Miranda Uriell

Miranda Uriell, a member of the Nelson County 4-H in Lakota, implemented a self-protection program for nearly 100 women in her community following the abduction and murder of a college student in 2003. When Miranda heard that a young woman had been kidnapped from the parking lot of a nearby shopping mall, she realized that she had been parked in the same lot and had left just minutes prior to the young lady’s abduction. It could have been her or one of her friends.

Miranda wanted to do something to help, but since she was too young to assist in the search for the missing student, she decided to help women learn how to protect themselves. She obtained donations and a grant to fund a self-defense course, hired an instructor, rented a training site, sent publicity articles to local newspapers and churches, and handled the registration process. Participants not only learned new skills, but also received pepper spray and an informational pamphlet developed by Miranda.

The course was so successful that Miranda offered it again the following year, and a few months later held a training course for junior high school girls. She also conducted a workshop for 150 FCCLA members and advisors on how to sponsor the course in their communities, and distributed her self-protection pamphlets to area clinics, public libraries, and schools.

Kylie Stowers

Kylie Stowers, a member of the Cleveland County 4-H, has taught approximately 150 children how to avoid the temptation of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs, as an instructor in the 4-H Life Rocks program. “There is so much peer pressure on children my age to start using drugs and alcohol just so you’ll be in the cool group,” said Kylie, “By getting involved in the Life Rocks program, I hope I can help other children make healthy lifestyle choices that will be beneficial to them in the future.”

To become an instructor, Kylie first had to attend a three-day training seminar sponsored by National 4-H Council and Mississippi State University. Then, with help from her 4-H leader, Kylie contacted local schools and after-school programs in her community to offer the program, planned her presentations, bought supplies, and began speaking to groups of 8- to 14-year-olds. “I feel it is very important to educate younger children on the bad effects of illegal substances and to give them the skills for making positive decisions in their life,” said Kylie, “It always makes me feel excited and happy when I am able to help someone feel better about themselves.”

Tasha Kloesel

Tasha Kloesel launched a volunteer project last year that both raised money for victims of Hurricane Katrina and helped people in her area be better prepared for emergencies.

After hearing about a new kind of emergency preparedness campaign in England, Tasha decided to replicate it in her community.  “So many times in emergency situations you only have a few minutes to determine what to do for a victim,” explained Kloesel. “Eight out of 10 people aren’t carrying information that would help if they were involved in an accident.”

So Kloesel designed and printed “In Case of Emergency” (ICE) cards that people can carry with them after recording information such as blood type, allergies, medical conditions and whom to contact in an emergency. 

The cards also encourage recipients to program their emergency contact phone numbers into their cell phones under the acronym “ICE” so emergency responders can reach them quickly if necessary.   

Kloesel recruited a group of friends to help her distribute her cards for free in front of local stores, but, just as she was getting started, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, so she collected donations for storm victims at the same time. 

While handing out 2,500 cards, she managed to collect more than $1,000 for Katrina relief efforts conducted by the Salvation Army and Noah’s Wish, as well as clothing, hygiene products and other items for victims. 

“I feel happy and proud about being able to help others in need and to provide the ICE card for my community,” she said.

Natasha Swanson

Natasha Swanson, a member of the Boone County-Iowa State University Extension 4-H, formed a group of interested people to make 70 fleece blankets for children in Russian orphanages. Natasha knows how cold it is in Russia and what it’s like to live in a Russian orphanage.

“My life in a Russian orphanage started when I was 10,” said Natasha. “It was cold there and the sun barely came out during the winter.” In 2002, Natasha attended Camp Hope in Iowa, a camp for Russian orphans, and was adopted later that year by an American family. When Natasha saw a fleece blanket at her American grandmother’s house, “I thought, ‘If Grandma could show me how to make the blankets, I could send some to children in the Russian orphanage that I lived in,’” she said.

Natasha and her grandmother made four blankets the first day, and then Natasha began soliciting donations of money and material to reach an initial goal of 30. She ended up raising more than $700, and with the help of relatives, friends, 4-H members, and a local church group, she has been able to send 70 blankets to Russia so far.

