Bridie McNamara
Bridie McNamara is a lifelong volunteer and regularly uses vacation time to carry out her volunteer activities. Bridie dedicates anywhere between 15-20 hours per month to volunteering and is currently involved in five organizations.
Bridie has been administering the sacrament of communion to the sick at St. Joseph’s Hospital every Sunday for the past ten years. She also participated in a walkathon for “Lori’s Room”—a room available in St. Joseph’s Hospital for families dealing with cancer.
Bridie devotes at least five hours each month to provide nutritious meals for the homeless population in the Greater Toronto Area through Meals on Wheels. She also spends every Christmas day volunteering for Meals on Wheels.
In 2007, Bridie participated in more than 12 volunteer events organized through SAP, including 5 “Home for Dinner” events where Bridie served dinner to patrons of the Ronald McDonald House. In addition, Bridie also delivers toys to Toronto’s Ronald McDonald House every Christmas, outside of SAP.
To date, Bridie has donated blood over 90 times through Canadian Blood Services, sticking by her personal commitment to give blood every 60 days.
Every year for the past five years, Bridie participates in the annual “Walk for the Cure” to raise money and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society. In 2007, Bridie raised over $50,000.
Families have been touched spiritually at St. Joseph’s Hospital through Bridie’s service and physically through her community involvement with Meals on Wheels. In addition, children who are ill as well as their families have received respite and some enjoyment through Bridie’s volunteer work with the Ronald McDonald House. She has also helped raise money to find a cure and promote more awareness of cancer.
Bridie is unique because she just will not stop! For over a decade, Bridie has completely immersed herself in giving back to the community in which she lives.
Thomas Galizia
“No” is not an answer Tom Galizia understands. When he wants something done, he finds a way to get it done. It is this tenacity and drive that have helped to put his work on behalf of the Multiple Sclerosis Society in a class all its own. Under his leadership, Deloitte’s support of the organization has gone from a de-centralized effort driven by a few passionate individuals across the country, to a well-organized team of professionals lending their business skills, physical abilities and financial support to drive unprecedented results for the organization and those it serves.
Although he has always valued the importance of community service, Tom’s true passion was sparked by some devastating news he received in 2003. A childhood friend in her twenties had passed away from complications of Multiple Sclerosis. The news ignited Tom’s deep and lasting commitment to help the National MS Society drive cutting-edge research for prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure. As he often says when discussing his devotion to the cause, “there was no real reason she was dealt those cards and I was dealt a different set. This is a disease that could impact any one of us.”
Tom immediately began working to raise funds for the organization, but knew he could be doing more. So he joined the National MS Society Northern California board. In this role, Tom helped to significantly grow participation in the annual Bike MS ride and increase interest and financial support for the cause. Not more than three years after coming on board, Tom’s efforts to galvanize support within Deloitte helped to grow the company’s participation in the local race from 10 to 80 cyclists, increasing their financial contribution from $18,000 to $60,000 in 2007! As a result, the 2007 Bay Area ride was able to raise a total of $1.3 million, breaking the million dollar mark for the first time in its history.
Although helping to grow the MS Ride was a priority for Tom, it still wasn’t enough. As a professional services organization, Deloitte’s greatest asset is its intellectual capital. As such, Tom felt that the best way for the company to make a significant impact would be to use the business skills of its people to help the local MS Society chapter operate more efficiently and effectively.
He began using IMPACT Day, Deloitte’s organization-wide annual day of volunteering, as an opportunity to lead skills-based volunteer projects with his local MS Society chapter. From conducting a review of the organization’s operations to working on the relocation process for their chapter headquarters, Tom’s IMPACT Day project teams made it their mission to do for the MS Society what they would do for any business client; build a high-performing company that gets results.
However, even with all of the outcomes Tom was helping to achieve, he knew that his personal commitment on a local level was no match for what could be achieved with the strength of all Deloitte’s US Firms behind him. So, he began investigating Deloitte’s nationwide involvement with the MS Society. At the time, 146 Deloitte employees in eight offices across the country were riding on Bike MS teams and had raised $51,462. In addition, he learned that there were 12 Deloitte Partners/Directors/Senior Managers sitting on local MS Society boards nationwide.
Armed with this information, he took it upon himself to “rally the troops,” calling a national meeting of all the Deloitte professionals serving on local MS Society boards in 2006. Together, the group worked to hone their objectives and brainstorm more effective ways to gain visibility for the cause and leverage Deloitte in their support.
