DEVONY DUHE

We live in a society that considers its older citizens to be less than productive and sometimes even useless. These people have worked, raised families and given to their respective communities. These retired residents are thought to simply sit back and watch the world go by while enjoying the company of their grandchildren. Some also see them jet setting around the world spending all the hard-earned money they have saved for years.

Devony Duhe has, in fact, been playing with children and flying off to far away lands since her retirement, but she has been anything but useless. Duhe has become a personal hero to the team at Humanity United in Giving (HUG) International, Inc. This organization is based in Richardson, Texas and serves children around the world who are victims of poverty and war. She has worked with HUG since 1997, and during that time she has set a precedent with her service and generous spirit. She is a vital caring woman who gives completely and unconditionally of her time, heart, energy and money.

After being a member of a HUG Service Team in July of 1997 to Slatina, Romania, Duhe fell in love with the orphans living there. Since that time, she has stayed connected to the children and their cause by donating more than 3,000 hours answering correspondence, packing and shipping supplies, and raising money to enable their work to continue. She has also traveled back to Slatina on two occasions as a HUG Service Team Leader.

Duhe has the extraordinary ability to look at the environment in which the children are living and see immediately what can be done to make it better. She has personally helped to finance new plumbing lines for the orphanage and fuel for heat last winter. In addition, Duhe has provided funds for fruit and milk for the children’s meals. She even provided for pest control to exterminate the roaches in the orphanage during the summer.

Devony Duhe has longed to make a difference all her life. She now knows she is doing just that. The children she assists in Romania along with the staff she works along side daily see her example. She was honored as the 1999 Collin County Volunteer of the Year because of her outstanding contribution to children all over the world.

RICHARD SCHERRER

Richard Scherrer retired from a demanding career as an attorney in 1997 to devote his time and talents to service. He volunteers for several organizations, which allows him to have a positive impact on his community, and especially for children. Scherrer spends at least 55 hours a month at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center (EYNC), The Casa Garden Restaurant, and the Elks Club of Carmichael.

Scherrer has always been concerned with the care and education of children. He has also been an advocate of our environment. When he volunteered for the Docent program at the EYNC, he found he could teach children about nature. This was an ideal volunteer position for him. After completing an intensive eight weeks of training, Scherrer began leading several Nature Area Tours every month. These tours give him an opportunity to interact with and educate children about the plants and animals indigenous to their community and the importance of preserving them.

He is a very effective communicator and has made a strong impression on all of the children. His respect and compassion for them as well as his patience creates an environment in which the children feel comfortable. The children can then share their thoughts and ideas along with participating in discussions. This contributes to their education and the furtherance of EYNC’s mission – to create awareness, understanding, and appreciation of the natural and cultural resources in the Sacramento area. Scherrer also serves EYNC as a receptionist and in planning and hosting special events.

The Casa Garden Restaurant raises money for the Sacramento Children’s Home. There, Scherrer is a wine steward/bartender a few times during the month. While the work does not directly impact the children, it does indirectly because some of the proceeds go to the Children’s Home, which cares for children who have been separated from their families.

During the past year, Scherrer also became involved in the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks. As a member of the Elks, Scherrer has served as a member of the Officer Corps as well as the liaison to a local Boy Scout troop. He participated in their summer program, Kops ‘n Kids, which provides free day camp to children with financial need. The children are able to meet police officers and watch demonstrations. The goal of this particular program is to foster a positive relationship between at-risk children and their community police.

Scherrer is continually utilizing his energies to better his community. Knowing there is a strong need for people to take positive and direct care of our children, he jumps in and meets that need. His ability to relate to and communicate with young people results in him being effective at educating and boosting self-esteem. Daily he is reinforcing to them that they matter and they are important. Scherrer’s dedication, demeanor and recruitment efforts have also inspired others to get involved.

REVEREND CHARLES FLOWERS

In 1995, Rev. Charles Flowers heeded a spiritual call to serve, once again. A former Air Force Training Instructor, he and his wife, Janice, decided to use their military training to start a boot camp for troubled youth. They wanted to make sure the camp was accessible to those who needed its discipline, free, and standing on a foundation of spirituality. So in 1995, Love Demonstrated Ministries, Inc. Christian Boot Camp (CBC) for youth was established.

