Cleanne Cass

Dr. Cass is a special volunteer who gives 24/7 as palliative care administrative director of the local Hospice facility and also finds time to volunteer with Reach Out of Montgomery County, OH. She also created and implemented Dayton’s first free wellness clinic for the uninsured. It is also the first and only medical student run clinic in the area. It is staffed with 3rd year Ohio University medical students in their clerkship family practice rotation. From September to May, 3rd year medical students along with oversight from the teaching faculty at Grandview Hospital, see well patients who need physicals for school, work or sports.

Dr. Cass saw the need as “well-physicals” were triaged out of the regular free clinics. The clinics were over capacity forcing the volunteer staff to “triage” well people out the door to accommodate for the ill patients. Dr. Cass suggested opening a different night and seeing “well” patients who are also in need and by the way “thankfully young and healthy.” She described it as therapy for the sole as she finished her daily task of coordinating death and dying patients at her hospice job during the day. For someone who has more than 33 years of medical practice, who lives to work, teach and volunteer I am amazed at her energy, her great sense of humor, and her dedication to pass the light on to those who try and follow in her footsteps. Dr. Cass is steps ahead but willing to step aside to teach and volunteer.

Todd Branson

After looking for some place to volunteer for a while, Todd contacted an organization, explained to them what type of volunteer work he was looking for, and they immediately referred him to CONTACT Crisis Line.

Todd started CONTACT in March of 2004. He has listened to many callers, with a nonjudgmental, comforting voice. He has worked many Saturdays, mostly on solo shifts. “I enjoy learning about people, their situations and circumstances. It is also interesting to learn about the services that the Dallas/Ft. Worth area offers,” Todd said.

Maria Rice, who nominated him for the volunteer of the month, said, “He is willing to serve others daily. He respects confidentially and helps people by allowing them to take back control of their lives, by exploring their options. He has excellent perspective and insight with others.”

“I work the model and when you have calls that help you go through the model easily such as having an opening, the opportunity to listen with ease, offer referrals and the caller is able to get closure, it makes the shift go by very smoothly,” said Todd.

Dario Atallah

Dario has been volunteering for the WOW! Children’s Museum World of Wonder in Lafayette, CO for the last 10 years. From the very start, Dario has done the accounting books, taxes, government reports and various other administrative tasks. He keeps track of all sales, donations, and expenses, analyzing the museum’s performance every month and recommending areas of focus to ensure the viability of the organization. He spends between 20 and 30 hours a month doing work for the museum and serving on its board as Treasurer. He has been President and Vice President of the board. In the last year, Dario volunteered more than 360 hours supporting the WOW Children’s Museum.

Dario is also in charge of the computer network, hardware and software selection, and helps with fundraising activities. He occasionally helps his wife (who runs the museum) by working on the floor to let customers in, installing new exhibits, performing building or exhibit maintenance and recruiting other volunteers. He wants to do his part for the community and is committed to ensuring the museum is accessible to adults and children around the area for years to come, regardless of income levels, race or religion. He volunteers at his sons’ schools, where he has been asked to come and talk to students about work, cultures and languages. He has helped Peak to Peak school with English translations into Spanish and French.

Cheri Miller

Cheri Miller first started volunteering with OC Parks in 1992, initially staffing the O’Neill Regional Park Nature Center, and later serving as a Park Ranger Reserve. As a reserve, she worked with park rangers and staff to develop and coordinate special events, public programs and trail maintenance. In addition, she helped create a park wildflower informational booklet. Over the past few years, Cheri has transitioned from the Park Ranger Reserve program to the Adopt-A-Park volunteer program and has fully embraced her role as a park naturalist with O’Neill Regional Park. She continues to volunteer at the park’s nature center, sharing natural history information with the public and encouraging visitors to follow the facility’s rules and regulations so that natural and cultural resources are protected.

Over the years, Cheri has worked side-by-side with park rangers, helping to restore trails that were severely damaged by floods and assessing the various levels of flood damage experienced throughout park facilities. During one particularly severe flood season, Cheri and other volunteers discovered a marine mammal fossil in the Arroyo Trabuco wilderness area of O’Neill Regional Park. As a result of the volunteers’ discovery, additional fossils were uncovered, catalogued and placed in Orange County’s Natural and Cultural Storage Facility.