Putting MS in competition with all the other causes garnering the attention and support of his colleagues across the country was no easy feat. But, as Tom would say, “you have to bulldog it to make it happen.” And, that is exactly what he and his national team of MS Society supporters did.
Working to build senior leadership commitment and client support, Tom and his team actively found ways to demonstrate the business benefits of supporting the MS Society. From helping to design Bike MS jerseys that would reflect the Deloitte brand in communities across the country to tying the rides in with Deloitte’s Health & Fitness movement to building a nationwide community of team captains; they worked tirelessly to gain buy-in for the campaign.
In the end, all of their hard work paid off. From 2003 to 2007, Deloitte’s nationwide participation in Bike MS has gone from eight teams (146 riders) to 28 teams (616 riders), raising their financial contribution to the MS Society from $51,462 to $333,946. As a result, in 2007, Deloitte was the first professional services organization to receive the Corporate Star Award, the MS Society’s highest honor.
In the end, what began for Tom as a heartfelt interest inspired by the loss of a friend, has grown into an all-encompassing passion to find a cure for a disease that affects millions. As he would say “It started for her, but as soon as you become a light for someone around an issue, you become a beacon that attracts others.”
Now Chairman of his local MS Society board and an advisor to the national board, Tom campaigns for all of the people he knows with MS, and continues to look for new ways to grow Deloitte’s national support. While “MS” now stands for Multiple Sclerosis, Tom’s ultimate goal is to one day change that definition into “Mission Solved.” And based on his unique brand of energy, collaborative spirit and boundless perseverance, he may well find a way to make that happen.
Maria La Torre
Maria La Torre has focused her volunteer efforts in the GE focus areas of Education and the Environment.
Maria developed/organized weekly hands-on 4th grade science lessons to support classroom curriculum & NYS teaching standards for the Yates Elementary School “Hands on Science” program. She recruited GE teams to execute lessons throughout the year & run a year-end Great Yates Science Fair. Within a few years, the inner-city school went from being on NY’s list of Schools Needing Improvement to the list of Rapidly Improving Schools. Large gains in science scores & aptitude were evident. In her 6th year of running the program, Maria successfully transitioned leadership to a co-worker so she could focus on new education initiatives. Because of the outstanding foundation Maria built, the program continues to thrive.
Maria led a GE Volunteers initiative to put on science demonstrations for hundreds of students (& parents) at the NY State Museum for National Chemistry Week. She developed demonstrations, recruited volunteer teams, & after 2 successful years, transitioned leadership to a GE colleague who continues to run the program today
Maria is a founder & key volunteer leader for a GRC environmental group called “we c…green” which “promotes environmental awareness & facilitates change in our community & workplace.”
Within GE, Maria also has made a significant environmental impact through her volunteer leadership & drive. Maria works with the on-site food & lodging service to reduce waste and conserve energy from GE’s cafeteria & on-site hotel, the Lodge. In the last year, they began recycling bottles/cans from catering operations, switched to re-useable silverware & dishes (preventing nearly 350,000 plastic utensils from entering landfills), & replaced 119,000 Styrofoam plates with biodegradable ones. They also implemented a voluntary Lodge program to reduce laundering of guest linens, reducing water, electricity, & detergent usage. Across GRC, Maria is responsible for collecting more than 630 used sneakers that would have gone to landfills, & instead have been reclaimed for playground material.
Maria is truly a person with heart. Whether it’s inspiring students or assuring the most fragile butterfly has a habitat to call home, her passion for education and the environment resonates in the innovative programs she has developed for students and the community such as the “Hands on Science” program and Great Yates Science Fair. An extraordinary leader, Maria gives a tremendous amount of her time and talent to the programs she supports. Her impact is evident in the students’ improved science and aptitude scores.
Maria feels she has learned from her students as well. “They have taught me many lessons, far more than I have taught them,” says Maria, “They have taught me about perseverance and survival.”
Mary Ann McElhiney
Connecticut’s Hartford communities have been blessed by the passion and commitment of Mary Ann McElhiney to help those in need. She has volunteered hundreds of hours of her time on a yearly basis to local nonprofit organizations. She is an inspiration and civic leader to those around her; putting the needs of others before her own and demanding nothing but the best for the organization she serves.
Marisol Rodriguez-Colon, who works with the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, is the first to admit that everyone depends on Mary Ann. Working with ill and injured children, every situation is different and “she has the special ability to understand the needs of the families and children she supports on the weekly basis.” It is the Children’s Medical Center that Mary Ann is a buddy to children in need, filling the gaps of time when their parents are unable to be by their sides. Many children are burdened with extensive medical equipment; but with love, attention and sometimes just a good cuddle, Mary Ann strives to make them feel normal and alive.
