LORGIO DIAZ

For generations, the energy, skills and commitment brought to the United States from other countries around the world have helped to make our nation great. Those skills are worth even more when you add to them the sensitivity, patience and wisdom of older adults such as Lorgio Diaz. Though Diaz is 79 years old, he finds time to volunteer and help people with mental and physical disabilities. He has made a big difference in the lives of people who need help the most.

Diaz is a Senior Companion and has been involved in service with since 1998. Since that time, he has contributed in excess of 1,000 hours of volunteer time at the Magic Muffin Bakery, a restaurant run by the Ventura County Association for Retarded Citizens on Pacific Avenue in Oxnard.

His responsibilities include mentoring and tutoring the clients on a one-on-one basis on a variety of topics, including landscaping, housekeeping, personal hygiene, cooking and baking. Diaz assists a 41-year-old adult who had a stroke three years ago. He assists him with riding the bus, performing physical fitness exercises and going to the store. Another client Diaz serves is a 39-year-old, physically handicapped adult. For a period of one year, Diaz was her mentor and tutor in housekeeping and employment skills. Despite her disability, she is now gainfully employed at a commissary. In addition, Diaz works with a 40-year-old and a 22-year-old, both of whom are mentally retarded adults. He assists them with physical hygiene, arts, employment skills and custodial skills. The latter is currently employed full-time at a fast food franchise in Oxnard.

Senior Companions like Diaz are part of a federally funded program that provides small stipends and daily lunches for low-income seniors who give at least 20 hours of time a week at community-based residential and day programs for adults with developmental disabilities. A former high school teacher from the Philippines – who once taught agricultural subjects including animal husbandry – Diaz now teaches adults with developmental disabilities how to prepare sandwiches, cookies, muffins and scones served everyday at the restaurant. He also teaches landscaping. Diaz’s dedication to assist people with physical and mental disabilities is a life-long commitment for him dating back to his years as a pastor, school teacher and farmer in the Philippines.

AUTUMN ANGELS

Five years ago, a group of teens decided they wanted to make a difference in their community. They felt that teens could contribute greatly to society. The three girls have continued to work together for the past five years as the Autumn Angels. From collecting items for the women’s shelter, coats for the homeless, being counselors for handicapped children, to raising a $25,000 profit for the American Red Cross victims of 9-11, these girls have worked continually.

This past summer, while Megan Galvin was at a friend’s house boating and tubing on the river, a young girl who had just been diagnosed with leukemia came to visit. The young teen was unable to play in the water sports, which upset her very much. Megan wanted to know what these young people could do during the summer. She went home and researched summer camps for kids with cancer.

Finding “Happiness is Camping,” she decided to contact them to see if you could help. On their Web site she noticed a wish list. She decided she was going to raise money to help them with their list. She also wanted to obtain hats for the young people, ages 6-16, to wear while they were at camp. The sun can be very hard on kids getting medication. One of the items the camp was also in need of was new books.

Megan rallied her group and they decided to host an event called Happy Hats. Happy Hats was held at Planet Hollywood. More than 200 people attended and 30 models came to the event, including kids who wanted to help others. The angels had contacted many celebrities and had gathered items such as signed balls by Sammy Soto, signed shirts by Law and Order reps, and more. The most unique items were signed celebrity hats. Megan and her sister had been extras in Dawson’s Creek, so they started there. They were able to collect hats from Charlie Daniels, Regis, and much more. The auction of celebrity memorabilia gathered raised a total of $9,000.

The camp also received more than 1,200 hats, 200 books, and a printer. The S.J. Cancer Fund received enough money to purchase a hearing aid for a young victim with cancer who had lost his hearing from chemotherapy. Happiness Is Camping will have two of the Autumn Angels as counselors this summer, and one of them will be with the handicapped children.

Making the days happy of sick children is one goal that the Autumn Angels felt they achieved. As the camp director told them, for some kids the camp is the kids last week at happiness. It’s as plain and simply as that. For these three Angels, collecting items for hours, and working with the kids, helped make the week happier for many.

