Kim Hallmark

In 2002 Kim Hallmark, as a member of the Junior League of Morgan County, began a 4 year placement serving on the Board of Directors of PACT (Parents and Children Together). The first year she served on the board, the second year as the Vice-President and the third year as President and this year (2005-2006) serves as the Ex Officio Board member. JLMC requires its active members to volunteer a minimum of 30 hours per year. Hallmark consistently goes above and beyond her required 30 hours of service per year. While serving as a PACT Board member she has worked tirelessly to promote Child Abuse Prevention in her community.

In addition to her commitment to Junior League, Hallmark also volunteers in the community through several other organizations. She is involved with the Decatur Jaycees, Decatur Assembly and serves as a Decatur/Morgan County Chamber of Commerce Commodore. Through Jaycees, Hallmark was instrumental in the planning and organization of the annual Christmas parade for 8 years. And, as a Jaycee has been a driving force since the inception of RIVERFEST, overseeing its growth over the past 12 years to one of the largest community festivals in the Southeast. As a Decatur Assembly member since 2003, Hallmark has worked on preparations for the PACT Ball, an annual fund-raiser for child abuse prevention in Morgan County. As a Chamber Commodore since 2005, Hallmark serves as a liaison between the Chamber and the business community.

Hallmark takes action and initiative with every project she takes on. She is constantly coming up with new and innovative ideas to make things run more smoothly. She is constantly thinking outside the box to come up with different ways to tackle tasks and to breathe life into old projects and fundraisers.

Through her volunteerism with PACT, there were countless individuals impacted by Hallmark’s commitment to the community. She constantly gave the Junior League updates on PACT’s community involvement during all of the general membership meetings. Hallmark was actually serving as a JLMC Golden Active member which meant she only had to attend two general membership meetings per year; however, she was always there to keep the membership current on the happenings at PACT as well as the other organizations she is involved with.

She faced some challenges last year at PACT with the ever decreasing availability of funding. During this time, she assisted in streamlining their office but not decreasing service to the community. The desired results of still promoting Child Abuse Prevention to all of Morgan County have continued despite funding cuts. Her service was critical to the board during this time.

Hallmark always tackles every job she is given with 100%. She is always coming up with new and innovative ideas to raise more revenue for whatever charity she is working on. Whenever Hallmark is in charge, you can breathe easier knowing she will get the job done and it will be done correctly. Her community is a better place because of all the hard work and dedication Hallmark gives year after year.

Karl Flagg

Karl N. Flagg is the Mayor for the city of Palatka, the pastor of Mount Tabor First Baptist Church and the owner & director of the Serenity Memorial Chapel Funeral Home. With a schedule as his, you would wonder how he finds the time to render volunteer acts of kindness or service.

Rev. Flagg is always taking the time to encourage our youth to strive for excellence. He is a mentor for the middle school students in Putnam County and is a constant visitor to the sick at the local hospital. Rev. Flagg does not know how to say “NO”. He is the epitome of a godly man that lets his light shine so that others will see the goodness and want to follow him. The senior citizens all marvel over his ability to communicate and understand their needs. He is a counselor and a conflict mediator. He volunteers on the ministerial task force to go out in the neighborhoods to help deter acts of crimes. He helps set policy that will enable the citizens of Putnam County to have a better way and more productive life.

The benefits of these efforts could be measured in the number of students that attend Mount Tabor First Baptist Church that passed the FCAT test with significant gains. Another benefit would be the decrease in the number of crimes reported in Putnam County. Another benefit would be that Palatka is listed on the historical registry and under the leadership of Rev. Flagg, the citizens all have a high regard for this young man and respect his opinions. He encourages others to work hard, dream big and never take your eyes off of your goal.

Rev. Flagg is a visionary leader and he sets high expectations for himself. He encourages others to think out of the box. He is unusual in that he never complains and is a master at juggling all the things that he does and still find the time to help his fellow man.

Dorothy Murphy

Dorothy Murphy is a model citizen as well as an exemplary volunteer. She dedicates her life to helping people, and she is involved with Foster Care and Development Services. Foster Care and Development Services provides residents of Daytona Beach necessary services for groups that are sometimes overlooked.