Mary Ann’s compassion stretches to numerous other organizations and she rightfully displays a sense of pride and accomplishment in every volunteer hour she gives. She is an active member of the Aetna Volunteer Council, participating in many Aetna-sponsored events such as the Connecticut Food Bank’s turkey drive for families in need. She has participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, worked at the Traveler’s Championships concession stand, volunteered for a Day of Caring, sold pins for the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign, filled backpacks with school supplies for Families in Crisis and has given her time to the American Red Cross Blood Drive. Also, she dedicates one day a month to delivering Meals on Wheels and serves as a contact to collect funds for National Accounts monthly Dress Down for a Cause.
Mary Ann is an inspiration and true leader to those around her, organizing her coworkers service for many efforts, including the sponsorship of a family for Christmas through the Women’s and Children’s Abuse Shelter. In 2006 she served as the project leader and contact for an Aetna-sponsored diaper drive to benefit the New Haven Diaper Bank, helping to collect over 1,400 diapers/wipes for the local charity and other families it serves. Joanne Goldblum, the New Haven’s Diaper Bank president said, Mary Ann has made quite an impression, going above and beyond the expectations of a volunteer. “She’s just got that spark that is contagious…you can really see that she is there for the right reasons, enjoying doing good for her community.”
According to fellow Aetna employee Beth Kostka, if it wasn’t for Mary Ann’s leadership, guidance and coordinating of events, Aetna’s Middletown campus would not have as many volunteers as it does today. She is committed and respected for her tireless efforts to be of service to her community.
Rathish Balakrishman
Rathish Balakrishnan is the Editor-in-Chief of Sattva, a monthly e-magazine focusing on the social sector in Karnataka. Every month, Sattva focuses on one topic related to social sector and showcases work done by individuals and organizations that are beyond the focus of mass media. In addition to covering organizations, they invite experts on the topic to share their views and also collate information that can be used in daily life around the topic of interest.
Rathish has been part of Sattva since its inception in 2006 and has played a key role in setting up the editorial team and in the day-to-day research and editorial activities. He has been part of each of Sattva’s 23 issues so far.
In addition, he volunteers regularly with various organizations in Bangalore as part of weekend voluntary activities.
One of the key challenges in the social sector in India today is to bring together organizations that are making a sustainable difference and individuals who want to contribute to the society. Sattva addresses this need by researching various organizations and showcasing the work they do.
To quote one specific instance—an orange seller in one of the remote villages in India started a school using his lifelong savings. His story was covered in Sattva. Recently, Rathish received a call from the orange seller that a philanthropist from the US visited him in the village and has provided substantial financial aid to improve his school infrastructure.
Organizations that have listed volunteer opportunities in Sattva receive part-time and full-time volunteers, most of who are new to Bangalore and were looking for ways to contribute to the society.
Today, Sattva has an active subscriber base of 4,000 and since it is an online magazine, it has readers from all over the world.
David Harmon
Best Buy employee David Harmon has volunteered as both a coach and league representative for the Maple Valley Junior Football Association based in Washington State and has been dedicated to providing guidance for young boys and girls ages 8-13. He has been able to provide a focus for the organization through development of an executive board that provides organizational and facility resources to further positive social and physical development and conditioning of youth through a program of athletics for boys and girls. This Nominee has also been the ongoing voice for the association and has worked endlessly to provide the funding for kids that otherwise could not have taken part of the experience due to financial restraints. With passion in his voice David has said, “My wife and I have never let money stand in the way of letting any kid play football that is why I go from business to business asking for funding or scholarships in order to make sure every kid can take part.”
The need for David from the community was overwhelming when he started his volunteer work with the Maple Valley Junior Football Association because there were not a lot of positive outlets for kids to reach out to after school. Many of extracurricular activities, including athletic programs were being cut from schools due to funding. David wanted to find a way to get the kids off the streets and to redirect their energy into something that the community could benefit from.
This nominee has made a tremendous impact on the youth that he has worked with through his volunteerism. He has been devoted to instilling the highest moral and ethical standards to kids in his community by demonstrating to them what good sportsmanship includes. This will help the youth develop self-confidence and respect, grow as citizens in their community, realize that physical fitness and wellbeing are conditions to be achieved and maintained, and aid in whatever measures possible for the development of their capacities for leadership and responsible use of such capacities in their communities. David also taught youth that education is a fundamental part of their wellbeing by requiring them to bring their report cards to practice and although everyone has a job on the team, leadership roles are based upon the youth’s overall GPA.