READY, SET, READ!

In January 2003, the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) National Leadership Council, a group of current members elected by their peers to help the Board of Directors set policies and priorities for the Society, launched the Ready, Set, Read! initiative. A national community service effort designed to promote literacy education in all its forms, Ready, Set, Read! seeks to engage all NSCS chapters in a variety of projects locally, nationally, and internationally.

Author, Sandra Cisneros, has also lent her support to Ready, Set, Read! Because literature plays such a significant role in her life, Cisneros sees the importance of extending the joy of literacy to all people, which is precisely the goal of Ready, Set, Read!

Through to Operation School Bag, more than 1,000 pounds of supplies were sent to children in El Salvador whose homes were affected by earthquakes. Over 85 chapters donated supplies; one member studying in Spain shipped a 20-pound box of supplies in an amazing show of support!

The NSCS chapter at The University of Texas at Austin worked with the Adopt-A-Classroom foundation and adopted a second grade class at Becker Elementary. The chapter donated $500 to the teacher to purchase needed and desired school supplies for the class. In addition, members of the chapter helped with “Reading is FUNdamental” week (February 10-13) at Houston Elementary. Members read aloud to children, led kids around tables with books, replenished books on tables, helped kids write names in books, and handed out bookmarks.

NSCS members at Oregon State University are participating in a reading buddy program with a local elementary school. This school is among the 50 poorest schools in Oregon, which are in desperate need of help with implementing reading and literacy activities. Each week, volunteers spend time helping children learn to read and learn their letters and phonics.

The George Washington University chapter of NSCS in Washington, DC partnered with the Turning the Page organization. Turning the Page organizes workshops to teach parents how to better read to their children. While the parents are in their meeting, NSCS members volunteered to watch their children. They read stories, played games, and had an art class with pastels.

CAMP FIRE USA SUNSHINE COUNCIL

CF66 is a yearly summer program developed by Camp Fire USA Sunshine Council, Lakeland, Florida, that gives teenagers the chance of a lifetime – to grow and mature while giving service, learning new skills, and traveling to new destinations. Mixing MTV’s “Road Rules” with service learning and personal skills training, CF66 Road Trips are the adventure of a lifetime. Each day of the trip, teens solve clues and navigate to a different destination where they learn about the needs of that community and complete an intensive service project. The balance of the day is filled with team challenges, travel time, evening reflection time and occasional excursions. The youth come from different backgrounds, bond as teams, and perform thousands of hours volunteer work throughout the state of Florida and beyond.

The impact of the trip is tremendous – teens come away with a sense of accomplishment and pride that they made a difference. Routinely during reflection, the teens share how they have never had to physically work so hard or put so much emphasis on teamwork and striving for a common goal. They gain a new level of empathy for those who face difficult challenges in their daily life and are inspired by other volunteers they meet during their journey. There is no one who comes home the same person they were six days earlier.

The communities they visit directly benefit from the 64 man-hours of volunteer time the group contributes to the completion of a project that day. Projects are picked based on their intensity level – the more difficult, dirty, challenging the better. Shuffling papers in an air conditioned office is not a project for a CF66 Service-Learning Road Trip, while digging irrigation lines, painting houses, removing exotic trees, or sorting salvage at a food bank are right on target. Often the work would simply not get done if not for this dedicated group of teen volunteers. An even greater level of impact is achieved by the opportunity for the group of teens on any trip to demonstrate to the adults they encounter what an amazing force teenagers can be in the community. Too often the focus on teens is negative – CF66 shifts the attention to positive and inspirational. What our teens hear along the way is “I have never seen a group work so hard or accomplish so much in so little time” or “You work harder than any group of adult volunteers we’ve ever had help” – words that build self-esteem in our youth and are necessary steps to build a stronger country.