“I hope the children in Russia will enjoy their blankets for many years to come,” she said.

Geneva Johnson

Geneva Johnson is the founder and executive director of a youth service organization that seeks to build pride and self-esteem among young people in the inner-city through a wide variety of volunteer activities. “I live in the Northeast Bronx, which has been a hot spot for drugs and crime,” said Geneva. “Many youth are in gangs or on drugs and the rest of us are just held hostage to the violence in the neighborhood. I wanted to make changes in my community but could not find an organization that provided opportunities for youth to participate or get involved.”

So Geneva resolved to create her own organization. She found a mentor, took classes in fund-raising and budgeting, applied for grants, and with the help of a legal services group, set up a nonprofit organization called “Bring It On!!!”

She then recruited board members, a core group of five youths to serve as program directors, and a team of 20 active volunteers. The group has sponsored environmental projects such as a cleanup along the Bronx River, art and entertainment “youth jams,” and presentations on how young people can start their own businesses.

Of particular interest to Geneva is her “You Go Girl Go” project, which tries to help middle and high school girls avoid teen pregnancy, develop self-respect, and make healthy life choices. “My family has a legacy of teen pregnancy, and for many years as an inner-city kid this is what I grew up with and thought my life would be like,” she said. “I felt if I could have one program to change the lives of young girls, this would be it.”

Ammu Irivinti

Ammu Irivinti, created an AIDS information and awareness Web site to provide both comprehensive facts about the disease and a forum for people to share their concerns and opinions. Ammu became interested in AIDS after she cut her forehead at a playground when she was seven and was then told by a classmate that she had been infected with the HIV virus.

When she discovered that this was not true, Ammu’s terror turned to curiosity about the disease, and then, as she learned about its worldwide scope and impact, to deep concern. “I firmly believe that the best method for prevention is education,” she said, “It is vital that people learn from others around the world and impart their own knowledge to others.”

To facilitate that exchange, Ammu decided to build a Web site in her spare time. She taught herself HTML code, learned about graphic design, and then researched AIDS extensively and began uploading pages of information. Since studies have shown that HIV-infected people who are able to share their emotions may improve their immune systems, Ammu designed her site not only to communicate facts, but also to let AIDS sufferers chat with each other, post stories, and participate in polls.

“I realized that lifeless facts are simply a waste of time and effort,” she said. “Unless people see and acknowledge that AIDS is real, they will not be motivated to make any substantial changes.” Ammu also has used her site to organize fund-raising campaigns and charity events, which have collected more than $87,000 to help HIV/AIDS orphans and pregnant women. Maintenance of the site, which is now visited by more than 6,000 users a month, was turned over to a professional Web design firm last summer, though Ammu remains its executive director.

Erika Barger

Erika J. Barger, who just turned eighteen, has volunteered hundreds of hours to serving her school, community, and country, and her efforts have made a significant difference in the lives of many. Each October she assists the local Elks organization with their annual Red Ribbon Week campaign to promote drug awareness among elementary, middle, and high school students. Over the past seven years, she has helped to count, sort, and deliver nearly 500,000 pieces of drug awareness material to seventeen area schools in the community. In addition to drug awareness, she also annually assists the local Elks lodge with the judging of their yearly Americanism essay contest for 5th-8th graders.

As a dual enrolled student at Daytona Beach Community College for the past three years, she is now qualified to receive an Associate of Arts degree. She strives to better educate her peers, with the knowledge she has gained. As a member of the National Honor Society, she has volunteered over fifty hours tutoring her fellow students in the areas of English, math, and science. In addition, Erika spends one and a half hours of each school day tutoring and mentoring students in Exceptional Student Education (ESE) classes struggling in various subject areas, some with severe learning disabilities. As a former student of Ormond Beach Middle School, she has returned each year as a volunteer to assist with their WEB (Welcome Every Body) orientation for incoming 6th graders.