Most people who are residents of Daytona Beach and are a part of the nonprofit sector are familiar with Murphy. On a daily basis, she does a variety of things to help her family and friends as well as anyone else in need. She takes the time to aid people in the community who have transportation issues. On any given day, you may see Murphy taking someone to the grocery store or to much needed doctor appointments. Murphy has a genuine concern for people in general. She is like family to many who do not have a great support network and visits people in the hospital almost daily. Murphy provides companionship and conversation while also making sure they eat.

Murphy takes the time to serve in Daytona Beach, while also raising her granddaughters and supplying them with the love and attention she needs. Her life not only touches people in the community, but her granddaughters are watching every move she makes. Seeing her making the time to volunteer shows that it is important to her, and she hopes to pass on community service to them also.

Many of the business owners in the Daytona Beach area appreciate Murphy and the time she gives to the community. She is concerned with her others and does not just talk about it. Murphy is a woman of action and has community members she regularly checks up on at their homes to make sure they are in good health and doing the things they need to. If she finds something that may be a little more for her to handle, Murphy finds the appropriate service agency and directs her neighbors to the same.

Jana Busby

Jana Busby has been a volunteer with the Decatur Police Department for the past 4 years, and she has worked hard to change the lives of Decatur youth. The Police Department sponsors the Special Olympics and the ACES program. Both programs help disadvantaged youth.

The Alternative Choices Education Systems (ACES) Program is a summer program, which is designed to give children in Decatur’s low-income areas a choice to avoid becoming involved with drugs and violence. This program builds self-esteem, teaches teamwork, and teaches financial management. Children earn ACES dollars for completing projects, being on time, and working as a team. Children from several neighborhoods (Boys and Girls Clubs, Alta Vista, East Acres, McCartney Park, and Sunset) participate in the program.

Busby volunteered approximately 124 hours for the 2003-04 year. Seventy-five percent of those hours were with the ACES program. The remaining twenty-five percent of those hours were spent volunteering for children with mental and physical challenges. She volunteered with these students at both Austin and Decatur High School during the school year.

Busby’s job with the ACES program was to be a tutor and mentor. Each day of the week was assigned a different activity. The children traveled everywhere everyday by bus. Busby took roll and did head counts every time they rode the bus (which was several times a day). She supervised the group when they toured businesses, stored, cleaned, and set-up equipment, baited the hooks of all of the fishing poles, helped with arts and crafts, spent several hours every Friday riding down waterslides with kids who needed attention or who didn’t have a friend to ride with.

The children served by ACES are the most vulnerable kids who are in need of time and attention the most. Busby taught them about honesty, fairness, and consistency. She was there every day every summer. She watched them grow from elementary school to middle school. Busby had to earn the trust and respect of the clients. They were a diverse group and looked at her as an outsider who was getting paid to entertain them. However, they found out she was there because she wanted to be and was a volunteer.

Busby had to learn how to have empathy. She had to work very hard to win them over. She worked with about 5-10 police officers and probably over 500 children each summer. The impact of the program was to let the kids know that someone was there for them. People who have more (economically) still care about those who may not be in their same situation.

Busby is a senior at Decatur High School. She has received the Gold Pin from the Volunteer Center for achieving over 100 hours of community service while also participating in NHS, gymnastics, Cross Country team, Karate, and cheerleading.

The Shields Family

The Shields Family is very active as volunteers of Greater Lewisville Cares and Trinity Presbyterian Church of Flower Mound, both located in north Texas. As members of these organizations, this family has volunteered for a variety of projects that are of interest to them both individually and as a family unit, including Lion’s Club Eyeglass Recycling, Presbyterian Housing Program, Christian Community Action (CCA) Housing, Riding Unlimited Therapeutic Riding, among others. Furthermore, this family is not afraid to take a leadership role in many of the activities they participate in such as organizing food drives, coordinating the free summer lunch program for needy children, and working in the food pantry at Christian Community Action in Lewisville, TX.