At Best Buy teens are obviously import to our business. But we also recognize how important they are to our community, to our society, to our world. So we’re taking advantage of the unique relationships we already have with teens, by virtue of who we are as a company and what we do, to listen to them, support them, help provide opportunities for them, when too few others are. Everyone is well aware of the great need teens have for support and opportunities to learn, to contribute and lead, to develop life skills and relate to others. And we often hear too much bad news about illegal activity, drugs, sex, and poor school performance. But we believe in teens. Not just because they will someday be adults, but because they have special power to do great things and make the world better. Our mission is to recognize and understand that power. Not direct it, but fuel it. As a Best Buy employee David Harmon was not only able to get attention for what he was doing for the youth in his community but also was able to receive funding for the Maple Valley Junior Football Association from Best Buy. His dedication in providing a positive after school outlet for kids is demonstrated by over 220 hours of community service, as well as his continued commitment to keep this program up and running. David will continue his experience well into the next year and plans one taking the front line once again in making sure that no child or teen is ever left behind.
Christy V. Conk
Christy is a Cast Member in Animal Program at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Through her role at Disney, Christy takes care of animals, however, when she volunteers she is working to strengthen and help children with disabilities through the HeRD (Horses for Riders with Disabilities) organization.
Christy not only cares for the facility’s horses, but she is heavily involved with instructing students with various disabilities to improve their verbal skills, motor function, thought processing as well as many other life skills. It takes creativity, innovation and ingenuity to stimulate people to want to learn and it is even more of a challenge for people with disabilities.
Christy sets aside Thursdays to work with HeRD where she puts her psychology degree to use in developing lesson plans for nearly 60 students to help develop their skills. Because of Christy’s involvement, twelve of these students went to the Florida State Special Olympics—competing on horseback.
In addition to her work with HeRD, Christy serves as a board member of Friends of Lake Louisa, a citizen-run organization supporting Lake Louisa State Park. Christy not only serves on the board but also teaches local students how to identify and protect local butterflies.
Christy helps to maintain the parks Butterfly Garden and has even cleaned a stretch of highway outside the park. She has organized a children’s conservation activity for the park’s annual “field day.”
Through all of her volunteer efforts, Christy is inspiring children, either to become better advocates for the environment or to develop needed skills, confidence and self-esteem.
Because of Christy’s volunteer service listed above, she was selected as Walt Disney World’s 2008 Disney VoluntEAR of the Year. She alone received five separate nominations from her peers in Animal Programs and Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Cedar Rapids GE Volunteers Council
From the nominator:
“Many of us are aware of the unfortunate disaster that struck the heart of Iowa at the beginning of June. In times like these, the magnitude of the tragedy often overshadows the brave work of local volunteers who are on the ground assisting those in need. GE would like to highlight and applaud the efforts of our fellow GE employees in the Cedar Rapids area who rose to the challenge in support of their coworkers and community.
On Thursday June 12th, despite severe obstacles such as weather, closed roads and dangerous conditions, GE employees in the area sprang into action
After the GE Commercial Finance leadership team in the Cedar Rapids had enacted the site disaster recovery plan and contacted each employee, concern then shifted toward how to help affected employees recover from the flood.
Krista Neumann, IKON Financial, and her husband spent Thursday night filling and placing sandbags for the Cedar Rapids Water Department. Their efforts helped to save a water well—the only one in Cedar Rapids that would survive the flood. From there, they moved to Mercy Hospital where they helped until 3 am. Volunteer firefighter Joseph Honn, GE Commercial Finance, awoke Friday morning and jumped in a boat to do rescue operations with other volunteers. That day, his crew assisted six people and six animals that had been trapped in their homes by the swiftly rising water.
GE Volunteers began to help as soon as people could re-enter their homes. Among the top priorities were to retrieve belongings and “muck”, shoveling flood debris and mud out of homes. Later, GE volunteers helped to remove drywall and floorboards.
Thus far, the Cedar Rapids site has volunteered over 900 hours on behalf of GE Volunteers and hundreds more individually. Though the worst may be over, it will be a long time before the greater Cedar Rapids area will recover from the floods of 2008. As the citizens of Iowa try to piece their lives back together, there is no doubt that GE employees will be there with them every step of the way.
