Project Natural Resource Growth

Five junior students from Flagler Palm Coast High School targeted a global challenge in the spring of 2006: the amount of carbon dioxide output in their community. This astute and prolific team began to research this topic during the summer of 2006. Seeing a need for change in their community, they brainstormed challenges, created a mission statement and began to brainstorm solutions.

In the fall of 2006, this team of five dedicated their senior year to a call to action: they formed a conservation group that would impact their community more than any group member could ever imagine. Project NRG (Natural Resource Growth) was created with a mission to increase conservation of energy output in the community, so that the integrity of the environment will not be compromised. Since its inception this group has put in over 850 collective volunteer hours, with many more to come.

Activities of the group have included research, brainstorming solutions, developed criteria to assess and evaluate their solutions, created an Action Plan to implement their most promising solutions and garnered support for their plan. One of their first steps was to develop and publish 4,150 brochures with helpful energy tips and with the approval of the school’s administrative staff and the school district’s county office, distributed them to the faculty and staff in all of the Flagler County schools and students in science classes. The partnered with associate superintendent and Director of Student Services for Flagler County, Jeff Miller, and initiated an energy commission and incentive program, district wide, in a valiant effort to reduce the amount of energy used by the schools. Additionally, they helped to form a county wide energy commission.

The group also created presentations, and an iMovie on global warming which they took to the school board and asked them to consider implementing pilot program utilizing solar panels on existing buildings as energy conservation measures. They also have plans to meet with key land developers in the community to promote the need for solar housing in the community.

What is even more extraordinary is that this group of agents of change do all this work in addition to their full time class loads, honors courses, International Baccalaureate and Advance Placement class demands, ROTC projects, golf and tennis practices, piano lessons, clubs and teen socials, jobs held in the community, and much more! This is truly an extraordinary group of 5. Between August of 2006 and February 2007 the Flagler County School District saved well over $150,000 on utilities thanks to conservation efforts!

Alexandra Olgin

At 12 years of age, Alexandra was inspired to start a chapter of Kids-for-Kids of New Jersey at her middle school, after attending a walk to raise money for the organization to fund its efforts to provide needed items, backpacks and school supplies and provide parties and mentorship to children at local shelters in New Jersey. Living close to the Trenton area, Alexandra saw that many children were not provided with necessary items and assistance to pursue their education, and basic clothing and personal hygiene items. The three chapters of this group at the time were becoming less active; the originating chapter eventually closed.

Due to budget cuts, Alexandra’s school district was not able to fund Kids-for-Kids in the local schools. Determined to try to meet the needs of underprivileged children in New Jersey, Alexandra started an out of school chapter of middle school students to continue the efforts of Kids-for-Kids. Over the last four years, Alexandra’s continual efforts have resulted in the continuation of this middle school chapter, her current out of school high school chapter and the two other existing chapters, in addition to the creation of three new chapters at local schools. Now Kids-for-Kids has 7 chapters with about 100 students.

Alexandra’s leadership has resulted in the raising of approximately $30,000 to fund Kids-for-Kids’ efforts, through walk-a-thons at her community park, bake sales and car washes. Alexandra has also obtained donations from local businesses. Her leadership has furthered the education of local underprivileged children by providing over 1000 new backpacks filled with school supplies and weekly tutoring for children at an after-school program in Trenton. She has also led Kids-for-kids in supplying needed items to these children, including hundreds of pairs of new pajamas, t-shirts, socks, underwear, sneakers and baby supplies and four new rocking chairs for an infant day care center. Further, her leadership has provided holiday celebrations (Thanksgiving Luncheon, A Christmas Carol performance, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Day) for these children. Lastly, she organizes efforts to assist a local food pantry in running its pantry, including stocking shelves, assisting customers and preparing food for delivery and delivering food to homebound customers.

When faced with the obstacle of not being able to run Kids-for-Kids as an in-school community service group, Alexandra’s innovative leadership allowed her to meet educational and basic needs of local underprivileged children. She mobilized students not only at her own schools, but also at other schools, to establish chapters of Kids-for-Kids. Alexandra leads her high school chapter, with a student co-leader, and coordinates the efforts of the other six chapters in planning and running fund raisers, including the annual walk-a-thon, bake sales and car washes, and purchasing, filling and delivering backpacks to needy children. She also coordinates these chapters in providing weekly tutoring at an after-school program in Trenton. Alexandra’s leadership has allowed Kids-for-Kids to truly be a group of kids helping other kids in New Jersey.