Cheri is committed to making a difference through her volunteer involvement. While pregnant with her daughter, Sara, she continued to conduct interpretive nature hikes for the public. Sara was raised participating in O’Neill Regional Park’s interpretive programs and special events; now as an elementary-school student, it’s not uncommon to see her hiking beside her mom and eagerly sharing information about the park’s plants, animals and habitat with other hikers. In addition, Cheri and Sara actively recruit new volunteers and participate in special events such as the Coastal and Inner Cleanup and Geo Cache Day. Cheri’s volunteer involvement is definitely educating future generations—starting with her own daughter—about the importance of protecting and preserving our natural resources.

Cheri goes above and beyond her normal park naturalist role by notifying park staff of emergency situations, maintenance issues and concerns brought to her attention by park visitors. In July 2007, Park Ranger Jacky Velasquez received a phone call from Cheri, regarding three off-road motorcyclists riding through Eagle Trail and Mesa day use area. As a result of Cheri’s quick action, the ranger was able to immediately contact the off-roaders and have them exit the area. Cheri’s handling of this situation enhanced the ranger’s efforts in protecting the public and preventing damage to park resources.

Cheri brings knowledge, experience and a positive attitude to her volunteer endeavors. Through her exceptional volunteer service, she embodies the importance of practicing good stewardship, especially in respect to our local parks, beaches, historical sites and wilderness areas. The OC Parks Adopt-A-Park program is honored to have this very talented and dedicated individual as part of the O’Neill Regional Park team.

Debbie Liddel

Debbie Liddel is a dependable and enthusiastic member of the Douglas County Auxiliary Communications Team (ACT) which provides adjunct support and communications to local governmental units before, during and after emergencies. She takes her membership to the next level acting as the ACT training officer coordinating Net meetings and schedules, teaching specific courses and participating and encouraging participation in area disaster simulations where alternative communications are needed and used. During an emergency, Debbie supports the Douglas County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) by responding to the EOC to be utilized as an avenue to gain information or provide communications. Debbie works tirelessly to ensure ACT is prepared, educated and ready to respond during times of crisis to serve hospitals, first responders, local governments, and other agencies by providing a way of communication when normal avenues fail.

Debbie is also committed to public education by coordinating ACT members, including her, to participate in community fairs to inform citizens on preparedness practices, how ACT prepares and serves the area during an emergency, and how to get involved in volunteering.

Douglas County Emergency Management (DCEM) can always rely on Debbie to respond quickly when her talents and knowledge are needed. She works a full-time job, but still volunteers during her “free time.” Debbie’s passion for volunteerism can clearly be seen through her continued dedication to DCEM and ACT.

Elaine Konishi

Elaine Konishi was a Brownie Girl Scout as a young girl and has been a Girl Scout volunteer for 23 years. She has served as a troop leader for Brownie, Junior and Senior Girl Scouts and has held several positions at the regional Service Unit level, including Cookie Chair, Registrar, Membership Director and Service Unit Manager. She has also served as director for many special events. Elaine has held so many volunteer positions at the Council level that no one can remember them all. She has been on the Diversity committee, the Adult Recognition Committee, the Leader/Daughter Event committee, the “Law Day” committee, chair of the Older Girl Recognition committee and Cookie Area Coordinator, just to name a few.

For several years Elaine has held the Council position of Gold Award Volunteer Director. The Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout can earn. One of Elaine’s duties is overseeing the Gold Award Board, a group of volunteers who approve Gold Award Projects. Elaine also reviews all the Gold Award applications and final reports, trains girls in how to earn the Gold Award, trains adults to be Gold Award Advisors, matches up girls with advisors and serves as an advisor herself. Basically, if we want to know anything about earning a Gold Award, we ask Elaine. Because of her many contributions, she is considered an integral part of our mission here at Girl Scouts of the San Fernando Valley.

Berta Jemery

From the nominator:

“AmeriCorps *VISTAs serving at York Hospital help to promote a community outreach program called the Bridges Program. Bridges helps to assist generally low-income seniors remain independent in their own homes through the assistance of volunteers. The volunteers help the members in the program with various tasks, such as grocery shopping, picking up their mail and prescriptions and overall just offering companionship. The members in the program tend to live in rural settings with very few visitors, so having a friendly face come by once or twice a week makes a huge impact on their life.