In addition to serving her peers and community, she serves our country by participating in all aspects of the election process, from sign waving and phone banking, to canvassing hundreds of homes. She realizes the importance of each vote in an election and works diligently performing whatever tasks the Executive Committee officers request of her. She has enjoyed participating in these activities so much that she founded her own countywide Teen Age Republican organization, participating in several functions, mainly those serving the community in various ways. Due to her enthusiasm and commitment, she was elected as the State Chairman of the Florida Federation of Teen Age Republicans last August and has created a personal goal of establishing at least one new Teen Age Republican club in each of Florida’s 67 counties, a truly lofty goal. She has worked diligently toward this goal and will accomplish this by the end of her term in August.

Erika’s Red Ribbon Week drug awareness activities impacted thousands of students of all ages, from pre-kindergarten to high school seniors, by informing them about the dangers of drug use and addiction. The knowledge that they receive from the brochures, coloring books, and bookmarks, on various addictive substances can keep them from making poor and destructive decisions in the future. Through the time devoted to tutoring students in all grade levels and ESE, Erika has instilled within them a greater sense of confidence and motivation. They no longer feel inferior to other students and have more focus and interest in learning. Some students would not have been permitted to play certain sports throughout the fall season, had it not been for Erika. She has helped many students keep up their grades so they can participate in their favorite forms of recreation and extracurricular activities.

Not only has Erika volunteered to assist numerous candidates and influence voters, but she has also dedicated countless hours to the establishment of several Teen Age Republican organizations statewide, while managing her own county organization as its President. After the destruction in Louisiana and Mississippi from Hurricane Katrina, her newly chartered county organization collected boxes of school supplies for the areas hardest hit and made certain that they were personally hand delivered to those schools that needed them most. Needless to say, the schools and students were grateful to receive them. More recently, she participated in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society’s Basket Brigade, which collected and supplied needy families with baskets of food and other items for the Thanksgiving holiday.

The incoming middle school students at orientation are made more welcome, and given a better idea of what is expected of them while in middle school through Erika’s efforts.

Ada Real

Ada Real was employed part time as a Senior Aide with Council Bluff’s Volunteer Bureau . She assisted the Administrative Director and Program Director. When not working at her job, she would stay late to help with any function or assist with any project. Beginning in October, she gave her time to sort through hundreds of names and needs submitted to the “Goodfellows” project.

Goodfellows was a combined project with the Daily NonPareil, the daily newspaper in Council Bluffs, seeking donations to fulfill less fortunate residents Christmas wish list. When not at the office, she was helping with programs and clients at Bethany Lutheran Home, driving clients to doctor appointments, being supportive to donors giving blood at the American Red Cross, putting together food packets for the Iowa SHARE program, taking supplies to MOHM’s Place (a homeless shelter), taking a shift with marketing vendor booth, mentoring elementary school children, and taking part in RSVP Speak-Up program for 5th grade children. Teaching Bible School at two churches was her “weekend” project.

In 2003, Real contacted the Visiting Nursing Association of Pottawattamie County (VNAPC) to offer her assistance. She began her volunteering at the VNAPC as an office associate and companion to clients in their Homecare, Homemaker and Maternal/Child departments. She also consulted with the Director regarding fundraising and took the 16-hour training course.

Real continues to be a wonderful support for Hospice clients and their family. Palliative care can be extremely difficult for many, including volunteers. The client, family, and friends are comforted by a compassionate and wise individual who listens well, is punctual, and understands circumstances. She is well-liked by the clients and is an inspiration to the entire staff. Since she began her Hospice journey, Real has served three families.

In addition, Real volunteers a shift at Health and Volunteer fairs, arrives early to monthly in-services to fix the coffee and stays late to clean up; she also packs back-packs with needed school supplies in preparation for Make A Difference Day. Because of her dedication to the community, Real has received accolades and certificates from the Volunteer Bureau, United Way and VNAPC.

Ada Real is an exceptional servant who has more than 50 years of volunteering at 80 years of age. With a basic education—she passed her GED at age 55—and humble beginnings, Real continues to shine as an outstanding volunteer and an example to all!

Polly Cordell

Polly Cordell is an exceptional example of a volunteer based on her vision, community service efforts and passion for positively impacting illiteracy. During the mid-1990s, many local residents noted the decline of student reading skills. Polly realized that this was a major crisis in Brevard County and that illiteracy would negatively impact the poor children the most. Polly thought: “Why not connect the local affluent retired population and utilize their talents to provide free extra reading instruction for the struggling children who were performing in the bottom half on the state achievement test?”