Nicole Lindsey, GE Commercial Finance, one of the benefactors of the relief effort said, “With all of the devastation in my home, I didn’t think that an afternoon of GE Volunteers would put much of a dent in the work needed. I couldn’t have been more wrong.” By the end of the day, Nicole had been assisted by volunteers across five different GE departments.
GE Volunteers also assisted the City of Cedar Rapids—building a database of flood-damaged homes, cataloging artifacts for the African American Museum, answering phones at United Way 2-1-1, manning concessions at fundraisers and caring for displaced pets at a temporary animal shelter. Employees also volunteered their time outside of GE Volunteers events, mucking local houses and businesses, cleaning up debris and doing everything they could to help their community.”
Cynthia Ward
ALS is a progressive neurological disease that robs its victims of their ability to walk, talk, swallow and eventually breathe. Cynthia Ward is dedicated to the fight against ALS and uses her time and talents to assist with the Annual KAK ALS Golf Outing and Auction as well as other nonprofits and activities that enrich the lives of others in her community.
The ALS Association is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated solely to the fight against ALS. It provides support and resources for the more than 30,000 ALS patients within the United States, their families and caregivers for free of charge. It also supports research into treatment and a cure.
Since 2001, Ward has single-handedly coordinated and hosted the Annual KAK ALS Golf Outing and Auction in honor of her Aunt Kak, a victim of ALS. Her efforts are tireless. Committed to drawing little assistance from the ALS Association so that it can focus on serving those stricken by the disease, Ward attains the cooperation of business, country clubs and other organizations; and recruits and organizes logistics for more than 80 golfers. Her enthusiasm is contagious. Ward’s husband, John Ward, says he knows firsthand how effective she is at luring family, friends and colleagues to support the cause. The result is an impressive event that brings needed aid to the ALS Association of Greater Philadelphia.
All funds raised by the KAK ALS Golf Outing and Auction help those afflicted lead better quality lives by, for example, providing transportation so they can leave the house even if they cannot drive; treatment centers and medical equipment so they receive proper medical care; assistive technology so they can communicate, even if they can no longer talk; research into a cure so they can have hope; and home care so they are safe and comfortable in their homes, and their loved ones can take badly-needed breaks from 24-7 care.
Ward’s colleagues at Aetna marvel that despite the hundreds of hours she dedicates to ALS, she always finds the time to assist others in their own charitable efforts. Causes relating to brain damage and local soup kitchens have benefited from Ward’s compassion and energy. Furthermore, she brings genuine enthusiasm and dedicates real great effort to encourage youth to get involved in society. According to Julie McKeever with the ALS Association, “she doesn’t talk about what should be done, she just does it; and in doing so is an example to others!”
Sadly, Ward’s Aunt Kak succumbed to ALS. Ward’s hugely compassionate response, however, has bestowed the highest honor on the beloved member of her family; Aunt Kak was the inspiration that brought out the best in another human being.
Lane Reul
Lane Reul is well known in Missoula, MT for unselfish dedication and service to the citizens of the state of Montana through the Missoula Police Department.
Lane has shown dedication and sacrifice which have exemplified citizenship. Lane is a Missoula citizen volunteer who has been involved with the Missoula Police Anti- Graffiti Task Force for over 10 years. In the past, this program has set the standard in quick response to graffiti sites and eradication of unsightly graffiti. For many people, often times the elderly, the service has been the only means of dealing with graffiti on their homes or businesses. The immediate eradication of unsightly graffiti helps quell the fears that graffiti can instill in the community.
Lane has coordinated with officers in the Crime Prevention Department to keep the Anti-Graffiti Task Force vibrant. He tirelessly tackled the graffiti problem in the City by eradicating graffiti wherever it was encountered, singlehandedly. Without adequate funding, he sought donations wherever he could find them. More recently, the task force has added a new volunteer, and has received grants and donations to help fund expenses. In 2006, Lane processed 190 graffiti sites. This number exceeded the total number of the previous five years combined!
Lane is always ready with paint and roller in his truck and looks for sites that had not yet been reported; his patience never wavers. When his task is done, it sometimes would have to be repeated as vandals crept back during the night, undoing his work. Lane always returns undaunted to rid the City of the unwanted vandals’ paint. His work even gained recognition from the vandals themselves, who would leave messages for “The Grayman,” as they named him, for his use of gray paint to cover graffiti under bridges and elsewhere. For his work, the citizens of Missoula can never be grateful enough. Lane has spent countless hours of his time over the years providing his services. The Missoula PD salutes Lane Reul!
