STEPHEN LINDER

Many in the community have realized great personal success. Through their efforts, they have gained wealth, access, and influence. These people are commended for their ambition and achievements. Steve Linder is a man who can be admired for his personal accomplishments.

As a U.S. Naval Academy graduate, former Marine Corps fighter pilot, and current Community Relations Manager for HSBC Bank of Nevada, N.A., Linder is certainly in a position to rest on his laurels. However, what distinguishes Linder from the pack of self-serving success stories in his commitment to philanthropic and community-building endeavors.

Linder has been a member of Clark High School’s Academy of Finance Advisory Board since its inception. He is currently Past Chairman Advisory Board. Throughout the years, he has taken an active role in promoting the Academy and its unique educational program for youth in Southern Nevada who are interested in pursuing careers in a finance-related field. His association with the Academy has been a significant investment of time, expertise, and financial support.

As a key member of the Advisory Board, Linder’s counsel is sought for input on establishing the program’s curriculum, maintaining fiscal viability for the nonprofit organization, recruiting other experts in the financial and business sector for their support, and selecting scholarship recipients. Additionally, Linder has a personal involvement with AOF students as a business mentor. This year, Linder is mentoring one senior and one junior. He meets with them regularly to discuss their academic challenges and to introduce them to business protocol that is learned beyond a classroom setting. Through HSBC’s financial contributions, the Academy of Finance has enjoyed educational enchantments that would not otherwise be available to the students. They have sponsored field trips to financial and community institutions, student attendance at community events, and guest speakers and programs for the enrichment of the AOF student body.

Linder’s contributions to the Academy of Finance are extraordinary. Remarkably, the Academy is only one of many recipients of Linder’s munificence. He is also an active champion of a multitude of community-enrichment organizations: Habitat for Humanity, HELP of Southern Nevada, Junior Achievement, Opportunity Village, and United way of Southern Nevada, to name just a few.

CAMP KOKUA HO`ALA SCHOOL

Each spring, Camp Kokua youth identify social issues of concern to them and establish a service theme for the summer camp. Then, in August, youth volunteers and their adult counselors dedicate a portion of each day to projects addressing those concerns. The rest of the day includes learning from local nonprofit experts through field trips, tours, lectures, videos and games.

“Kokua” means “come and help” in the Hawaiian language. Camp Kokua youth complete as many as 50 hours of service during camp and then are challenged to complete 50 more throughout the year to earn the President’s Youth Service Award.

Camp Kokua was founded in 2002 in partnership with the University of Hawaii’s Service Learning Program. Now in its fourth year, Camp Kokua has involved youth in a plethora of service projects, including literacy, the environment, driving and natural disasters and emergency response.

The town of Wahiawa, with a large population of Micronesian immigrants, has one of the lowest literacy rates in the state. Camp Kokua worked with Read to Me International, the UH 4H Read to Me Project, Rainbow Preschool, the YMCA, and Aged to Perfection to read aloud to preschool students and senior citizens. As a follow up project, Ho’ala School’s 5th –6th grade students worked with Hawaii Fi-Do Service Dogs to conduct further community reading projects.

Hawaii is one of the world’s most unique ecological systems. It is also one of the most endangered. Camp Kokua worked with Volcanoes National Park and the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii to remove invasive species and plant native seedlings. As a follow-up, Ho’ala’s middle school participated in a 6-month stewardship project with the Nature Conservancy.

On the island of Oahu, unsafe driving due to drunk driving, road racing and road rage is a serious concern to youth. Working in partnership with MADD, DTRIC Insurance and the Honolulu Police Department, Camp Kokua youth hosted a “Honk for Safe Driving Campaign.” They also performed and filmed safe driving skills called Skidmarks aired on community television. As a follow-up, youth volunteers sponsored a safe-driving free car wash on Make A Difference Day.

This summer, Camp Kokua worked with local nonprofit and state organizations to become youth emergency responders, helping to establish a pilot program for other Hawaii students.

FREDRIC C. WESTENDORF

Fred Westendorf is a volunteer extraordinaire with AARP’s Tax-Aide program, the nation’s largest free, volunteer-run tax counseling and preparation service for middle to low income tax payers, giving special attention to those ages 60 and older. This program operates under a cooperative agreement with the Internal Revenue Service as a part of the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program. Fred has been a part of this program for over ten years.