During the past seven years, the family has worked continually and tirelessly as volunteers in many of the mission opportunities at the church. In April 2004, they became some of the first volunteers of Greater Lewisville Cares which is a volunteer service organization based on the national “Hands On” model (previously known as the “Cares” model). From April through the December 2004, through Greater Lewisville Cares alone, the family has volunteered a total of six different times equaling 31 volunteer hours. Additionally, they have participated in working at the CCA Food Pantry in every month with a 5th Saturday, collected food for the needy, cleaned up the environment, worked on housing projects for Presbyterian Housing in Oak Cliff, TX and been active participants in mission work at Trinity Presbyterian Church.

The variety of their volunteer activities includes helping the disabled, feeding the poor, providing better housing for those in need, and cleaning up the environment which are all important to improving the well-being of the greater community. As a family of volunteers, they are dedicated, unselfish, concerned and motivated to share their gifts with those less fortunate and in need. They do this willingly on a regular basis and ask for nothing in return. The impact on the community has been to make a better life for those in need.

Decatur High School Developmental Students

Many times we are quick to judge people; we assume that they do not have a desire to help others or that they are not capable of contributing to society in a meaningful way. Sometimes we make these judgments about people based on their appearance, social standing, financial means, or intellectual abilities. How frequently we rush to judgment, and how often we are wrong. We are fortunate that there are those around to remind us that sometimes those from whom we expect the least can offer the most.

The Decatur High School Developmental Students are a group of young people who do just that. These students, lead by their teacher Karen Alexander, capture the essence of volunteerism by giving what they can and making their community a better place to live in doing so. Decatur High’s Developmental Class is composed of approximately ten students, all of whom are developmentally disabled. About four and a half years ago the class was looking for a service project, and fortunately for Hospice they happened to ask if they could help their organization in any way.

Hospice of the Valley provides end-of-life care as well as grief and bereavement services to residents of Morgan and Lawrence Counties. Services provided include nursing care; home health aides; medical equipment and supplies; medications; and support from social workers, chaplains, and—of course—volunteers. Without volunteers, hundreds of tasks, some small and others quite large, would go undone every day. Needless to say, whenever a group calls looking for something to do, the Hospice can always use assistance.

When Karen called, the coordinator of office volunteers asked if the students would like to create barrier bags. These bags are small paper sacks that contain a sheet of blank newspaper and several paper towels. Hospice of the Valley nurses and home health aides carry the bags into patients’ homes whenever they make a visit. The paper is spread onto a surface so that the staff member can place his or her medical pack on the newspaper rather than putting it directly onto a surface in the home. By doing so, they prevent the transfer of germs from one home to the next. At the end of the visit, the staff member washes his or her hands and uses the paper towels in the barrier bag to dry them. Each visit requires one bag, so with more than ten nurses each making over 20 visits every week and nine home health aides each making an average of 25 visits every week, many barrier bags are needed.

The students spend about 48 hours per month creating the barrier bags and have become the Hospice’s sole supplier of them. They assemble the materials, but also go above and beyond the call of duty by decorating the paper bags with colorful pictures and designs. Each Monday and Wednesday Karen and her class work on the bags, and Karen is always quick to call the office when supplies are running low. The work is valuable for Hospice of the Valley, and according to Karen, it is a blessing to her class as well. Karen says that creating barrier bags on a regular basis allows her students to learn to give back to the community—she claims it is an especially important lesson for a group that is so often given to. The students enjoy the work because they can see their accomplishment in the boxes full of completed bags and in new supplies arriving as the finished bags are picked up from the school. Each student can see success in the project, and even those who do not always see success in other areas are able to create bags that help the community by helping Hospice of the Valley care for the terminally ill.

Near the end of last school year, the class took the initiative to make enough extra bags to carry Hospice through the months of summer break. This was a tremendous help to the agency as it saved staff members from trying to find another group to take on the task of constantly replenishing the supply of barrier bags. The Decatur High Developmental Students have proven themselves to be valuable members of the Hospice family and of Morgan County. Their dedication, initiative, and positive attitudes can serve as an inspiration to those who feel they might not have very much to give back to the community—and even more so to those who do.

Willa Carson

Willa Carson tells the story of an African American citizen seeking health care who died while waiting at a bus stop. At that time, Carson made a personal commitment to bring a free, easily accessible clinic to the heart of the African American community in Clearwater, FL.