Rolling Readers Space Coast’s (RRSC) objectives are three pronged: to fight children’s illiteracy, foster a lifelong love of reading, and to improve reading comprehension. The unique and ingenious concept of RRSC is that it developed a collaboration that melds local adult volunteers, elementary schools and businesses while directly addressing the Federal educational mandate, No Child Left Behind.

The local school district was thrilled to get intervention assistance. The immediate reading skills improvement of the children caught the community’s attention and demand for the RRSC services exploded. What sets Polly above other volunteers is that even at age 82, she embraces new trends in education and is flexible in her thinking in order to best address the changing needs of the low income children she strives to help. Polly exemplifies the goal of “become the change you wish to see in the world” rather than just sitting in a rocking chair and bemoaning the shortcomings of the younger generation.

Polly’s dream of making a difference in the community by helping local children took shape with the startup of a Rolling Readers chapter in Melbourne in 1997. From the simple beginning in Polly’s kitchen with five volunteers reading in two schools, nine years later RR has grown to provide 394 trained Read Aloud volunteers in 30 Brevard County Title 1 schools, (schools that have a large number of financially disadvantaged families) with an additional 65 trained Tutor/Mentor volunteers in 13 schools, and an annual budget of $89,000. Besides managing the finances, Polly personally oversees the ordering and distribution of 8,000 new books that are purchased by RRSC and given free to each child participating in the program. With Polly at the helm, RRSC achieved non-profit incorporated status in 2003 and keeps on growing. Polly is not a figurehead but a tireless worker who is not only aware of all phases of the operation-from fund raising to public relations to recruiting volunteers to paying the bills.

Rolling Readers has become an established, successful resource in Brevard County! Without Polly’s inspiration, which stems from her personal childhood experiences, thousands of disadvantaged Brevard County children would not have been motivated to read or received the extra help they needed to master reading skills.

Leo Kofoot

Leo Kofoot has spent his lifetime volunteering. A magazine article contained this quote: “The community has done a lot for us and our children. I think that as responsible citizens and adults, we have an obligation to give something back.” Leo has taken that obligation seriously and has coached young children, volunteered at YMCA camps, served as a volunteer general contractor when the public library needed by be remodeled and spearheaded the building of a YMCA facility for his county in 1999. Kofoot moved the project from dream to reality and still actively serves on many committees and serves as the YMCA Board President.

Having a safe place for children was a desperate need in Dickinson County, before the Bedell Family YMCA was built. They were in dire need of a site to unify the county’s residents and to counter-act the negative behaviors of small-town rivalries. The Bedell Family YMCA site was chosen specifically for its centralized location in the county, and each municipality was included in the building process from start to finish. The community had needed a facility of this type for many years, but the process did not move until Kofoot stepped in as President of the Board of Directors of the YMCA Camp Foster. His leadership provided the board the courage to act on the results of a community needs assessment that said the facility was needed even though the financial feasibility study said that it would be very difficult to raise the monies needed.

The Bedell Family YMCA opened in January of 2005 and has memberships of more than 3,000. This is outstanding in a county with a population of 15,000! Many volunteers coach youth sports, serve on committees and donate money to support scholarships so membership is available to everyone. Operations at the Bedell Family YMCA are funded through memberships, their annual sustaining campaign, and their endowment fund. They collaborate with a local school to provide after-school care and with another school to provide busing from the school to the YMCA.

Kofoot’s efforts to create this facility distinguish him from others because his volunteer efforts took on the hours of a full-time job for several years without a word of complaint. Kofoot assumed the responsibility for this vision for the community as well as the planning, funding, building and ultimately, the running of the center. His leadership was phenomenal and resulted in a dream becoming reality. When questions about any phase of the building project arose, he researched and reported his finding and recommendations. When the CEO position became vacant and there was a need for someone to oversee the day-to-day operations while a CEO search committee did their work, Kofoot again stepped forward. His history of volunteerism is clear and the benefits to the community are immeasurable and will be for years to come.