Westendorf serves as the District Coordinator for the Tax-Aide program in Westchester County, New York, and supervised 108 counselors and local coordinators in 18 sites during the last tax season. He trained these counselors in income tax law, return preparation, and the use of software for electronic filing. In addition, he served as a counselor over the same period providing one-on-one assistance to low income, elderly taxpayers.

Last season, the Tax-Aide volunteers in Westchester prepared 3,500 returns for taxpayers who could not afford to pay for this service. Of those, 1,600 were electronically filed, enabling the taxpayers to receive their refunds within ten days and saving them the unnecessary and exorbitant fees charged for refund anticipation loans. Westendorf’s program prepared New York State and Federal returns, affording customers a one-stop service. He ensures quality return preparation by instructing his volunteers on issues pertinent to senior citizens during four-day training sessions which he conducts in the auditoriums at Westchester Community College and The Will Library in Yonkers, New York.

Westendorf demonstrates a total commitment to the concept of volunteering. His personal and professional level of involvement is unsurpassed. He earns the respect of his peer by hands-on approach to volunteer activities, his integrity, and his computer expertise. Westendorf is personally responsible for converting Westchester TCE sites from “paper to Pentium” by implementing e-file. Before Westendorf came on board all returns were done on paper. He will do whatever is necessary to help elderly taxpayers, even making house calls to the disabled and homebound.

GAMMA BETA PHI

Gamma Beta Phi is a great example of what a student organization can contribute to our community. Service is part of their mission but they are not actually a service organization.

Gamma Beta Phi has really come out of their shell during the last few years. This year they have helped to co-sponsor two of our project Impacts, which is a movie, a speaker, and a community service project. One of the newest areas that they are working on with the GIVE Center is that they are the sponsoring organization for the annual 30 Hour Famine. They have taken a leadership role and expanded this awareness event into a very educational and eye-opening experience for our students. In the past, the 30 Hour Famine has had about 10-20 students involved and this year Gamma Beta Phi’s goal is to have at least 50 students involved with this event. They would like to raise over $1500 to send to World Vision to help feed starving children. This year during the 30 Hour Famine they have included going to work at a food shelter or food pantry as part of this event to help the students understand hunger in Central Georgia and not just to think about it in third world country.

This year the GIVE Center is also nominating Gamma Beta Phi for Outstanding Service to the Community for their volunteer efforts and their contributions to the campus and larger community. This year Gamma Beta Phi has also been recognized as Volunteers for the day during Volunteer Appreciation Month, which is April. They also have students that are going to get an invitation to be part of the Platinum Touch, which is an Honorary Service Organization that is going to be started on our campus this spring.

Last year, Gamma Beta Phi, along with a few of its members, earned the National Presidential Volunteer Service Award. A person earns this award by performing over 100 volunteer hours within a 12-month period and a group earns this award by performing over 200 hours within a 12-month period with each contributing member having done at least 25 of those volunteer hours.

THE REGAL SWAN

The Regal Swan® is a team of volunteer researchers who, in 1999, set out to provide veterinarians and swan keepers with current information regarding the humane treatment and veterinary medical care of captive swans. The team was the first to write a book on the care of captive swans, titled,”Swan Keeper’s Handbook: A Guide to the Care of Captive Swans,” by Krieger Publishing in 2003.

Since the organization’s inception, the project has grown to more than 25 team members, comprised of veterinarians, educators, photographers and other professionals based throughout the nation. However, the majority of the team’s research has been conducted at Orange Lake Resort & Country Club in Orlando, Florida and Lake Morton in Lakeland, Florida. The Regal Swan® team has completed an exceptional amount of work through its research in a very short amount of time, with limited funds.

The research team was the first to successfully vaccinate captive swans against the deadly botulism toxin and West Nile Virus using titre testing to prove the success of the vaccines. The team also proved that the West Nile Virus vaccine does not cause anemia in the swans. Utilizing DNA sequencing, the group helped link a protozoan that affects both humans and swans while identifying water as the vector for infection. Using data garnered during the research, team members developed and implemented a science, math and reading curriculum, K-12 and Adult, for educators.

Recently, the team helped identify bacteria as the leading cause of swans turning pink in Cork, Ireland. The team has also successfully composted swan manure into a fertilizer product named, “L’essence of Swan®.”