She worked tirelessly toward this goal meeting with Morton Plant Hospital officials, members of the Housing Authority, Zoning Boards, individuals and groups who might provide funding, and nurses and doctors who might help. The planning phase encompassed more than a year.

Ultimately, space was allocated in the North Greenwood area of Clearwater with two apartments that the Housing Authority and Morton Plant/Mease Hospital assisted with renovations to make the facility wheel chair accessible. Because of Carson’s tireless efforts, The North Greenwood Community Health Resource Center opened in May 1997.

Immediately after opening, Carson contacted the Florida Legislature for the appropriation of $300,000 to build a permanent facility for the North Greenwood Community Health Resource Center on city-owned Brownfield property. The Center moved into the new facilities in December 2000.

Currently the center serves an excess of 400 patients a month, and all services provided by the center are free. The center operates with multiple grants. There are only two paid staff members, the administrator and an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner. The rest of the staff members are all volunteers, which include, but are not limited to, five physicians, one advanced registered nurse practitioner, an acupuncturist, and registered nurses. Morton Plant/Mease Hospital provides laboratory services.

At 71 years of age, Willa Carson had the vision, determination, and willingness to work for available health care for people who lacked the means and transportation to access it. She has made her community a better place, has provided access to health care for many, and has shown what a true leader can do to bring about change. Carson is currently 78 years of age and still going strong.

Maria Christina Paulino

In the northwest area of Volusia County, FL it can be very hard for Hispanic children who are in a low socioeconomic environment to succeed and excel. However, Maria Christina Paulino has proven that handicaps, such as low income and a language barrier should never deter anyone from doing all they can at their best effort.

A high school student from T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School in Pierson, FL, Maria’s commitment to helping her school and community has been an inspiration. This commitment was proven during the trying times and disastrous events that occurred during the 2004 hurricane season. Maria volunteered with the Red Cross, Project Achieve, FEMA, and the Salvation Army every day, all day, during the days that the schools were closed. Maria saw where she could help and without being asked, volunteered her time unloading trucks and distributing food and water. Because Maria is bi-lingual, she was invaluable in helping to give aid to those residents in the Pierson area who did not speak English.

At her high school, Maria volunteers her time assisting the teachers in the Spanish department. She helps a fellow student who is hearing impaired with class work and homework. Maria not only helps her peers but also younger students. At the Pierson Elementary School, Maria is part of Project Share, collecting and wrapping presents for underprivileged children. With all of this, Maria still finds time to volunteer at community events such as county arts festivals and area church projects.

Maria Christian Paulino was nominated by T. DeWitt Taylor Middle-High School for the Outstanding Volunteer of the Year awards presented by the United Way’s Volunteer Center of Volusia-Flagler Counties and Bright House Networks. Because of her lifestyle of service, Maria was chosen as the Runner-Up in the Outstanding Individual Youth Category.

Mark Hammond

For more than 17 years, Mark Hammond has worked tirelessly to better the lives of the citizens of his community. As a resident of Hopkinton, Rhode Island, Hammond recognized the need for greater recreational opportunities for children and the need for guidance and leadership in such efforts. In response to this need, Hammond founded the nonprofit organization, the Crandall Park Community Project, 13 years ago which focuses on the development and improvement of recreational facilities in Hopkinton.

Through his dedicated leadership efforts, this organization built a state-of-the-art playground at a cost of $80,000 and is now working to incorporate a handicap accessible play area. In addition, the Project facilitated the construction of two basketball courts and a baseball diamond. As a result, Crandall Park has become a major attraction for families in Hopkinton and the surrounding areas.

In the interest of the Hopkinton’s young children, Hammond also instituted a tee-ball league for children who are 4 to 8 years old. He secured funding for the league through the town, held registrations, produced schedules, and rallied the enrollment of volunteer coaches. He also served as a coach over the years. This league has been active since 1993, and is going strong with 26 teams.

