slowed. Hobby sprang into action to save this area that he has loved for so long by exploring options about how he could best support the area. From this desire to rehabilitate and preserve Grand Island, Hobby started the Friends of the Island Foundation.
The first and primary goal of the Foundation is to raise at least $10,000 toward the restoration of Swoger Cabin. To accomplish his objectives, Hobby has already invited a range of individuals to the Island to highlights the positive aspects of the site. He has hosted potential supporters and volunteers for tours of the Island in an attempt to involve the community in the volunteer efforts that are taking place. When asked how long he will continue this mission, Hobby responds that he aims to work for the conservation of Grand Island’s resources for the rest of his life.
Health Intervention Services
Health Intervention Services (HIS) believes the root cause of illnesses can only be resolved by integrating physical medicine and faith in God. HIS is a Christian medical center whose purpose is to bring hope, encouragement and practical assistance to underserved individuals and families through the provision of high-quality medical care. Primarily volunteer medical and administrative professionals staff the organization.
Using local churches as resources, HIS deals with the physical and spiritual needs of people in urban neighborhoods. HIS promotes biblical family values to lead individuals toward physical, emotional and spiritual wellness. Practical assistance is also provided in the form of medical, dental and vision care, health assessment, spiritual counseling and life skills training. The center deals mainly with the needs of at-risk teens, single mothers and their children and poor working families.
Started in August 1997 by an ad hoc committee of physicians, nurses, ministers, social workers and businessmen, HIS is the product of a plan to establish a medical mission in Grand Rapids. In September 1998, HIS began offering medical services four days per week and basing its medical fees on a sliding scale dependent upon each family’s financial situation. The medical center now has eight rooms, one triage room, a pharmacy, a two-chair dental suite, optical room, HIV counseling room and a multipurpose educational room.
This unique program is meeting the needs of countless families and individuals in a predominantly Hispanic and African-American community who otherwise would not have adequate healthcare access. HIS is funded primarily through donations and the dedication and commitment of all those that work for the program.
Naval Security Group Activity
Nestled in some of the most unspoiled beauty in America, Naval Security Group (NSGA) Sugar Grove has taken the lead in this community’s effort to preserve the wilderness by recycling, conserving natural resources and taking special care of the land, waterways and air. This flagship program extends to each department and into the entire local community.
The base enjoys the services of two dedicated Environmental Protection Specialists and two Conservation Officers who lead the effort and help guide an innovative recycling program. NSGA Sugar Grove recycled more than 66 tons of domestic solid waste from clogging local landfills since the beginning of 1998. This increase is due, in part, to the base taking a leadership role in expanding the recycling effort to include Pendleton County, a remote rural area and the only region in the state without a formal recycling program. Sailors claimed cardboard refuse at 21 locations throughout the county and then construction began on a large recycling building on the base. The building will house state-of-the-art recycling equipment, including a 55-gallon drum crusher, can crushers and balers, a glass crusher and other machinery. NSGA Sugar Grove residents, sailors and employees fill receptacle units so Public Works members can collect and recycle the cardboard, plastic and glass.
A demolition effort by NSGA Sugar Grove truly set the pace for service and saved the government nearly $1 million. Out of this project—tearing down a useless hulking radio antenna at the Operations Site—came nearly $900,000 in savings and profit. More than 1,600 tons of concrete pillars was crushed into manageable sizes and used as “rip-rap” to help block erosion in gullies at the Operations Site. Instead of smooth channels where water can rush through in flash floods, the big rocks slow the water and cut down on flood damage. The Navy saved $80,000, not to mention the lush acres of vegetation covering where the antenna once loomed and where other bare ground was eroding.
Department of Navy personnel benefit from the base’s commitment to its natural resource conservation efforts, including local hunters, fishing enthusiasts and people who drive by the county roads. There is an obvious benefit to four-legged inhabitants of the area, also. Someone once said, “If we don’t start taking care of our environment, someday, we’ll all be buried in our own refuse.” That someone was one of the stewards of West Virginia’s pristine natural resources, a member of the NSGA of Sugar Grove, a group that continues to be a leader in land and environment preservation.
Family Helping Families
The Family Helping Families program solicits volunteers from Hickam Air Force Base to renovate homes that are 40 to 80 years old. Base residents from all walks of life participate in the Family Helping Families program to complete projects that would normally cost $12,500 – $17,000 for a mere $2,500 per home. The use of base volunteers has already saved the government and taxpayers over $1,500,000 since the program’s inception in October 1997. Family Helping Families kicked off that year on National Make a Difference Day and 155 homes have been renovated since that time.