The CBC is open to youth ages 13 through 19, and operates during the summer season. The participants are either referred to the boot camp by their parents, or they volunteer to take part in the program. Rev. Flowers comes in with spit polished black combat boots, camouflage pants, black t-shirt, and a wide brimmed hat. He stands perfectly straight and looks directly into the eyes of the young people. However, when Commandant Flowers enters the room, all of the youth at the CBC lift their head in respect, not in fear, of him.

Initially, Rev. Flowers hoped to instill the basics of unity and morality back into the youth. The campers are put through paces of physical activities, community service projects, classroom instruction, and spiritual training for 32 days. During each day, Rev. Flowers and his small band of volunteers work hard to let each youth know that he or she is valued. As a result of the camp, even the most troubled of the youth discover peace and hope.

In 1999, Rev. Flowers took on a special population – young offenders. The CBC program became part of a larger effort, Value Based Violence Prevention Initiative (VBI), a new program funded by San Antonio Fight Back (SAFB) of the United Way. SAFB is a comprehensive substance abuse, crime and violence program of the United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. VBI is designed to help young probationers between the ages of 19 and 29 stay out of jail and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It is comprised of five components, one of which is the boot camp.

The boot campers conducted 12 community service projects in the first six months of the camp. With funding from SAFB, Rev. Flowers expanded the camp and now conducts it year-round. From October 1999 to December 2000, 116 individuals have been referred to the VBI program, and of that number, only 15% have re-entered through juvenile justice system as opposed to the national average of 85 percent.

DOREEN SCOTT

Doreen Scott is a 46 year-old community activist in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Scott was aware of her calling to help others at an early age. She initiated her volunteer service as a candy striper in the children’s ward at her local hospital and then pursued a nursing degree after high school so she could continue serving others. In 1979, Scott moved to Ft. Lauderdale for the climate and continued her nursing service. She became an ICU nurse at Cypress Community Hospital in Pompano Beach and was on the lookout for more service opportunities.

Scott became involved in her community so she could continue to use her talents to help others. She was one of the first members of the newly formed Kids in Distress Auxiliary (KID), which was founded in 1987 with the express purpose of promoting volunteer support for KID. KID seeks to provide community education in the area of abused and neglected children, positive public relations for KID, volunteer services in support of KID and fundraising initiatives to provide financial support to solely benefit KID. Scott has coordinated the fundraising of $100,000, and she visits the crisis center regularly to spend time with the children.

Another children’s cause that has benefited from Scott’s service is the Children’s Home Society. She uses her talents of involving others and inspiring more to give of their time and talents also to benefit abused or neglected children. Her goal is to acquaint as many as she can with the condition and plight of our abused and neglected children. She feels blessed to serve as an instrument in alerting others and preventing child abuse. She was elected their president in 1986 as a result of her dedication to children, past work on the behalf of children and her compassionate attitude about her work.

Scott is dedicated to the court’s Guardian Ad Litem program, which is a hands-on volunteer opportunity to monitor families and intervene in the children’s crisis moments. She represents the children in court for the state and has been appointed the court liaison for children in her county.

In addition, Scott is the co-chairman of Ft. Lauderdale’s Winterfest Ball which is an annual fundraiser highlighting their national boat parade. She also has been an avid supported of Pine Crest Preparatory School where she started out as a room mom, became president of the Lower School Mother’s Club, served on the Board of Advisors and is a member of the Founder’s Council and co-chairs the Pine Crest Silent Auction. Scott has also chaired two additional charity events: the American Heart Association’s Heart to Hear Ball and the Junior Welfare Society’s Toyland Ball. Funds rose at both events work to raise awareness of heart disease and aid local families in need of immediate assistance respectively. Scott volunteers with SPARK, PAWS, HANSY, Cystic Fibrosis, Junior League and the BCMA Alliance.

She is also a student at Florida International University. She is studying criminology so she can apply additional knowledge to abused children in crisis situations. Scott was awarded the American Cancer Society’s Woman of the Year Award. The Diabetes Association also recognized her as the Women of Valor.

LANE BALLARD

The Children’s Hospital in Seattle, Washington has a Recreational Therapy Department (RTD). The purpose of the RTD is to help patients and their families cope with the hospital experience. The principles and practice of recreational therapy utilize play and leisure in the treatment and recovery process. Through play, children develop skills, discover themselves and learn to relate to their world. Three play sessions daily are held for ages 0 – 11 years and older patients, ages 12-21 – the Teen Zone.

