SUSYBELLE GOSSLEE

Susybelle Gosslee is committed to children, her own and many of them she has never met. She spends quality time with her family and supports her children while teaching them through her life that we all should give back to our community.

Gosslee began her volunteer career with the Girls Scouts. She has served as a Leader and Den Mother with this organization. She also has taught Sunday school and been a soccer coach. Since she was so fulfilled with service, she continued to look for opportunities in particular, those that touch women and young girls. Her volunteer commitments then expanded to include committee assignments for Women of Saint Michael and All Angels, the Junior League of Dallas, Letot Status Offender Center, and Girls’ Adventure Trails.

Through her involvement with the Junior League of Dallas, Letot, and Girls’ Adventure Trails, Gosslee began to envision a place for troubled girls. She continued to do work with non-profits and research the organizational structures, and in 1985, Gosslee founded Our Friend’s Place. She did all the initial work associated with founding a no-profit agency. She designed the program, raised the funds, and renovated the facilities. Our Friend’s Place provides warm, nurturing, homelike havens of safety and support for girls who have been abused, neglected, abandoned or have behavioral difficulties.

Our Friend’s Place offers a therapeutic group home for girls ages 10 to 17 and a transitional living center for young women ages 18 to 24. The women have a home where they can begin to heal and learn skills for a successful future. The participants in the program receive individual, group, and if possible, family therapy. Life skills, including appropriate social behaviors, job skills, and home keeping, are central to the philosophy of Our Friend’s Place. The goal is to give the girls and young women the opportunity to break out of the negative generational cycles of abuse and poverty through education and therapy.

Gosslee believes you should measure the effectiveness of your program. Our Friend’s Place is a success. In 1999, the results of the group home show that for the girls who were in the program for three months or longer, 100% did not become pregnant, improved their physical and dental health, passed to the next grade level in school, decreased or withdrew from active gang involvement, and decreased or refrained from alcohol or drug use. In addition to that, 93% improved their age-appropriate life skills. For that same year, the outcome results from the transitional living center were positive also. For the young women who had been in the program for three months or longer, 100% did not become pregnant and increased their job-related skills, 83% were employed, 83% successfully completed or are still in the program, and 70% were enrolled in educational or vocational courses.

Susybelle Gosslee also has served the Mental Health Association, Episcopal Church Women, Women’s Service League, and the Dallas Women’s Coalition, to name a few. Her tireless efforts resulted in her being honored with the Savvy Award in 2000, the Prism Award in 1994, the Maura Award in 1992, and was a Linz Award nominee in 1991. She was a representative at the United Nations Non Governmental Organizational Forum on Women in Beijing in 1995.

READ/ORANGE COUNTY

READ/Orange County is the literacy service of the Orange County Public Library. They provide no-cost tutoring in basic reading, writing, and English skills using professionally trained volunteer tutors. The volunteers assist learners in improving their literacy skills. Lessons are individualized, confidential, and highly goal oriented. The learning process is structured around the learner’s goals, using materials that relate to those goals.

READ boasts of several achievements since its inception. Many of the learners in the program have voted for the first time, obtained a new job, received a promotion, or have finally been able to read to their children. The learners have also assisted their children with homework, enrolled in a higher level of education, obtained a driver’s license, written their own checks, and balanced their own checkbooks.

Since its founding, in 1991, 50 Basic Tutor Training Workshops have been conducted. There have been more than 800 tutors certified and 1500 learners assessed. Volunteers have contributed more than 80,000 hours of tutoring plus and additional 82,000 hours in talent and support services. Nationwide estimated indicate that one in five adults is functionally illiterate. This equates to approximately 500,000 people in Orange County. Since illiteracy costs businesses in the United States about $245 billion per year, READ’s programs address an imperative unmet educational need.

READ is innovative because of the variety of programs offered. Because tutoring is offered at convenient locations and times, obstacles to learning are reduced. The emphasis on literacy as a family issue assures a long-term impact for the community. READ is the only low-level basic skills program currently being offered to jail inmates. The county librarian firmly supports READ and includes funding for the program in the annual budget. The 28 branches of the Orange County Public Library are knowledgeable about READ, display READ information, and provide tutoring space.

READ’s core program works with adults who have limited literacy skills. By increasing literacy skills, learners become more employable, more informed community members and voters, and more capable of assisting their children in gaining literacy skills. READ’s Family for Literacy (FFL) component addresses the intergenerational cycle of illiteracy. Children whose parents are functionally illiterate are twice as likely as their peers to be functionally illiterate, creating an on-going cycle. FFL works to break this cycle by working in combination with parents and their children. FFL assists parents in improving their reading skills and instills a sense of the value of reading. Direct work with the children builds reading readiness and assures they have the pre-literacy skills for success in school.

READ, in conjunction with the Sheriff-Coroner Department, provides tutors to inmates in the five Orange County jails via the Working for Inmate Literacy Now program. This program demonstrates the practical benefits of improving literacy skills and encourages continuance of the inmate’s education upon transfer or release from jail, thus reducing recidivism while increasing employability and safety.

LAUREL CURTIS

Laurel Curtis has a desire to make the lives of young people in her community better. About 15 years ago, she began to work for Youth Corrections. While working there, she spread her positive attitude and optimistic outlook on life. She accepted the young people as they were and always gave an ear to listen, which is a simple thing many of them need.

When she became a mother, Curtis decided to stay at home; however, her love for youth increased. As a mother of five, she still made it a priority to give of herself and her time to others. She stays very involved in the community and uses her skills to help others.

Curtis is very adept at budgeting and she uses that skill to help others. She takes the time to share with others ways to be resourceful. She teaches them to look at their total household expenses to see if there is anything they can cut back on. In addition to that, she plans dinner with menus; and that cuts costs. Curtis has taught various classes in the community that teaches others things she has learned, so they can benefit also. Though she was no longer an employee of Youth Corrections, she still worked there in a volunteer capacity. Youth Corrections has been able to call her for special events, and she has helped in any way she could.

A couple of years ago, Curtis began a program called “America’s Promise For Freedom.” This program would help the young women to become productive citizens. It was a result of Colin Powell’s speech and America’s Promise Program. She wanted to work within the scope of that program and help in her area. She contacted JC Penney and Ron Rhoades to get assistance. These two entities offered to help the young ladies with job interview skills as well as training. The ladies were allowed to pick an outfit to use on the interview. The clothing must be appropriate and approved by the JC Penney’s staff. Ron Rhoades donates the outfits to the youth to help them find employment. Many of the women apply at JC Penney.

In addition to the training and clothing, Curtis also contacted a photographer. They donate makeovers and free sittings for the class. When the young women are taught how to look professional and saw themselves in photos that way, it definitely increased their self-esteem. The women were also taught self-defense classes, as many of the women in the program are victims of abuse.

Curtis’ efforts do not stop there. The also teaches classes on how to cook nutritional meals as well as baking bread. She also contacted a theater in town to help her program. The theater allows the young women to come watch a play, and many of them have never had this experience; so that opened a door to another part of life for them. The women have also been able to attend gyms to learn how to work out and take care of their bodies, receive training about food disorders, and they experience volunteer service. The young women had projects in the community that helped them give back to those around them. The visit assisted living centers an elderly members of the community and give them companionship and pleasant company.

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.