With the help of Civil Engineer craftsmen volunteers (plumbers, carpenters, and electricians) who ensure that the work is done in a quality manner, Family Helping Families is able to accomplish quality workmanship in shorter amounts of time. The volunteers work for two days to demolish existing cabinets and reinstall new kitchen cabinets, sinks, garbage disposals, and countertops. During this time, they learn skills involved in renovating kitchens and bathrooms, installing new floor tile, ceiling fans, jalousie windows and pouring concrete pads to extend patios. Family Helping Families solicits base-wide for volunteers and select 10-12 houses to renovate per quarter.
On the most recent Make a Difference Day, the volunteers’ goal was to renovate kitchens and bathrooms in 10 homes and replace two playgrounds that had unsafe, deteriorated equipment. One Boy Scout who volunteered to help with this project was working to earn his Eagle badge. The homes were originally built in the 1930’s and 1970’s and the cabinetry was falling off the hinges. Family Helping Families purchased $2,500 worth of cabinets, vanities, mirrors, lights, sinks, countertops, floor tile, garbage disposals and exhaust hoods for each home. It took two days to accomplish the workmanship in the homes that normally would take five to 12 days to finish. Other volunteers installed new and safe playground equipment for more than 5,000 children that use the facilities daily. Led by Wing Commander Colonel Ann Testa, the crew hammered, poured concrete, laid floor tile, painted and landscaped to build a better area for the children and dramatically improve the community.
The Family Helping Families program has inspired people to come out and volunteer their time to improving the quality of life for others. Volunteers with the program learn skills that they can take with them to continue making a difference in their community and they can take pride in seeing the renovated houses and playgrounds they helped to create bring joy to their neighbors.
Jane White
As a Landscape Designer and the Restoration Chairman for Lynchburg’s Old City Cemetery, Jane White has worked to turn the vision of a better natural environment for the citizens of Lynchburg into a reality. Her devoted volunteerism has been contagious, spreading to the hearts and minds of the many people who work with her to positively impact the physical environment of Lynchburg.
Jane White has been involved in numerous volunteer projects over the years; however her most outstanding project is the rehabilitation of the Old City Cemetery and the inner-city neighborhood surrounding it, Tinbridge Hill. Drugs, violence, prostitution and other social ills plagued this neighborhood for decades and Old City Cemetery existed in a state of disrepair and neglect. The area was used as a dump for everything ranging from paving stones to household appliances. By the early 1990’s, the area was in such a bad state that few of the residents could take pride in their surroundings. Beginning in 1993, White launched a massive volunteer initiative to restore and beautify Old City Cemetery and Tinbridge Hill. Her guiding philosophy was simultaneous cemetery and neighborhood renewal.
White contributed generously to the project of her own time and talents—coordinating the cleanup and replanting of the cemetery, designing a butterfly garden and pond to reduce erosion and writing several brochures to increase awareness of horticulture and cemetery wildlife. However, White conceded that this undertaking required the help of many to be successful. She enlisted the help of numerous volunteers to repair the gravestones and record tombstone inscriptions for preservation. The Old City Cemetery is now one of the most highly regarded sanctuaries of history and natural beauty in the city. The environmental hazards of the Tinbridge Hill area were addressed. White’s efforts prompted the city to demolish dilapidated houses and increase street lighting to reduce crime. Thanks to White, the safety and quality of life for Tinbridge Hill residents has been dramatically improved.
In this project and many others, Jane White is the common thread that connects individuals of different backgrounds and skills with community needs. From her universal appreciation for nature and for preserving historical sites, others are able to learn how volunteering can eliminate community problems and boost neighborhood unity and pride.
Charles Van De Wiele
Many people were left traumatized and shattered by the April 19, 1995 bombing in Oklahoma City. As they searched for answers about the deaths of loved ones, they struggled with the question of what they could do to recover from this devastating event. One man in particular, Charles Van De Wiele, had an idea of something that could be done to honor the memory of the victims of this tragedy. With passion and commitment that swayed state organizations to support his efforts, he began a massive endeavor to plan redbud trees in the flat spaces along the Turner turnpike as a living memorial to the bombing victims.