FAMILY, CAREER AND COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA

Family, Career and Community Leaders of America is a national student organization with over a quarter-million members, who strive to develop leadership skills and address important personal, family, work, and societal issues through family and consumer sciences education. FCCLA’s mission is to promote personal growth and leadership development through family and consumer sciences education. Focusing on the multiple roles of family member, wage earner, and community leader, members develop skills for life through character development, creative and critical thinking, interpersonal communication, practical knowledge, and vocational preparation.

The FCCLA Community Service program is executed at the local, state, and national levels. This program guides students to develop, plan, carry out, and evaluate projects to improve the quality of life in their communities. Members, advisers, and national staff are continually looking for partners with common goals, and Points of Light has been beneficial in creating these ties with a diverse body of partners.

The Community Service Action Guide is a resource for advisers to guide students to develop, plan, carry out, and evaluate community service projects. Advisers are given project planning instructions and templates, in-depth project ideas from simple to very in-depth, information on how to follow-up after a project, and partner contact information. On the state level, State Advisers are encouraged to participate in the National Outreach Project at the State Advisers Management Meeting, held each February. Roundtables are held on a variety of topics, and updates are given as to new developments in the program, and with partners. Chapter projects are publicized in Teen Times to give participating youth a sense of accomplishment and recognition, and to promote the program, through example to all other members. The National Executive Council comprised of ten elected youth officers, also challenges members to get involved through updates posted on the national FCCLA website.

FCCLA is an organization for and about the members. The national staff, state advisers, and chapter advisers work to guide projects, however without the dedication and heart of the members, successful completion of any task would be impossible. FCCLA’s reputation and success with partners begins on the local level where members work to create ties with organizations and/or businesses with similar goals. FCCLA’s involvement with various partners has helped the organization continue to achieve its mission and promote growth within the programs and the membership body.

MARSHA YOUNG

Marsha Young, who is both Vice Chairman and state chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Outreach Program. For the last several months she has spent hundreds of hours traveling throughout Missouri attending deployment ceremonies of active duty, reserve and National Guard units and specifically talking with the family members. With state VFW support she has been promoting the recognition of these families through the distribution of the Blue Star Program and has been connecting needy military families with local resources. Her volunteer effort is what the recent White House initiative, “On the Home front,” is requesting from all Americans.

Marsha Young, a Gulf War Veteran who was assigned to a medical unit, is an excellent example of a citizen soldier – served her country in wartime and now is serving her country by helping her fellow citizens.

The VFW and Ladies Auxiliary provides support through citizenship education, community service and youth programs that benefit communities where over 9100 posts are located. This past year the VFW lead in supporting our military and their families through their VFW Military Assistance Program (MAP), assisting thousands of troops through the Adopt A Unit Program, distributing over 1 million free telephone cards to military personnel and their families in the past few months through “Operation Uplink” and providing emergency relief in many forms. Many groups and businesses around the country have supported their MAP program and include the NFL, Wal-Mart, First Book, etc. Recently they were highlighted by the USA Freedom Corps as an important partner in the White House “On the Homefront” initiative.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) is the oldest and largest American organization of military veterans who have served in combat or imminent danger areas. The 2.6 million members of the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary annually contribute over 16 million volunteer hours and $60 million to local community service projects.

TRACY VLNICKA

Tracy Vlnicka is a Denver University student who has been working with the FrontRange Earth Force Youth Advisory Board (YAB) on a project to address environmental justice in the Denver area. Tracy meets with the group of teens once a week for 2-3 hours and has helped them with their research and community contacts. She is also working with a group of middle school students at Cole Middle School every Friday for 2-3 hours this year to lead them through a community project to beautify the school and get the neglected school sign repainted.

In the words of the FrontRange staff who work with her, “She is awesome and inspiring. She is big hearted and generous with energy while being an Resident Assistant in her dorm and a full time student to boot!”Earth Force Volunteer.

This past school year Earth Force gave more than 35,000 young people an outlet for their passion for the environment by giving them the skills and knowledge to create lasting change in their community. Earth Force provides educators with training, materials and support to help youth lead environmental problem solving projects in their communities. Such projects help build lifelong habits of community service, active citizenship and environmental stewardship.

