Nadia Serhani

This is Nadia Serhani’s service story:

“Poverty can lead to unthinkable things. After returning from a military training camp where I met a lot of Iraqi refugees, I could not sit and watch as the world goes hungrier and poorer. But because of logistics, I was not able to help war victims as I would have loved to; rather I decided to help the needy in my own native country, Morocco. Sending a child to school, a child who has nothing and seeing their smile as they open their backpacks and touch that pencil and dream of better future is the best feeling one can live with and live to see…If you do not impact this world, even one person, to become better, then you lived an empty life…this is how I personally see it.

With fellow Moroccans, we decided to create the Morocco Foundation to become the first US-based non-profit to officially send charitable help to the needy in Morocco. Rural schools benefit the most, sending more girls to school by donating free school supplies, winter apparel and sponsoring food for the orphans. Also, we support disabled children from low and no income families, in partnership with US organization we were able to donate 200 custom-made wheelchairs to children suffering from cerebral palsy. Now we are so excited to raise funds to set up the first and only wheelchairs assembly facility in Morocco and North Africa but need money. We are all volunteers and would love to obtain funding for this project, since the need is overwhelming to the point, where thousands of people across the country are on waiting lists and the country’s main facility can only produce 4 a month at best.

Now, people with disabilities in Morocco, with special cases, when there are emergencies, remote schools, educational programs for girls and orphans all know the Morocco Foundation. People are willing to help but most of us cannot afford the financial costs of certain projects. We have volunteers pouring in from all over the world inspired by our 100% philanthropic model where no money exchanges hands and nobody gets a payout. We do what we do for the sake of saving lives, giving hopes, opening doors, putting smiles on faces, showing that nothing is impossible…We do what we do for the love of humanity and our compassion towards our fellow humans. We just are lucky to have landed in the US, what if we were the one in need of assistance for being born disable, poor, orphaned? As a survivor myself, I feel grateful and forever in debt for being alive. So this is truly just a little bit of giving back.”

Melissa Wall & Robin Moylan

“Dr. Harben was our vet for 3 years and we saw a strong need to further assist him in any way we could. He has a thriving practice with one vet tech. Both extremely kind and willing to educate anyone that walks into their office, we found out that he had throat cancer in early 2008. When he went through the first few rounds of radiation it almost killed him. We tried to help the vet tech in any way we could to keep the doors open for Dr. Harben. It took nearly 2 months before he was able to come back to his practice; however we were and still are happy to assist.

Some of our duties are painting, assisting the vet in the clinic, the exam prep room and with shots, giving an animal’s history to the doctor and assisting in surgeries. We also clean kennels, exam rooms, waiting areas, the horse stall and the parking lot. There is also a need to pick up trash, weed and help to maintain the exterior of the building. In addition, we restock surgical supplies, let the tech know what to order for medications, answer phones and prep rabies certificates.

Dr. Harben also needed assistance with regards to his wife. We helped to provide extra information on his wife’s Parkinson’s disease process and bring him homemade food during his clinic. We also carry oxygen tanks for Dr. Harben from his vehicle to the clinic and prep the records for all new patients.

Dr. Harben has been hospitalized twice since his diagnosis. Both of his lungs have collapsed and he has gone through chemotherapy. Dr. Harben is 74 years old and we are happy that he is still alive and we are able to help him with his practice.

Since we have updated his clinic while he was in recovery, he has seen more patients come into his practice by word of mouth or from other existing patients. Dr. Harben has been grateful for everything that we can do for him, his wife and his vet tech. We spread the word in our community about his cancer and we had several volunteers come in and help us update and repair his office. We were able to get a new roof on his building so he could get insurance for the first time in almost 15 years!

We are happy to be able to give back to him after all he has done for us and the entire community. He is the type of man that has NEVER asked for help, no matter how bad he needs it. He always thinks about his own family in the back of his mind, while he is away from home. He never thinks of himself.

Find a need in your community and let your heart follow. It is the best thing we have ever done, and we will continue to do it. Someone somewhere, will ALWAYS need help. What you get out of it, is that you can walk away with pride and know that you just bettered someone’s life.”

Mary Brummet

Be inspired to serve by Mary Brummet’s volunteer story:

“I volunteer at Council on Aging’s Adult day care weekly and encourage other Chain Reaction volunteers to do the same and I serve on the Board of Directors for Council on Aging. I am the President of Chain Reaction, the local teen volunteer center, and I serve on the Chain Reaction Advisory Council that meets once a week to better the program.