Like so many others, Van De Wiele had lost a good friend in the bombing and knew of several associates who had lost relatives as well. He felt his plan to construct a living memorial would serve as a testimony to the victims, their families and the spirit of the people in Oklahoma. He chose the redbud tree because of its symbolism as the Oklahoma state tree as well as it natural beauty. When he first presented his idea, the Kiwanis Club of Tulsa unanimously approved of the concept. Van De Wiele turned to an urban forestry expert from Oklahoma State University for guidance in his undertaking.
Van De Wiele spearheaded the campaign to find corporate sponsors for the project. In March 1996, the first 500 redbud trees were planted and an additional 1,000 trees planted in the fall of that same year. In 1997, 700 more were added and 1,025 were planted in 1998. The project continues with the goal of having 5,000 redbud trees lining the Turnpike. The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, after much lobbying and persuasion by VanDeWiele in support of the project, is an enthusiastic partner to the project and has contributed a great deal to the cause.
Since the project has a great deal of personal meaning, Van De Wiele spends countless hours taking care of the redbud trees that are currently planted. Even though he is involved in other community projects, he refers to the tree planting as his hobby and often spends weekends checking on the trees and taking care of them. Recently, Van De Wiele decided that the Turnpike should have a sign to inform passing motorists of the significance of the trees lining the highway. He designed and commissioned a 7-foot rose granite monument that has a bronze casting of the bombed out building on it and the names of 168 victims and the project’s financial supports. The monument was dedicated by Governor Frank Keating on April 14, 1997.
It is clear the Charles Van De Wiele has laid the foundation for a memorial that will last for many years to come, reminding all those who pass by of the tragic bombing and those who lost their lives in the process. The way that he has chosen to memorialize the victims and their families is such that Oklahoma residents can be proud that life has grown where life was once taken away. He has shown a spirit of service and selflessness to this project that is virtually unmatched.
Charles Van De Wiele can be reached by email at [email protected] , or visit him on the web at www.hscpa.com.
Beverly Liberman
In the early 1990’s, Beverly Liberman and her husband realized the significance of helping individuals one at a time. An encounter with a homeless man who was determined to become self-sufficient led the couple to assist the needy stranger to find a place to live and a steady job. The lessons learned from this chance encounter led to the birth of the One at a Time Foundation (OATF) and Beverly Liberman’s commitment to finding solutions to poverty while helping others.
Beverly’s own mentoring experience spawned the OATF, which serves more than 60 homeless and formerly homeless individuals. OATF provides clients who have the desire to become self-reliant with skilled and compassionate support. These clients, aged 19 years or older, have found themselves out of the housing and employment system for various reasons—homelessness, domestic violence, incarceration or substance abuse. The common thread that connects OATF clients is the desire to succeed, despite a lack of resources (money, skill, and support) to be financially independent and self-reliant.
A typical day of service for Beverly includes going to business and community agencies, recruiting mentors and clients, finding community advocates and maintaining the mentor network. She is responsible for making sure that the mentors receive the support necessary to help clients effectively and garners community support to fund the project’s minimal expenses. Running the program as its only full-time, non-salaried employee, much of the OATF’s success can be credited to Beverly’s efforts. The fact that some OATF clients, after getting back on their feet, are now returning to the program as mentors, speaks volumes about the worth of Beverly’s service. She meets a community need and in the process, mobilizes other community volunteers to do the same.
Junior League of San Francisco
The Junior League of San Francisco (JLSF) provides trained volunteers to agencies throughout the Bay Area. The League has selected the area of Family Preservation as the issue of the 1990’s and is currently directing volunteers to agencies who address this need. Since its inception 87 years ago, the JLSF has provided over 6 million volunteer hours and over $18 million to the San Francisco Bay Area community. In many instances, the JLSF has been the first organization to respond to specific community issues with volunteer support, financial assistance and public outreach.
In accordance with the present focus of Family Preservation, the JLSF is directing 2,400 trained volunteers and financial support to ten projects for families and children in Family Resource Centers and agencies serving victims of domestic violence. The EDGEWOOD Center for Children & Families is just one of the projects that JLSF serves. Since 1994, 160 JLSF volunteers have worked with EDGEWOOD’s Kinship Support Network, which provides an array of support services to grandparents and other relative caregivers to allow children whose parents are absent due to death, incapacitation, or incarceration to remain with kin. JLSF volunteers have been a major component of the Kinship program, volunteering as tutors, mentors and recreation aides for the youth, aged birth-17. The volunteer hours give relief to grandparents and relative caregivers whose average age is 60 years.