Earth Force students make substantial gains in civic action and problem-solving skills according to research conducted by Brandeis University. The same research shows that 100 percent of educators would recommend Earth Force to other educators.

“Earth Force helps my students see the connection between the world and the classroom. It has gotten me really networked into the community and helped me to become a better interdisciplinary instructor. I feel more empowered to use the community in my classroom,” said Earth Force Educator Daniel Jamsa of the Grant Community School in Salem, Oregon.

This past year Earth Force students have improved their community in a variety of ways. Students in Denver have made the roads near their schools safer for pedestrians by successfully petitioning for a new stop sign in front of the school. One group in Philadelphia convinced their school board to look into buses that emit less pollutants. From tackling urban blight to reducing pollutants in the water, Earth Force students come up with creative and innovative ways to make change in their communities.

LAYLA CARTER

A chance encounter in an inner city school in Birmingham, Alabama, changed the life of one young lady and thousands of Alabama’s youth. University of Alabama at Birmingham student Layla Carter met a young woman while tutoring at an after school program. The girl came from a neighborhood where violence, drugs, and sexual promiscuity were the norm. She was an unruly and apathetic student, and bordered on the edge of ruining her future. Layla saw a special light in the young lady, and also recognized the need for a more structured and lengthy relationship. Hence a friendship, and ultimately, a very fruitful mentoring relationship was formed.

Realizing the alarming number of young people in the Birmingham area in need of positive role models, Layla begin to recruit her peers to serve the youth of the area. This group of students, under Layla’ s guidance, began to mentor at Grace House, a home for abused and neglected girls. Many positive relationships were formed, and word quickly spread throughout Layla’ s college campus about these bonds. Excited about the opportunity to increase these relationships, Layla founded a student group named “Generation eXcel” which matched college students with at-risk youth. Since its inception, this group has continued to blossom. With Layla at the helm, the group provides the “Five Points of eXcellence” to all of Alabama’s youth. These points include: mentoring relationships with caring adults, safe places, healthy start, marketable skills, and opportunities to serve. In addition, “Generation eXcel” has a Web site for interested volunteers, and a how-to manual to guide the mentors step by step. Since 1998, Layla has served over 50,000 hours of community srvice through “Generation eXcel.”

A short while after founding the program, Layla embarked on a quest to encourage the youth of the state to follow their dreams and to meet their full potential, and also to challenge adults to invest their valuable time in service as mentors. She has spoken to students in elementary, middle, high schools and juvenile detention centers, as well as civic and community groups. At the heart of Layla’s passion is her personal creed, “the future of Alabama’s and America’s youth lies in the hearts, hands, and determination of each and every one of us.” Thus far, Layla has spoken to thousands throughout the state and is also a spokesperson for Alabama Attorney General Bill Pryor’s “Mentor Alabama,” as well as an advocate for several other organizations that encourage positive impacts on the lives of children. She has partnered with America’s Promise, Central Alabama’s Promise, and the National Mentoring Partnership.

Layla was recently recognized as an America’s Promise Young Leader, and in 2002, the YWCA of Mobile, Alabama, honored her when she was awarded the “Young Woman of Achievement Award,” and also nominated for the Volunteer Mobile “Heart of Gold” award for her commitment to community service. Not one to rest on her laurels, Layla has embarked on “Project eXpansion,” an endeavor in which she is presently mobilizing community leaders, business owners, parents, and caring volunteers in order to develop the small town on Leeds, Alabama into a “Community of Promise.”

ROY CHIULLI

The mission of the Westwood Service Bank (WSB) is to provide a variety of personal services to the elderly of Westwood, free of charge. Roy Chiulli is the highly energetic Manager of the WSB. Under his leadership, the WSB averages well over 50 service projects and in excess of 65 service hours each month. The tasks are many and varied. Volunteers do grocery shopping, lawn work, shoveling, home repairs, putting out trash and recycle containers, providing rides, meal delivery and general errand running.