This exceptional group of individuals has volunteered its time and efforts to provide quality veterinary medical care for captive swans, while encouraging children and adults to pursue careers in reading, math and science. For more information on this innovative project, please go to: www.theregalswan.com

ELEANOR JOHNSON

As a member of a relatively new program at the medical center, Eleanor has been a valuable asset to the program as staff attempts to improve volunteer assignments making even more meaningful and valuable to students as they pursue a nursing career. Her input has provided us with good insight on youth volunteer expectations and ideas to hold the interest of young applicants. She has been volunteering on a weekly basis since October 2001. Her present assignment on one of the busiest inpatient units can be somewhat taxing and stressful at times but Eleanor takes this assignment and runs with it. She approaches her work with a strong attitude and accomplishes what she sets out to do.

Eleanor realizes that working with people who are ill is sometimes a challenge and sometimes a huge personal reward. She truly enjoys working with the patients as well as the staff. She has been able to adjust her own responses to varied situations when confronted with patients who may be demanding or difficult; however, she realizes that her small contributions to their inpatient stay carries a tremendous responsibility and often makes a huge difference in patient satisfaction.

The combination of Eleanor’s pleasant demeanor and the knowledge she has gained in working with a very diverse group of patients and staff has certainly prepared her for leadership roles. Her continued interest in pursuing a nursing career has not wavered and has actually gained more interest as her responsibility level increased. When she was limited in what her assignment provided, she was able to observe the medical care team and learned that health care is very much a team effort in achieving holistic care of a patient. She also assists in the orientation of new Cadettes who are entering the program.

Eleanor has many gifts but perhaps the most outstanding is her ability to bring out the best in others. She has frequently been known to greet even the crankiest of people and make the experience rewarding for both she and the patient. While working in the inpatient unit, she grew to know many of our patients who had suffered losses of either limb or spirit. These patients needed the encouragement and reward of moving forward to gain back their mobility and even their spirit. Eleanor could always come around with a cheerful greeting and turn around an otherwise glum day for many of our patients. Her contagious energy and spirit are frequently the best medicine the hospital could offer.

ELIZABETH LUO

Elizabeth can be depended upon to carry out all tasks given to her. At her very young age, she has already shown a high degree of responsibility as she performs her daily assignments. She has consistently shown that she can be relied upon to complete any project assigned to her. During the entire time that she worked in the various sections of the Human Resources department, she always fulfilled her tasks timely with very little instructions and minimal supervision. It is never unusual that she delivers a finished product that always exceeds what is normally expected of her.

Elizabeth possesses a “can do” attitude. When given a task, she takes it seriously. she accepts her work assignments willingly and always with a smile. She is a team player who is always eager to contribute to any endeavor to the utmost of her ability. She takes ownership of her job and takes great pride in her accomplishments. She brings results.

Elizabeth is well liked by everyone in the department. She has that magnetic smile that seems to radiate light and lighten things up in the office. She is a welcome addition to the Human Resources team. She gets along great with everyone and is always willing to share her vibrant energy foe the good of the whole. She is courteous to all the staff and patients alike. I strongly believe that Elizabeth will become a very capable leader in due time. During her tour in the Human Resources department, she never actually had the position to exhibit her potential as a leader. But the attitude she displayed at work, her maturity in dealing with every type of situation and her ability to easily adapt to the ever-changing priorities in her tasks clearly shows her tenacity as a person and a leader. Her mature outlook on life at such an early age indicates that she will eventually blossom into a very strong leader.

During her tour of duty in Human Resources department, Elizabeth had no direct contact with patients. But she would have been a source of inspiration to our patients as she was to the HR staff. She demonstrated that she truly cared about her job and results of her efforts. If she were assigned to the clinical areas, I am certain that she would have shown the same sincere concern and nurturing to our veteran patients by giving them her full attention.

AKRON SUMMIT COMMUNITY ACTION, INC.

It is the purpose of the Community Action Agencies (CAA) to provide a range of services and opportunities having a measurable and potentially major impact on the causes of poverty in the community. CAA assist low income people to secure and maintain adequate housing and suitable living environment, obtain emergency assistance to meet immediate individual and family needs for healthy nutrition, housing and employment needs, and remove obstacles and solve personal family problems that block the achievement of self-sufficiency.