Hammond has donated a great deal of his time as a player agent in Chariho (an RI multi-town region) Little League and Senior League baseball. He has also been a player agent for Hopkinton’s Youth Basketball League, and over the past 16 years has developed the basketball program into one of the largest in the area featuring 47 teams. Hammond continues to hold leadership positions and coaches in both leagues. Over the years, he has demonstrated his unwavering dedication to these youth-oriented programs. For example, when there were no volunteers to coach the 4- and 5-year-olds in basketball last winter, Hammond volunteered to coach them every Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m., even though none of his own children were playing in that division.

Hammond has also served many years on the Hopkinton Recreation Commission and has spent the last two years as Chair of that Commission. One of the projects that he has led is the revitalization of Langworthy Park in Hope Valley, RI. Under his leadership, the Commission serves as advisors on all recreational programs and events for the town of Hopkinton.

Hammond is married with 3 children ages 13, 18, and 21. He first became a volunteer through his involvement as an active and caring father; however, his dedication has far exceeded that of most parents. In 2002, Mr. Hammond received the Settimo “Stemer” Ricci Award from the Rhode Island Parks and Recreation Association. He also received recognition from his peers and supervisors with the NUWC Community Service Award two years ago.

Christa Baucom

It all began 6 years ago in a garden…in a kindergarten, that is, when German born Chris Baucom entered the door of Joy Miller’s classroom and asked what she could do to help. Her inspiration to share her time, talents, and lifelong commitment to children grew out of her love for a five year old who was entering that class and a desire to give back to the community. “Miss Chris”, as she quickly became known to Orange River Elementary’s school family wanted to make sure that the daughter of her best friend had a special first year in kindergarten.

That year of daily-dedicated service to a kindergarten class blossomed and branched into valuable contributions poured into every crack and crevice of Orange River Elementary by Miss Chris’ caring hands. For over 6 years, Miss Chris has made her hands and her heart available to all who need them. It is said that the heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but by the depth of the commitment to make a difference in the lives of others. Her total dedication to the staff, students, and parents at the school has enabled those touched by her green thumb to flourish and grow. Her commitment is total. You can find her at school from 7:30 until 5:00 every day, standing ready to do whatever teachers, staff and students need. You can find her at night attending evening school functions and meeting with her Girl Scout troop. You rarely find her unwilling to be of service, day OR night!

If one of the school gardens she has planted needs weeding or nurturing, Miss Chris puts on her gloves and digs in. If the school skating party needs a volunteer to lace countless skates, Miss Chris flexes her hands and goes to work. If a child or staff member needs a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold, Miss Chris’ caring and empathetic heart is always available. If a child wants to be read to, Miss Chris opens a book. If a child has difficulty grasping a new concept, Miss Chris tenaciously supports and coaches until mastery is accomplished. If her Girl Scout troop needs to sell 500 boxes of cookies, Miss Chris spends countless hours extolling the benefits of buying Girl Scout cookies. If the kitchen staff is short of help, Miss Chris picks up a spoon and serves.

For over six years, Orange River Elementary has reaped the benefits of total dedication from this outstanding volunteer. The little girl who brought Miss Chris to us six years ago will continue her educational growth next year in middle school, and Miss Chris will continue to nurture and care for those who still need her at Orange River. A civilization flourishes when people plant trees under which they will never sit. The people at Orange River Elementary expects her to continue to plant her magic seeds of love and kindness for many years to come because she believes in a better future for the children. Because of her, many more children will grow and flourish and possess beautiful trees under which to sit.

Life wasn’t always easy for this very special 70-year-old volunteer. She grew up in Germany during and after World War II. She and her family survived the bombing of Dresden and then moved to Dachau, where as a child she witnessed firsthand the atrocities of the concentration camp. When her family had the opportunity to come to America, they settled in Fort Myers in 1948. Miss Chris is a product of the schools of Lee County and decided early on to give back to the educational community the riches that were given to her. She has done that her whole life. For the past six years she has been a daily volunteer for Orange River Elementary and has lead a Girl Scout troop. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is just that little extra. Miss Chris brings that little extra to our school and community. No job is too menial for this 70 year old. From helping a student with a difficult skill to weeding and planting flower gardens, Miss Chris can be counted on to accomplish the task with grace and a smile. Norman Vincent Peale once said, “The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.” This must be true…just look at Miss Chris.