One of the volunteers is Berta Jemery, who is incredibly diligent and dedicated to her work. When a new member is referred into the Bridges Program, staff goes out with the volunteer the first time to meet the newest member. Berta and a staff member went out one time to meet a new member. It was obvious that she was in need of someone to come and spend some time with her. She said that she wasn’t much for talking and just wanted someone to spend maybe an hour with her just to keep her company. Berta said ‘No problem,’ to that, and a new match was made.

About a week later Berta came by to say hello and update a staff member about the other members she visits with. Berta told me an incredible story. She had told me that she went to visit the member, and the member kept talking and talking and interacting with Berta. After sometime the member said, “I guess it’s been a little over an hour, I suppose you have to go now.” To that, Berta responded, “Well, it’s actually been over three hours.” Berta had made an amazing connection with this member, and it became even more evident of just how lonely she really was and how much of an impact Berta had, and continues to have, on her life.”

Hannah Holtorf

Hannah is a senior at Olathe East High School and a three-year member of the drill team. She is a very self-motivated and dynamic young lady who inspires everyone that she encounters. She has wonderful work ethics and gives above and beyond the call of duty in participation in my program and her activities at Olathe East. She is very compassionate and has a very open and approachable personality. She has always been flexible and able to explore the most difficult task with incredible responsibility and commitment.

Hannah is dependable in any situation, has a perfect attendance record and takes a great deal of interest in her school. She maintains a GPA of 4.1 while volunteering in numerous capacities. She is actively involved in yearbook staff, Kays Club, Hawk Mentoring and Student Council. She is a member of National Honor Society, president of the Hawk Mentoring Program and a member of Spanish National Honor Society. She also is in pep band and pit orchestra for the musical during the winter season.

Hannah is very involved with her church youth group and takes dance at Dance Excel Dance Studio. She was captain of her junior high dance team and a section leader for band and jazz band. Hannah’s leadership in these activities has given her an incredible opportunity to demonstrate her excellent talents in working with others. Hannah is an extremely motivated, dedicated and loyal person in whatever task she undertakes. Her organizational skills are incredible as she manages to coordinate her scholastic, school and community activities. She sets very high standards for herself and successfully meets the challenges of all of her endeavors. She has tremendous compassion for others and is a wonderful example for her peers to follow.

Hannah provides positive strokes for everyone and has a great understanding of individual differences. She is an inspiration and outstanding leader among the youth of today. She upholds very strong family ideals and is very committed to her responsibilities at home, her community and school.

Geeta Hemani

Geeta Hemani is an extraordinary volunteer for StandUp For Kids-Cincinnati. The mission of STANDUP FOR KIDS is to help children who are homeless.

The organization carries out its mission through the volunteers who go to the streets in order to find, stabilize and otherwise help homeless and street children improve their lives. Geeta is the Director of Outreach and the first line of defense for those children.

When a call comes in from a child who is homeless and on the street, Geeta is the first person they contact. The kids find that Geeta is easy to talk to. She is loving and non-judgmental and the kids can trust her, which is not an easy task since these kids have not been able to trust anyone their entire lives.

Geeta has done extraordinary things in the program. She was able to gain the trust of two particular youth and was able to find them both jobs the very same day she met them. They appreciated someone taking a genuine interest in them and not just saying something but doing something. Her act of kindness kept them smiling for days.

Geeta is a humble woman who is committed to rescuing and improving the lives of children. She is very active in other areas of the community but still contributes so much time to this Program. StandUp for Kids Cincinnati can call on Geeta anytime and knows their program has established very quickly partly because of Geeta’s persistence in making things happen for kids who need it most.

Elizabeth Hart

Elizabeth Hart is currently serving as Chair of the Girl Scout Council’s Board of Directors. Over the years, our respect for her commitment, integrity, skill and dedication has continued to grow. One of her most admirable qualities is her genuine passion for Girl Scouting and for all the values the Girl Scout program represents.

Elizabeth’s generosity and sincere devotion to our mission, in combination with her charming and gracious personality, greatly contributed to the success of our 2007 black-tie gala “Come Fly with Us” fundraiser. Her family-owned corporation was the title sponsor for the entire event and she was an active and valuable member of the gala’s planning committee. Elizabeth also used her extensive social and business network to solicit other key corporate sponsorships and donations for the gala’s raffle drawing and live and silent auction. The gala was enormously successful—clearly, local business owners found it very hard to say “no” to someone as tenacious and dedicated as Elizabeth Hart!