I do it because I love the feeling. I love walking into the day care for Alzheimer patients and being called by name to go talk with them. I love that they know who I am and look forward to my visits. I love making them happy, even if it is only for that hour and a half. I love knowing that I can better my city while I am young. I think that Chain Reaction is an awesome program that gets teens fired up about helping their community and I feel lucky to be a part of this organization. When I help someone else out it makes me feel complete. I cannot think of a better way to spend my time. Senior Citizens are not always the most cared for or thought of. I enjoy being that person that does think about them and wants to help in any way I possibly can. Time is the greatest gift a person can give.

I think that it makes a big difference for the people at Council on Aging. I think having a teen on the board of directors that is willing to volunteer in any way possible can make a job easier. I also think that it helps the families who send their loved ones to the adult day care. I feel that the other teens and I do so much for them, whether it is very visible or not. Chain Reaction works wonders for the community. It is involved in almost every aspect of Pensacola. I am very fortunate to be the President of a group that has over 900 teens.

I have learned above all how to love others that are less fortunate than you. That has always been something I have been taught, but to actually live it is completely different. To serve someone else is a wonderful feeling. To give my time to those who, otherwise, would spend their time counting down the hours to get picked up makes me feel so useful. I know now that I want to spend the rest of my life serving others in any way I can. It has made me a better person and a harder worker.

I volunteer five times a week. I volunteer Monday-Friday at the Chain Reaction office as the president. On Wednesdays I leave early to go volunteer with the senior citizens at the Adult Day Care. On Thursdays the teens that are on the Advisory Council come in as well.

I would tell them how happy it has made me for the past four years. I would tell them how it has changed my life and the way I think. It has helped me realize that we all come from different places and have different beliefs, but we should still stick together and love one another. I would tell them that they may not understand what I mean but if they give it a shot they could learn as much as I have. Service isn’t something that is hard to do; all it takes is giving a little bit of your time to do something selfless for someone else. It is easy and it the most rewarding act someone could do.”

Mary Ferguson

Please read an inspiring volunteer story about Mary Ferguson, RN.:

“Ms. Mary Doris Ferguson, RN, a resident of our lovely city of Chesapeake, lives in and cares for our community with such a big heart! Ms. Ferguson has been a Chesapeake resident and a nurse for 48 years and is a very involved member of our community. After the disasters of 9/11, President Bush challenged all Americans to volunteer in support of our country. The Medical Reserve Corps started as a “call to action” for Americans to volunteer—Ms. Ferguson responded.

Giving of her time and talents is not new to Ms. Ferguson—her volunteer roles are many and diverse. A versatile individual with many interests, she volunteers with the Chesapeake Master Gardeners, the Butterfly Society of Virginia, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center Auxiliary and the Chesapeake Medical Reserve Corps. Her assignments range from providing public education about plants, butterflies and their food and habitats; administering flu shots and health risk appraisals; staffing the front desk at the hospital; registering volunteers; assisting the Chesapeake Health Department in assigning staff for a “Full Scale Exercise for a Bioterrorism Attack.” She recently responded to an urgent impromptu request and provided Executive Assistant support to the Chesapeake City Manager’s office.

Ms. Ferguson is truly proud of the CMRC unit and is an exemplary recruiter for new members. She continually speaks and reaches out to colleagues, friends and family members about the importance of the role of the Chesapeake Medical Reserve Corps as a recognized asset in our fair city. She is an extremely committed individual, action oriented and cares very much how she performs her duties. Ms. Ferguson continues to be a very productive member and strong leader in the unit, no matter how large or small the assignment and has attracted long standing members to continue to be engaged and strongly support the mission of the Chesapeake Medical Reserve Corps of Emergency Preparedness and Response and Public Health support! She was instrumental in the CMRC unit receiving the City’s Proclamation for “Chesapeake Medical Reserve Corps Day” on April 30, 2008. This was a “first” for Chesapeake and Virginia!”