Kevin O’Connor

Kevin O’Connor is an exceptionally dedicated and energetic person who generously gives his time to community service, while demonstrating an equal level of energy and enthusiasm in his professional life. A computer scientist at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport, RI, he serves as a mentor to junior employees and readily shares his experience and accomplishments with co-workers.

After work, Kevin switches gears to motivate and mentor children through sports. He started coaching youth sports teams when his own children began participating in the Newport Recreation Department, about eight years ago. Since then, he has coached hundreds of local children, ages 5 through 13, in youth sports programs including basketball, baseball and soccer.

Since he became involved, the number of travel teams at Newport Recreation has expanded from one to eight teams. He has doubled the female participation rate, broadened the geographic area served and diversified the athletic program by offering economically disadvantaged children the opportunity to participate in programs at no charge. He conducts numerous basketball clinics for kids and adults who need skill development.

Kevin initiated a fundraising basketball tournament which will be playing its fifth season this Thanksgiving. The $15,000 raised to date has been utilized to purchase equipment and uniforms and allowed the teams to play in tournaments in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

In recognition of his unparalleled dedication as coach, Kevin was selected as the Boston Celtics 2003-04 Junior NBA/Junior WNBA Coach of the Year, honored as one of the top youth coaches chosen from nearly 50,000 coaches in the U. S. and abroad. The Newport Daily News cited Kevin’s respectful treatment of players and the passion he brings to coaching.

In addition to the Newport Recreation teams, Kevin began coaching in Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball team in 2005 in nearby Jamestown, RI. The team made it to the Providence Diocesan Championship and went on to compete at the New England level. The following year, Kevin organized a new CYO basketball program in Newport, funded by the church.

One of the boys Kevin has coached is an at-risk youth and Kevin has become involved in his academic life by attending meetings at his school, helping him to set goals, lobbying for inclusion in various programs, and arranging and paying for a weekly tutor. He has gotten this boy involved in the CYO teams he coaches and includes him in activities with his own children at their schools so the boy can experience a different setting from the one he lives in.

Emma Lawrence

Emma Lawrence demonstrates a strong commitment to community service and has taken dedicated action to promote equality of international healthcare. Her commitment to engage fellow young people in public service began in middle school when she held benefit carnivals and bake sales to raise money for local charities. In high school, Emma founded International Volunteer Club (IVC), raising more than $5000 through student-led bake sales, silent auctions, and benefit dinners. Through IVC, Emma and another student spent the summer in San Carlos, Costa Rica volunteering in a school for mentally and physically handicapped children. Her efforts as an undergraduate student have reached far beyond the campus community, engaging other students and community members in a larger global perspective on social justice.

In the summer of 2006, Emma spent two months in Kumasi, Ghana, volunteering in an orphanage, teaching English in a primary school, and completing outreach medical work. At Kumasi’s local schools and orphanages, she witnessed countless children whose families lacked the knowledge and finances to acquire basic medical supplies and provide simple first aid treatment.

Frustrated by this severe inequality in international health care, Emma Co-founded Project HEAL, a 501©3 public health initiative based in Ghana, West Africa. Project HEAL aims to provide the fundamental knowledge and supplies needed to prevent basic infections and related health problems. Through Project HEAL, Emma works with other University of North Carolina students to provide individual kits of basic medical supplies, and hold school and community-based health education workshops.

Emma has dedicated herself fully to the development of Project HEAL. Her energy, passion and determination were instrumental in leading a successful month-long service trip in Ghana. At each workshop site, Project HEAL collaborated with a community leader or local health official, who provided translation from English to the local language. With local sustainability in mind, Project HEAL worked to empower these community leaders with the resources, support and supplies necessary to carry out community-directed services. With a focus on families who lacked the resources and knowledge to acquire basic medical supplies, Project HEAL distributed 750 kits of first aid supplies, and reached over 3000 individuals with their school and community-based workshops.