Lane Ballard is a manufacturing engineer during the week with the Boeing Company; however, he has committed his Sundays to the Children’s Hospital. Ballard volunteers in the RTD where he is used as an active provider of normalizing play .He plays with patients and their sibling in the playroom or works with them with arts and crafts. Those youngsters who are not mobile receive a special visit from Ballard in their rooms. Ballard also commits his Wednesday evenings to the hospital’s Teen Zone program. He gets a list of all the patients between the ages of 12 and 21 and visits each one. Ballard can be seen getting a favorite movie or game for them to use in their rooms or “hanging” out in the Teen Zone with their youths.

Ballard has a strong desire to make a difference in the lives of children, especially those who are ill. Because of this, he also spends his vacation time at the Stanley Stamm Children’s Camp near Enumclaw. This is a camp for children who have been patients at Children’s Hospital, but they have medical needs that make it impossible for them to participate in regular camp programs. Ballard handles the camp’s sports and recreations programs as well as assisting in providing round-the-clock care by helping dispense medication; feed children and helping the youth meet personal hygiene needs.

FareStart is a nonprofit organization that is focused on training homeless men and women for careers in the restaurant business. This great step will lead them to self-sufficiency. Each week, FareStart has a guest chef night with local restaurants providing a chef who works with the trainees to prepare a meal. The volunteers run the “customer” side of the restaurant. They wait tales and set guests. Though Ballard is not proficient in waiting tables, he still gives of his time for the program and donates all the tips towards FareStart.

Ballard’s efficiency as a volunteer has resulted in the Children’s Hospital asking new volunteers to come in during his shift. They then ask Ballard to help orient and train the other adults. He teaches them the importance of punctuality, self-confidence, compassion and trust as it relates to the patients they will serve.

Ballard has also participated in Boeing’ s World of Motion where he taught 4th grader Science during an eight-week period. He has also volunteered in the Special Olympics Summer Games.

LITERACY VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, NEWARK AND ESSEX COUNTY

The United States is the richest and most prosperous nation; however, there are many living here who cannot read. The Literacy Volunteers of America, Newark and Essex County (LVA) were founded to meet a social need; their mission was to teach people to read. LVA is a nonprofit, volunteer educational organization dedicated to addressing adult literacy and problems related to the same. The main offices are located on the campuses of Seton Hall University, South Orange and Essex County College, Newark. LVA provides free literacy services to adults 15 years and older. The services include instruction in basic literacy, English conversation and family literacy.

There are various groups who are served by LVA. Adult students participating in the Basic Literacy program have been identified as reading below the 6th grade. The adult students in the English Conversation program have been recognized as needing to learn to understand, speak and write English in a more proficient manner. The students that take part in the Family Literacy program read at a low level and have children who have learning difficulties. In addition, all adult students have the opportunity to develop employment and life-coping skills as well as a working knowledge of community resources available in their area.

LVA wishes to provide a comprehensive program in basic reading and English conversation. To accomplish this, LVA recruits and trains volunteer tutors. They have pre-test, post- test and instructs adult students along with providing continued in-service training to tutors. LVA also provides peer group seminars for students and tutors and ongoing communication with the community it serves. LVA believes once the students have gained the valuable basic skills, a knowledge of their community resources, and life-coping skills, they will be better able to effect their personal, educational and career goals.

LVA has developed a family literacy model designed to complement existing adult literacy programs to further provide an all-inclusive program in family literacy. “Reading With Children” (RWC) forms the basis of this model. RWC’s target audience is pre-school and elementary school children, adults who read at 1QW levels and professional teaching staff. The RWC training model uses seven simple reading strategies that professional staff and parents alike are trained to use as they work as a team to teach children. The parents will hopefully become motivated to participate as students in the Basic Literacy or ESL programs of LVA.

LVA is aware they will be more effective if they mobilize resources and network. Thus, they have formed many partnerships with community agencies to reach their goals. Some of their community partners are: Babyland Family Services, East Orange Department of Human Services, East Orange High Schools, East Orange Public Library, Essex County College, FOCUS/Hispanic Community Center of Newark, Haitian Center of Irvington, Ironbound Community Corporation of Newark, La Casa of Newark, The Leaguers, Newark Adult School, Newark Preschool Council, and New Jersey Department of Education.

NITA JONES

In her present position as Associate State Coordinator for Community Operations (ASCCO) for West Los Angeles County, Nita Jones has consistently demonstrated the skills, sensitivity, creativity and insight AARP California seeks in its community leaders.