Lovely Frantz

“We were not able to have anything the Christmas of 1999. My mother, a friend and I went to the mall and have seen the guard standing for the Toys For Tots organization in Michigan. I have a letter for Santa Clause because I was only 7 years old at that time. Instead of giving it to Santa Clause, I dropped it to the Toys for Toys collection jar for donation mistakenly. Couple of days later we were invited to attend the toy drive. I was given so many toys and a turkey for Christmas dinner. It became an inspiration to me that there are people that really care.

A year after, I asked my principal at my school if he could help me organize a toy drive for Toys For Tots. My mother helped me do the flyers for the parents and other students brought an unwrapped toy for the needy children in the neighborhood. The school had contacted the Marines from Selfridge Airbase, who sponsor a toy drive every year, for permission and the city mayor’s office was also notified. The teachers in my academy sent my letter for the Oakland Press newspaper.

The toy drive was very successful. We collected so many toys and we had the Marines pick it up to be donated to the needy in the area. I feel good and I have more confidence that if I put my head and heart into something good, the feeling is priceless, that I did something. In fact, I was given a Certificate of Appreciation by the Marines and so with the City Mayor in Pontiac, MI. We were residing there before then and I was born in Michigan. We just moved here in Indiana summer of 2008. Last Christmas, I led my class in collecting can goods and money so we can help people that are really in need. It was successful and I’m planning to volunteer more with my mother. That’s why we found this, for we are looking for a good cause that we can help with our service for we don’t have money to contribute. My Dad is disabled and my mother takes care of him while taking online classes. I am currently a freshman student. My mother is getting her Masters in Psychology. When she graduates, she is looking forward to helping those with mental illnesses.”

Michael Murry, Ph.D.

Francesca Enea

Francesca Enea is a junior student athlete for the University of Florida. Her passions fall somewhere between volunteering within the community and playing softball. She is an active member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and weekly mentors a middle school student with the CAMP Gator program.

CAMP (Collegiate Athlete Mentoring Program) Gator is a leadership mentoring program in which collegiate athletes and student leaders serve as mentors to at-risk students. The hallmark of the program is leadership training that mentors and mentees complete collaboratively; creating mission and vision statements, partaking in service leadership projects and even the creation of a leadership skills video. Mentors and mentees meet each week and represent a diverse student population in terms of race, gender, academic success and socioeconomic class.

The curricular foundation of the program is leadership training that focuses on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People where participants learn how to be more productive on the playing field, in the classroom and throughout the community. The middle school students were introduced to collegiate life through campus outings. For some, it was the first time on campus. For the college students, it was an opportunity to illustrate to them the power of teaching and the field of education, many of whom represent the demographic groups so desperately needed in our schools.

Francesca is also very enthusiastic about special events that directly affect the Gainesville community. Over the last three years she has participated in many volunteering opportunities including Shands hospital visits and Habitat for Humanity.

It wasn’t until this year that she was able to create a larger impact on these events. In the fall of 2008, Francesca was the co-director of the student athletes participation with the Climb for Cancer. That experience fueled her desire to help cancer patients in Gainesville and especially at Shands.

In the beginning of this year Francesca planned, coordinated and ran the first ever Swing for Cancer event, with some assistance from the university Athletic Association marketing team, in order to raise money for cancer research at Shands.

Through her experiences working with and for her community, Francesca has learned many lessons that she will carry with her for the rest of her life. More importantly, she has been able to see the difference that she has made in other people’s lives. Whether it is the smile on the children’s faces at Shand’s or the improvements that her mentee has made in a year, volunteering doesn’t seem to be a job or a task but instead a privilege.

Kennedy Kulish

This is Kennedy Kulish’s story:

“I raise money for children with special hearts and defects on behalf of my awesome baby brother Kaeden who was born with a very special heart.

I volunteer because I can and because it feels so awesome and because there are a lot of kids that are in need of help that are not healthy like my Kaeden is now and I have awesome special friends that want to help me to help them.

I think it helps for my friends to help so they know how awesome it feels to help others and appreciate what they have when they find out what others do not have. I hope that all the money we have raised over the past five years and donated to organizations like the American Heart Association, the Children’s Miracle Network and the Ronald McDonald House helps raise awareness and get medical equipment and medicines that these special children need.

I know I am really blessed to have my good health so I can do lots of things and I so know how blessed I am to have my baby brother here with me every day to take care of and play with and read books to him. So I want to do a lot of different things so other families can be blessed to have their children be healthy and have them at home with them and not in hospitals.