Emma is fully committed to engaging additional students in Project HEAL’s fundraising, awareness and advocacy efforts. Currently, she is exploring project sustainability options through service-learning initiatives and social activism organizations at UNC. In order to build community relationships and promote campus involvement, Project HEAL has become a “special project” of the UNC Campus Y. This summer, Emma is leading two, month-long service trips, with six UNC students participating in each trip.

Help4Kids

Help4Kids is an organization that relies on monetary donations, grants and contributions of items to assist the needy children of Horry County, SC. It is an all-volunteer organization in its 18th year of trying to make sure kids whose parents cannot provide everything they need receive food, clothing, school supplies, home furnishings and repairs, presents for making honor rolls and birthdays, and assistance with gaining college grants. Barbara Mains and Maria Limon faithfully make multiple trips, in a van that states it is Help4Kids, to the outlying areas of the county to check with the schools and to deliver needed supplies. Kids are identified by teachers and others as not having enough to eat when school is out during the summer.

Help4Kids was started after Hurricane Hugo in 1989 by Barbara Mains and Lee Dougherty who have faithfully served the needy children of Horry County for 18 years. Originally, a list was submitted to Help4Kids by the Health Nurse of Horry County, South Carolina. Since then, names are submitted by teachers at the schools and by people who know that assistance is needed. A check is made to make sure that the people do indeed require assistance. At times assistance has been extended to help elderly who are in need. Help4Kids relies on monetary donations in addition to contributions of food, clothing, school supplies during the year in addition to new backpacks and school supplies at the beginning of the school year, and home furnishings and repairs.

Volunteers deliver food to the homes of kids who have been identified as not having enough food. Even families who receive food stamps usually are out of food by the last week of the month. Seniors sometimes receive delivery, too. Lee Dougherty is the “Food Lady”. She works tirelessly to make sure there are enough food bags for all the families. There is no way to describe going to a house with food and seeing the faces of the children when they know they will not go to bed hungry.

Volunteers help paint, fix holes, and do simple repairs to make a child’s home safer. Betty Boohr, who is in charge of in-kind donations, does theme rooms for kids. She finds out what they like and decorates them a dream room. It makes a dark room cheerful and gives the kids a great place to sleep and study, especially when many have been sleeping on the floor with only one blanket.

If children have to go to school and stand out as different, they suffer low self-esteem, their grades are poor and it makes a big difference in their school year. They make sure they can go in with their heads held high with a new book bag, shoes, clothes and supplies. Help4Kids also furnishes field trips, pictures and other things that the mothers can’t afford. Rewards are given for good grades, improvement, behavior, and perfect attendance. School supplies are replenished each month. In addition, the group finds and brings back animals that have been abandoned or mistreated. Volunteers carry dog food in the van to feed dogs and cats.

Jaclyn Lacy Gyger

Jaclyn Lacy is sophomore at Hershey Christian School in Hershey, PA and has volunteered singing in her church choir before she could read and has kept active in her church, volunteering in choir, playing chimes, hand bells, lay reader, nursery, puppet ministry, being a youth advisor, delivering food, helping out in the kitchen with meals and cleaning up and various mission projects.

After the events of September 11th, she came up with a solution of her own to make a difference. In a short time she raised about $800 dollars, distributing it to her local Volunteer Fire Department, the Salvation Army and the American Red Cross.

Jaclyn Lacy volunteers at the Bethesda Mission, a homeless shelter, serving meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas days. She even got together with Toys-for-Tots and had them donate some toys so that she could hand them out to children coming to the shelter for Christmas dinner. She wanted to make sure each child received a Christmas gift. She has also helped out on their Mobile Mission where they meet at 10:00pm until 1:00am. They prepare hot meals where they stop at various places through the city of Harrisburg and provide those hot meals to the homeless on the streets. They also provide blankets, coats, socks, etc.

Because she has been touched by this shelter, she did a fast for about 40 hours to raise money. Her efforts earned $375 for her cause. But she didn’t stop there. Thinking of what else she could do, she contacted the Lieutenant Governor Katherine Baker-Knoll and organized a food drive throughout the capitol complex raising over 800 pounds of food for the shelter.