Jones worked for many years in the private sector as an accountant. She spent 10 years with Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) employed as an Administrative Assistant and Director. Since retiring in 1992, Jones has become a full time volunteer. Her energies are divided between Vermont Square United Methodist Church where she has been an active member for more than 20 years and AARP where she has been past president and Membership Chairperson of the Carson Chapter #3320. In addition to her current assignment as ASSCO for AARP, Jones along with her husband, Henderson, is involved with the California Congress of Seniors and the Retired Teamsters Association.

In her leadership role, Jones helps organize and recruit AARP volunteers for major events such as the Martin King Luther Day Parade, Fiesta Broadway, Tournament of Roses Float Viewing, and Modern Maturity Mall shows, to name a few. She continuously manages numerous community activities. Her resourcefulness resulted in successful partnerships with the Children’s Defense Fund and L.A. County for Public Benefits Outreach projects in East Los Angeles and with the National Association of Black Nurses during their national convention & health fair in South Central Los Angeles. She mobilizes large groups of volunteers who repeatedly provide the services and deliver the information needed to improve the quality of life for persons 50+, their families and caretakers. Examples include the L.A. Mayor’s Forum where volunteers from various AARP entities, such as 55 Alive, Tax Aide, and Chapters, including non-English speaking individuals dressed in their traditional cultural garbs, worked side by side and sent a message of integration, inclusion and acceptance.

During the past year, Jones interacted with 1) grassroots, political and religious leaders in the community, 2) city, county and state government officials, 3) local neighborhood groups, 4) service organizations and social change agencies. She has built a network of persons and groups that work in concert to make a difference for persons who live in the multi-cultured communities of her West Los Angeles County discipline. Her high work standards, strong people skills and sense of fairness are reasons she is well respected by volunteers, community partners and the staffs with whom she frequently participates.

Jones is a trusted and respected community volunteer because she is a good listener and keeps her promises. Her personal and timely communication helps volunteers, particularly multi-cultured groups of African Americans, Latinos, Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and other ethnicities that make up the diverse communities of West Los Angeles County focus on a common vision, eagerly participate and have fun together. Bottom line, individuals in the community benefit because of Nita’s caring and accomplished leadership.

EDWIN DANKWORTH

Ed Dankworth, a retired Navy Officer, was sitting in his home reading the New York Times and came across an article about language development in young children. He read about the appalling discrepancy in language development between young children of college professors and young children of parents dependent on public aid. Not only did he learn of the difference, but also he was also inspired that there was a solution for equalization – greater language exposure, interaction and stimulation. Dankworth concluded that a home visitation strategy would allow the kind of modeling of parenting behaviors needed to stimulate language development.

After the initial idea, he then took his cause to important agencies and people to participate in a work group, the Smart Healthy Babies Work Group. The work group completed a community needs assessment in March 1999, and the two most salient findings were in education and health. Based on their specific findings, the work group determined that its first priority was to establish a home visit program. Dankworth worked for more than three years on a committee to make his dream for the entire city come true – Smart Healthy Babies Home Visit Program (SHBHVP).

The Goal of SHBHVP is to provide support, information and education to all new parents to promote positive parenting, healthy child development and increased utilization of existing preventive health and social services. Their overall objectives are to provide an orientation to the home visitation program to all new parents in Alameda, to provide one to three home visits to those parents who identify a desire and need for a home visit, to engage a subset of those parents who are in need and want additional visits, to link new parents with available and appropriate community services, to increase the percentage of confident supported new parents, to increase the amount of time new parents engage in developmentally focused activities and to improve parent-infant interaction through modeling and teaching.

SHBHVP also wants to ensure all new parents are linked with a primary health care provider for their child. They ensure a link to a family planning service in order to plan the spacing of subsequent pregnancies, and they increase the percentage of low-income parents enrolled in a health plan such as Med-Cal or Healthy Families. Dankworth has made a huge impact on the city of Alameda and many refer to him as “The Grandfather.” His participation with SHBHVP along with his other volunteer involvements affects the lives of children, youth and their families throughout the community of Alameda. Dankworth has spent and spends endless hours recruiting political, financial and volunteer support for SHBHVP, and he works directly with the program to expand and improve its services.

Dankworth truly listens to people and reaches out to others who may know more about an issue to find out how he can facilitate change. He was never trained in the field of child development, but his efforts were undaunted and focused on positive change. Moreover, Dankworth serves on the Social Services, Human Relations Board of the City of Alameda.