Other endeavors that are supported by JLSF include the Cobb Family Resource Center, a school based family support center established by JLSF. A total of 32 volunteers work with children and parents in activities such as skills workshops, tap dancing and special projects/events. The Canal Community Alliance/Canal Ministry program serves an extremely diverse neighborhood whose residents need support with English as a Second Language, after school programs, job training and healthcare. JLSF volunteers work with the young women and children involved in the program. Like many of the JLSF undertakings, community and volunteer involvement are critical to the program’s success.
JLSF has extended their outreach beyond supplying volunteers to needy programs in several key ways. The Step Ahead Program is a collaboration with KRON-TV channel 4 that provides scholarships to 12 high risk High School students for college books and tuition. JLSF also granted funds to the Yerba Buena Center to add a family resource room and staff person for the new daycare center.
Chippewa Valley Health Clinic, Inc.
Chippewa Valley Health Clinic, a non-profit organization, has provided access to necessary medical care to more than 1,200 individuals since July 1997. The Clinic opened in response to a serious lack of health care for more than 3,700 individuals in Eau Claire County, WI. These residents were under the Medicare eligibility age of 65, lived below the federal poverty level and did not receive any government medical assistance. Before the clinic’s opening, no public free clinic existed in northwestern Wisconsin to assist those patients.
The staff at Chippewa Valley Health Clinic is determined not to duplicate services already provided but instead to make the best use of available resources. More importantly, they are committed to ensuring that the patients are treated with the dignity and respect that they deserve. So far, the founders of Chippewa Valley Health Clinic have been successful in their mission. The clinic looks and runs like any physician’s office, patients receive quality care from caring professionals and they have access to low cost pharmaceuticals.
Over a dozen volunteers staff the clinic every Tuesday and Thursday evening beginning at 5:30p.m. They often see patients until 10:00p.m. Volunteers perform various services depending upon their specialization; they include physicians, nurses, social workers, and laymen. Other volunteers assist with fund raising and clinic upkeep.
In 1998, the Chippewa Valley Health Clinic was admitted as a member agency by the United Way of Greater Eau Claire and was granted one of the largest first-time allocations ever made. The United Way of Greater Eau Claire recognized the lifesaving work that is going on behind the doors of the Chippewa Valley Health Clinic and, like the patients who are treated there, want the services to continue.
Sarah Genschaw
As a volunteer for the Kenai Fishery Resource Office, Sarah Genschaw facilitated the start of an Adopt-A-Stream program with the Kalifornsky Beach and Tustumena elementary schools to increase students’ awareness of the environment. Although the program was her major accomplishment, she also participated in a wide variety of environmental projects.
The four sixth grade classes that are involved in the Adopt-A-Stream partnership attend classroom sessions on salmon and aquatic insect life histories and identification. They also take monthly sampling trips to a local creek where they learn how to use equipment to collect water quality and fishery data. These skills are taken back into the classroom and integrated into their regular lessons. As the Student Conservation Associate, Genschaw is largely responsible for overseeing the Adopt-A-Stream program activities. Teachers and staff at the elementary schools have described her as knowledgeable, enthusiastic and able to build a rapport quickly and easily with the school children.
Genschaw gained her knowledge about the environment and aquatic animals through her year of service with the Kenai Fishery Resource Office. During this time, she volunteered to assist with the Dolly Varden Radio Telemetry Project that tracked radio-tagged fish within the Kenai River drainage. As part of the field crew, she was always ready to cheerfully explain the project to the public when questions would arise. After several months on the job, she became an expert consultant and trained other volunteer educators at the nearby Kenai National Wildlife Refuge on developing a wetlands curriculum. Her co-workers relied heavily on her expertise and often recruited her efforts on special projects. One biologist organized a two-week Andreafsky River Science Camp for high school students in Alaska and Genschaw was instrumental in refining the hands-on activities of the camp, which is now an annual event.
Presently, Genschaw maintains her ongoing involvement with the Adopt-A-Stream program. The program, which requires the mobilization of more volunteers each year, is planned to continue indefinitely. Through this program, Genschaw helps students to gain a sense of increased control and involvement with their communities while providing a source of supplementary information to augment what they learn every day in the classroom.