The most valuable service that Roy and the WSB provide is spending time with elderly residents. They build relationships with these men and women whom they also serve. The new friendships provided needed emotional support and encouragement. Chiulli has arranged with the Westwood Senior Center that the WSB can be called for urgent requests as well as one-time service needs; however, his goal is to build continual relationships with the elderly.

In addition to serving the elderly, Chiulli has been able to mobilize widespread community support. In April 2002 one volunteer project focused on helping several widows that the WSB serves regularly. One of the widows the WSB serves sees her neighbors dumping trash in her yard; and it piles up. Chiulli and his volunteers went to the neighbors explaining their project that day. Because of their education, many of the widow’s neighbors came out to help clean her yard that day. Not only was the project accomplished, but also a neighborhood partnership was formed. The hope is that working to clean the lot will help reinforce not dumping in the first place.

Through his mobilization efforts, Chiulli has successfully arranged for the WSB, Saint Denis’s Church, a Pop Warner Cheerleader squad, a 7th grade girls basketball team, a Westwood Cub Scout group, teens from the local high schools, Youth Ministries at Saint Denis and Saint Mary’s Churches and volunteers from Temple Beth David to work as a team and serve at the Westwood Food Pantry. In addition, the group will also clean the yards of the elderly residents and handle other small chores.

Chiulli receives no compensation for his work. All his service is purely volunteer; however it is still performed with such dedication and commitment. He has worked to build a relationship of service with the underserved elderly population in Westwood, and now because of his efforts, the Westwood Council on Aging gets a steady stream of calls requesting the help of the WSB.

STEWART BIRBROWER

When Stewart Birbrower heard the appalling statistics of child sexual abuse, he was struck with horror and soon developed a strong desire to help prevent this crime. For the past three years, Birbrower has worked diligently to help prevent child sexual abuse.

As one of the past members of the Board of Directors, and currently Creative Director of From Darkness to Light, which prevents child sexual abuse through a nationwide public awareness campaign, he has significantly affected the lives of children and adults across the country. His tireless volunteer efforts initiated a launch to prevent child sexual abuse through a full-scale media crusade.

Birbrower came aboard From Darkness to Light as a volunteer during the organization’s genesis. As a former film director and advertising executive, he saw an immediate need for a media campaign. Birbrower created a comprehensive media campaign, including print, television and radio and outdoor billboards, which sparked a positive, community-wide response, as evidenced by formal evaluations. He worked day and night without pay to create From Darkness to Light’s first media campaign, which won Gold and Silver Telly Awards and an Addy Award. The impact of the media was greater than he had ever anticipated.

Birbrower worked as an advertising executive for nearly 20 years. He then worked as a film director for another 20 years. His expertise in the field enables him to do as an individual what normally five or six people have to do to produce a commercial. Birbrower creates, writes, directs, edits, finishes, and directs the artwork when the commercials are generated. He has produced a total of 11 commercials for From Darkness to Light. Seven of these commercials were public service announcements (PSAs) that were displayed for a period of time with a local news channel. The PSA’s promoted and informed the public of From Darkness to Light’s 2002 hallmark, 7 Steps to Protecting our Children from Sexual Abuse – a guide for responsible adults to protect children.

Birbrower continues to direct and produce all of the commercials and other media for From Darkness to Light. Each commercial takes weeks to complete. He does the commercials for this organization as a volunteer. The constant and continuous support that he gives to preventing child sexual abuse has had a direct effect on the well being of society.

Child sexual abuse is a silent stigma on today’s society that few people want to acknowledge. Birbrower reaches beyond that perception to show society that it is okay to talk about child sexual abuse and that it is a serious crime destroying the lives of countless children. The long-term effects of his volunteer efforts have brought about a change in how people view child sexual abuse. This change has enabled adult survivors to come forward and seek help. Most importantly, Birbrower’s efforts have enhanced the quality of life for numerous children by leading parents to prevent, recognize and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.