My team, Kisses for Kaeden, has a fundraiser each month. Right now our next one is Saturday, February 21st at Park City and we are raising money for the Ronald McDonald House in Hershey, PA where they are building a new addition with more rooms so more families can stay there while there children are across the street at Penn State Children’s Hospital getting their surgeries. Then we will be at the Walmart on March 28th selling our hotdogs and baked goods having our Make A Wish Foundation fundraiser to help grant another child’s wish.

I am almost done with my collecting the stuffed teddy bears that I donate to the Lancaster police station for the officers to give to the scared children of car accidents and when they have to go to a home and their parents are fighting. I am collecting books for the children in need of them in an inner city school my goal is 500 and I have almost 200. I did it two years ago and collected 1,020 books that was great.

I just got permission from my school board and the principal to sell red paper hearts at all 6 elementary schools in my school district and we are making it a competition to see what school sells the most and all the money will go to the American Heart Association and then in March I have to start writing all my donation letters and send them to companies for my 6th annual Children’s Miracle Network Chinese auction fundraiser. Companies from all over are always so generous to me and send me the best things to raffle off my auction. Last year for my 5th one, we raised $3,000 so my goal this year is $3,001 because we always try to raise more than we did the year before.

I think everyone has something special in their lives that means a lot to them maybe a relative that is going through cancer treatments so they can cut their hair and donate it to Locks of Love or if they like to draw they can make colorful cards and bring them to the nearest nursing home or children’s hospital where the elderly and children would love to have. There is so much someone can do and it doesn’t matter how young you are or old or big or small if you put your mind to it and really feel strong about it then you can and when you do believe me it is the best feeling in the world to help another that is in need of help.”

Jason Watkins

This is Jason Watkins volunteer story:

“I volunteer as a mentor at P.K. Yonge K-12 school as part of C.A.M.P. Gator. I am a student at the University of Florida (’09) and member of the University of Florida Gators football team.

I do this because I am blessed and I want to be a positive influence to help others receive their blessings! I have a passion for serving and working with people. Anything that I can do to have a positive impact on someone’s life, I’ll do it! When I entered into C.A.M.P. Gator, my goal from day one was to change the life of at least one person for the better.

When others see that I take time out of my busy and at times hectic life, between school and sports, I feel that no only to my efforts play a vital role on the student I mentor, but also on the people around us. Since I volunteer often at schools, I love to let my light shine and show that others, especially student athletes, that it is possible to perform on a high level in sports, but more importantly, to make a difference in the lives of others.

By helping others succeed, it helps me too! I was raised believing that the more you give, the more you will get in return. Serving others makes me feel complete. I feel that I am on this earth to not only better myself, but also to be an inspiration to others so that they may better themselves.

I volunteer as often as possible, usually at least once each week for a few hours. No matter how busy I may get or how overwhelming life may become, I always try to give back to others as much as I can. Something as simple as saying help to someone or a handshake can help to change them in a positive way!

I would say that serving others is an honor! We all have been blessed. The thing most people don’t realize is that we all go through trials and tribulations and we all have to learn from them. However, we never know what others may be going through so by being a role model to others, we can have a huge impact on their life!

A quote that I live by is that “we serve God when we serve others.” That has and will continue to motivate me to help others and hopefully I have motivated others towards a life of service.”

Gary Maxworthy

This is Gary Maxworthy’s story of service:

“After my wife passed away I wanted to give back and volunteered for VISTA, the domestic Peace Corps. Because of my life experience in the food industry they got me involved in Food Banking. After my one year with Vista, I continued to work with food banks in California which I have been doing now for 14 years.

In 1999 I came up with the idea of accessing fresh produce and distributing it to people in need. Up to that time food banks had focused on cans and boxes to distribute. The first year we distributed 750,000 pounds of primarily stone fruit (peaches, plums, etc.) to 11 food banks. In 2005 we began distributing throughout California to 45 food banks under the umbrella of The California Association of Food Banks. We call the program “Farm to Family”

In 2007 we distributed 38 million pounds of fresh produce throughout the State and this year we are on track to distribute 60 million pounds. This is over 2,000 truckloads of 38 different crops from oranges, potatoes, carrots, stone fruit, onions, cabbage, corn, etc. We estimate we are getting fresh produce into the hands of around 1 million California seniors, children and others in need each month. All distribution is through a network of many thousands of pantries served by California’s food banks.”