Working with her hometown at the Hummelstown Fire Company, she has helped with their doll shows, chicken barbecues, soup sales to ham-n-bean dinners to raise funds to benefit the Volunteer Fire Company. She also helps out with her local Police Department “Witch Watch” where she foot patrols the streets while children are “Trick or Treating” on Halloween to make sure they are safe.

She is also an American Red Cross Volunteer, and has made “Hygiene Kits” which includes toothbrush holders with toothbrush, soap dish, sponge, soaps, shampoo, cream rinse, tablet, pens, Chap Stick and a soft toy to be distributing for local fire victims.

Jaclyn Lacy is actively involved in helping with various Veterans organizations. She has created “GLACY’s Hero Blankets” to give to wounded Iraq War Veterans receiving treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, DC. She is actively involved with the 111th Fighter Wing Family Readiness Group, helping with their Family Day and Christmas Party by providing support with setting up, gift wrapping, games, crafts, face painting and cleaning up. She has collected books and videos to distribute to various Veteran’s Homes in Pennsylvania. Jaclyn Lacy has been helping out WHP580 with their “Support the Troops Rally” held at the Capitol, and helped raise funds for the Purple Heart.

Jaclyn Lacy continues to be active in multiple service activities. When asked why she volunteers she says: “I volunteer to help others no matter what their situation. I find it fun and personally rewarding, when I feel the gratitude and see the smiles gives me the hope and strength to continue volunteering regardless of how simple the act may seem.

Every time I help someone it makes me feel good about helping others, but more importantly it puts me in a position to make a difference in someone’s life. With each volunteer act that I do, I try to raise a level of my service. I am happy and proud to have made a difference in another’s life. The sense of accomplishment that I feel tells me that it was the right thing to do.”

“Coming together is the beginning…Keeping together is progress…Working together is success”

Tyson Cowles

Volunteering since he was 13, Tyson, “Ty,” originally worked in the commercial kitchen where he learned about Hospice. As he entered high school, Ty’s growing commitment to service pushed him into venturing into the patient kitchen, then into patients’ rooms. Ty now spends 3 nights a week after school holding the hands of the dying patients and conversing with their loved ones. He has the gift of presence, a skill which allows him to be with the patient and family, mind, body and soul. Tyson also brings his guitar to quietly play for those families who enjoy the soothing sounds of his music. Ty was a featured performer at the Hospice of Volusia Flagler’s inaugural variety show, a fund raiser where he performed a solo and played guitar. The charge nurse in the evenings considers Ty an integral part of the team that works in the care center at night, often calling him to visit a particular patient that needs the comfort of his presence. Ty’s caring spirit has certainly impacted many of the patients’ lives. His gentle way and listening ear provides much needed support at this pivotal time. His work with the homeless provides them a compassionate environment on a cold night.

Because he has a deeply rooted interest in helping the sick and also because his goal is to do medical missions work, Ty is committed to volunteering in a profound manner. In addition to his wonderful work at the Hospice, by the age of 17 Ty has already compiled an impressive volunteer record. During the summer of 2005, he went on a volunteer trip to help build a school in Costa Rica. In 2006 he went on a medical mission to Guyana and in December 06 he spent three weeks on a medical mission to Africa, where he worked in AIDS clinics and AIDS orphanages. He regularly volunteers for Halifax Urban Ministries’ “Room at the Inn” providing food and shelter for the homeless on cold nights, often spending the entire night as his school schedule allows. He is president of his church’s youth group and president of the GFA (God First Always) club at Spruce Creek High School.

Ty has an impressive volunteer resume, but it is made even more impressive because of his young age. As other teens shop the mall and worry about material possessions, Ty is focused on helping others, especially those facing the end of life. Ty’s goal is to become a registered nurse so that he can continue to do medical missions. Ty has a caring spirit and commitment to service, and his willingness to do the tough jobs.

Cherie Branson

The Community Health Clinic is a volunteer nonprofit clinic that serves people who are uninsured in an eight county area. Cherie Branson is a nurse practitioner who volunteers at the Community Health Clinic of Joplin, MO.

Cherie gave 208 hours of her time in 2007. She volunteers for the Monday Adult Clinic, Thursday Adult Clinics and Tuesday Med refills clinic.

The Community Clinic of Joplin has a dispensary where they dispense medicines for patients who cannot afford them. For the med refill clinics, the staff must have a doctor or nurse practitioner present in case a patient is having problems with their medicines or having blood pressure problems etc. Cherie always rallies to the cause.