Akron Summit Community Action, Inc. (ASCA) is designated as the primary sponsor of the anti-poverty program in Summit County Ohio (Ohio Department of Development, County of Summit, City of Akron Designation). In July 2003, the ASCA decided to co-chair an Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Coalition of Akron along with the City of Akron. The main emphasis of this Coalition was leveraging community resources to assist low-income families. This included the number of Akron families who applied for the Earned Income Tax Credit, increasing availability and use of free tax preparation sites (VITA), and increasing financial literacy and linkages of EITC applicants.

During the 2004 filing season, ASCA applied and received a fund to manage an appointment line to schedule appointments for low-income families to call an to set up a time to have the tax returns prepared at one of the five free tax preparation sites. One of the five sites operated out of one of ASCA’s facilities and ASCA also provided the EITC program with an overall Site Coordinator. During the 2004 filing season, 240 tax returns were prepared by volunteers for low-income families and 386,161 were educated about the EITC through newspaper articles and television spots. There were 42,848 educated through mailings to low-income families. A local template produced by the ASCA provided the information source of the newspaper articles, television spots and the mailings.

In the 2005 filing season, the Coalition decided to reduce the number of sites to use the available volunteers more effectively. During the 2005 filing season, 817 tax returns were prepared for low-income families, 622,969 were educated about the EITC through Media sources and 119,674 were educated through flyers, brochures, and mailings about the EITC. Most of the tax returns were electronically filed. In addition to savings on the tax preparation fees, electronically filed returns prepared by volunteers, also saves the low-income clients from the exorbitant costs of return anticipation loans. Even though all the efforts stated above were accomplishments of the Coalition Partners, they could not have been done, without ASCA leading the way and providing the appropriate information and resources for the volunteers. For the filing season 2006, the Knight Foundations provide funds so that this service can continue, and The Coalition has increased its goal to service at least 1,200 clients.

EARLENE CAMPBELL

Earlene Campbell was willing to do anything to help the Homeless Emergency Project, Inc., when she came to them eleven years ago. Needing the help, they ushered her into her into their kitchen, where she spent the day peeling potatoes for meals for the impoverished. The project quickly realized her potential, however, when her love and compassion for the homeless and underprivileged became evident through her interactions with them. Campbell was invited to become an Office Assistant. Since then, her friendly voice has been on the other end of the telephone, speaking to people who need her words of help and encouragement. As a receptionist, her smiling, caring face greets those that go to the Homeless Emergency Project (HEP) because they have nowhere else to go. Campbell does not treat the people she serves as they are charity cases; however she affords them the dignity she firmly believes they deserve.

A full career as an EMT, an ambulance driver, and an Emergency Room Registered Nurse taught Campbell a thing or two about hard knocks and injuries, both physical and emotional. Her varied life experiences have been blessings in disguise and assisted her at various points in her volunteer service. A man once came to live at Homeless Emergency Project who had had his arm amputated two days prior to his arrival. An error in health care meant that no one was scheduled to come care for his wound and change its dressings, which was a problem that was not corrected for weeks. Campbell had the knowledge and the generosity to care for this ailing man, who still resides (healthfully!) in the housing units. She has also stood in as a dental assistant when the HEP’s dental clinic was short staffed, learning what to do as she went along and providing much needed assistance.

When case managers are not available at HEP, Campbell is also qualified to do intakes of new applicants. While wearing this hat, she reviews the homeless person’s application, interviews them, and goes over the rules of the house. Campbell also enters their information into the computer system, shows them to their housing unit, gives them a key, and provides a bag of toiletries for their use. Campbell volunteers every week, and has been a constant face there since the day she was sent to the kitchen in 1994. She comes with a heart of compassion, dedication, as well as her ability to be spontaneous and flexible; and all of these qualities assist her in making HEP, its clients and its staff a better place.

AQUILLA CAPERS

Mrs. Capers, a lifelong Washington, DC resident, has been volunteering at the Capital Area Food Bank for over 10 years. She works at the Food Bank five days per week and treats her position as if she were a paid staffer. The first to arrive each morning and the last to leave each evening, Mrs. Capers is viewed as a leader amongst the rest of the regular volunteers.

Mrs. Capers holds a BA Degree in Public Administration and is retired from the Veterans Administration Hospital with 28 years of service. She is a mother of two and a grandmother of six. In addition to her work at the food bank, Mrs. Capers also volunteers in her church. When asked why she volunteers at the food bank, she said that she “loves to help people and is concerned about others physical, mental, and spiritual well being.”