CAMPTOWN, INC.

Children have so many choices to make day to day. There are negative influences coming at them from every angle; life is tough for many children today. They are bombarded with pressures from what they see on the television, hear on the radio and see on the streets. Unfortunately, some children do not have a support network and they fall between the cracks. Many choices youth make today impact their tomorrow.

In 1991, Tom Lehman began to create what would become Camptown, Inc. He was able to leave his place of employment in 1993 to work full-time for Camptown. The mission of the nonprofit organization is to make a positive difference in the lives of youth. Camptown was founded to provide underprivileged youth in the Indianapolis area with the opportunity to develop wholly as young people. The goal of Camptown is to enrich the lives of the children so much that they will learn to make positive decisions and realize how their decision making process can shape their lives.

Camptown allows youth to plan and lead a wilderness adventure trip of their choice. They get to choose the location, types of activities they will do and plan their living needs for the duration of the trip. Many of the children have never been out of the city, and it provides a place for students to develop a positive self-image, build their confidence and develop life skills. Camptown is not a traditional camp experience. It concentrates more on developing leadership skills that the children can use all of their life. The staff plans wilderness outings that are centered on hiking trips along mountain trails.

Moreover, the camp teaches teamwork. The children learn how to work together and understand the importance of having someone to depend on them and having to depend on someone else. The children leave the camp with a positive self-image; they realize they are special. Campers also have projects that help them build self-confidence. Camptown’s beliefs are based on Christian principles and encourage youth to get involved with local churches. Positive role models and the experience of the outdoors challenge each youth mentally, physically, socially and spiritually.

Some of the youth have remained so involved in the Camptown organization that they have become Youth Leaders for new trip-goers in the following years. During the off-season, Camptown is just as busy planning for the next year and providing training classes, after school workshops and fundraisers to prepare for the upcoming season.

Since its inception, Camptown has grown tremendously. In 1993, they had 60 campers; in 1994, there were 97 campers; and in 1995, there were 150 youth involved in the program. By the year 2000, there were 400 youth at camp. All the growth is unduplicated youth. The participants come from area churches, after school programs, school programs, alternative schools and group homes. Big Brothers and other camps have used Camptown for a reward or part of their youth leadership program.

LEELA SHANKAR

The Growing In-Home Volunteer Effort (GIVE) program provides in-home support for frail seniors and disabled people of all ages. Its volunteers are 18 years and older and provide shopping assistance, transportation, friendly visits and respite care in addition to yard work and light meal preparation.

Leela Shankar is a GIVE volunteer and accepts a variety of responsibilities. Shankar performs multiple tasks to enhance the lives of others. She provided approximately 1,000 hours of service last year, which would translate to $14,830 worth of assistance to those in need.

A homebound senior with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and a broken hip was one recipient of Shankar’s service. She ran errands, provided year around lawn care, (even planted a garden of vegetables and flowers for the senior's dining and viewing pleasure), and made regular trips to visit the woman when she was hospitalized.

Shankar spends 10 hours a week with a Davenport college and a Western Michigan University student. They are both visually impaired and need her assistance to continue with their studies effectively. She reads course work, researches the internet, writes checks to pay bills, prepares them for taking tests and provides additional assistance as needed. She also helped a senior who is legally blind by reading her mail, writing checks for her, mailing her bills, organizing her home, setting up computer applications and occasionally running errands. Pet and house sitting while the owner is out of town has been another volunteer experience that Shankar offered when that assistance was needed.

Recipients of Shankar’s volunteer assistance live more comfortably because of her efforts. The students who are blind and studying to become professionals would not be able to afford the services that Shankar provides for free. They believe her assistance is very important to their future academic success.

The senior who is legally blind needed her computer to provide music education for elementary school children. After purchasing the Macintosh, she realized continual programming assistance would be needed because of her failing vision. It was not used until Shankar began to make weekly visits and provide regular computer assistance. The pleased recipient was then able to continue her volunteer work teaching children music appreciation.

Shankar, a doctoral student, is from India and has been in the United States for 10 years. Despite major cultural differences and the time and energy required of a student, she found the means to be of service to others. She has compassion for those in need and a strong desire to help overcome any obstacles she encountered. Shankar feels her volunteer experiences have positively influenced her life and that each volunteer experience is a valuable and useful tool that she can utilize when returning to India.