Cherie has a great compassion for people and a desire to help people in need of medical care who cannot otherwise afford it. She takes the time to listen and really see what their needs and health situations are.

Cherie lost her husband in a tragic accident a few years ago, but has carried on with dignity, still feeling the need and desire to care for the less fortunate. Many patients’ health has improved and their lives are onto a brighter future because of our volunteer nurse practitioner, Cherie Branson.

Kathleen Andrews

For over 8 years, Kathleen has been volunteering with the hospice. With the utmost professionalism, Kathleen recruits and places volunteers as well as any staff member could. She sits at the front desk in the care center on Wednesday, greeting families and visitors with the warmth and consideration they deserve. Kathleen recruits volunteers for various projects and committees, patiently spending hours on the phone explaining the projects and scheduling volunteers. Kathleen manages the guardian angel program which is a group of highly trained and dedicated volunteers who sit at the bedside of patients who are alone. Kathleen managed the tree of remembrance fund raiser during the Christmas season.

Kathleen headed up the service committee for our first variety show, taking on the responsibility of finding a venue, planning the meal service and following through with a dedicated group of volunteers she recruited to host, seat and work backstage the night of the show. She manages our bi-annual community memorial service, recruiting volunteers to work before, during and after the service. In addition, she visits patients in their homes, works fund raising events and community awareness fairs. She was the first volunteer chosen to represent all Hospice of Volusia/Flagler volunteers on the volunteer advisory board.

Kathleen’s professionalism coupled with her caring heart makes her the ideal spokesperson for hospice. Not only does she personally touch the lives of patients and families, but through her tireless efforts to place other volunteers, she indirectly impacts hundreds of families. If all of this was not enough, Kathleen is also extremely active within her community. She is involved with her church’s bereavement ministry and along with her husband John, helps facilitate grief groups. She is also involved with Eucharistic ministry and hosts memorial services.

Elizabeth Fields

Elizabeth Fields volunteers because she genuinely cares about helping the people she works with and the organizations that they are a part of. When Elizabeth was five years old, she had her tonsils out at Children’s Medical Center. She remembers all of her family and friends coming to visit her to bring her lots of balloons. She was sad because the boy next door who was suffering from a more serious illness did not have any visitors, including his parents. She walked over to his room and gave him all of her balloons. This epitomizes the caring and giving nature that Elizabeth always displays. It was then she told her mother she wanted to help out at the hospital. When kids have their Bar or Bat Mitzvah, they usually get a lot of very nice presents. Elizabeth did not want anything except money to donate to help others. She raised over $2,000 for families at Children’s Medical Center who needed specialized car seats as well as baby formula for families who could not afford it. Elizabeth also raised over $3,000 for Golden Acres, a home for Jewish Seniors.

The summer after Elizabeth’s eighth grade year, she wanted to start volunteering at the CHAI (Community Homes for Adults) House, in which she works with mentally challenged people. This nonprofit organization tries to help its residents live an independent life in which they can reach their potential. Elizabeth has two older cousins who are both mentally challenged, and she felt this was a good way to indirectly connect with them. When she walked into the CHAI house for an interview, one of the residents named Charlie, who was very reserved and did not socialize with many people at all, without hesitation, gave Elizabeth a hug after she greeted him when she walked in. Immediately, she was told she could volunteer. Originally, she was only supposed to volunteer once every two weeks.

Last year, Elizabeth started a book club at the CHAI House that meets twice a month. Elizabeth has kept this book club running for over a year, and she plans for it to continue when she goes to college. She is very active with this organization, and yet she still finds time to tutor and mentor students from a poor school in south Dallas in a program called STAIRS.

STAIRS was formed to provide two services. First it was started to help provide tutoring sessions once a month for the middle school kids who attend St. Anthony’s. Second, it was to provide these kids exposure to the Dallas private schools, and to help encourage them to apply to these schools if interested. Elizabeth is one of the most active volunteers, and the kids really seem to connect with her. The group used to get two or three 8th graders from St. Anthony School to apply to Greenhill. This year all students in the 8^th grade are applying and many want to apply because of the connection they have made with Elizabeth.