Jerry & Shanti Stirret
Called to Serve
Although Jerry and Shanti Stirret get a great emotional return from volunteering, that's not why this couple's life is filled with countless hours of service to a myriad of organizations. Jerry and Shanti believe it's their calling to serve others, and that it is one of the most important things you can do with your time here on earth.
The community in which Jerry and Shanti serve faces many challenge areas. They believe one of the best ways to begin making progress in those challenges is to serve as an example for others, and to tell others of the opportunities they have to serve. Even though they believe individuals can do a lot, they also know that inspiring others has a ripple effect that reaches a far greater number of people.
Jerry and Shanti reach out to raise awareness of the neighborhood's needs by speaking at church and community events whenever they can. They also take pictures of the work they do; showing the slides during the talks. Seeing the impacts of volunteering, along with hearing Jerry and Shanti's words, has moved many to get more involved in the community.
But the couple's volunteer efforts also extend beyond their immediate community. Jerry and Shanti have been helping to build houses for those in need in Juarez, Mexico. Because of their efforts in sharing stories from past trips, this year Jerry and Shanti will have more volunteers to help in this effort.
The list of all the ways in which these two serve is impressive. Besides the work they do with their church, Jerry and Shanti also serve with Casas por Cristo, Hope Worldwide, The American Red Cross, and the Maple Valley Food Bank.
They plan to continue this level of involvement and service, not because they feel obligated to do so, but rather, because they were called to do so.
Kate Garner
Kate Garner began volunteering one day a week with a local hospital. Once Kate saw that there was a need for her to be more involved in volunteering, she decided to give more of herself.
Kate volunteers with the Phoenix Children’s Hospital, taking therapy dogs to visit patients and their families. When she realized that if she was there more often, more patients would get to visit with the dogs, Kate doubled her shifts and began to train other volunteers to assist with the Animal Assisted Therapy program.
Kate’s participation in the training of new volunteers has resulted in more efficient volunteers who are able to bring this service to more patients. She believes so strongly that volunteering in this program helps patients heal, that she now paticipates in fundraising activities that have brought additional funds and supplies to the Animal Assisted Therapy program.
She speaks at fundraising events and to those in her community, and has even encouraged her daughter Nicole to participate in fundraising efforts. Through that inspiration, Nicole has had fundraising activities at her workplace, making an additional 40 people aware of the program and its needs. More than $500 has been raised along with donations of supplies from this group.
Kate recently volunteered at two fundraising events for this program, one in March 2010 and one in April 2010. With Kate’s dedication and energy, the Animal Assisted Therapy Program at Phoenix Children’s Hospital will be able to touch the lives of many more patients.
Don Allen
For over 20 years, Don Allen has been volunteering with Phoenix Children’s Hospital. It’s the volunteer role that Don fills at the hospital that truly speaks to his character.
The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NCIU) of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital is reserved for some very special patients: premature infants needing advanced medical assitance. It’s here that Don has dedicated his time. Don not only comforts and soothes the babies, but also helps provide respite and support for their families.
In addition to volunteering in the NICU, Don has also helped by being a “hugger” which means he goes bedside to children in all areas of the hospital. Don brings a special feeling of comfort and happiness to all the patients and families he works with.
Lastly, Don has been a Volunteer CPR Instructor for over 20 years. He provides free CPR instruction to all interested volunteers at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and has certified thousands of volunteers. This is important because being CPR certified allows volunteers to assist in many additional areas throughout the hospital and prevents them from having to pay for such instruction.
Don has a personal investment in his volunteer work, especially CPR Instruction because, he says, “It could be my life you save.” He currently trains over 100 people a year. And by sharing his experiences, Don has recruited countless new Neonatal Intensive Care volunteers to care for the smallest of patients.
Don has completed over 2,500 hours of service. Now retired, he continues to volunteer each week.
Brenda Rhodes
Brenda Rhodes has organized a monthly volunteer shift at the Atlanta Community Food Bank since 2004. On the second Friday of each month, Brenda recruits volunteers to sort food at the Food Bank’s Product Rescue Center. Prior to taking over as volunteer leader for these monthly shifts, Brenda participated as a Friday night volunteer for many years.
Brenda’s efforts go far beyond the food she physically sorts. She recruits and trains hundreds of volunteers a year to sort thousands of pounds of food – on average 10,000 – 12,000 lbs per night; enough food to provide over 6,700 meals to deserving families and individuals! This food finds its way into the hands of over 800 hunger relief agencies in 38 counties throughout North Georgia and the Southeast.
The Atlanta Community Food Bank has been the benefactor of Brenda’s service in many other ways. She has served as the volunteer coordinator for annual IBM days of service at the Food Bank, coordinating IBM volunteers the annual Hunger Walk, and supervising volunteers at black tie fundraisers. And when her schedule allows, Brenda also donates time in the Food Bank’s offices to volunteer administratively.
In addition to helping provide food for those who need, Brenda also gives her time to other agencies who minister to animals, to causes supporting education, to celebrating the accomplishments of physically challenged individuals, and to many others.
Brenda embodies the spirit of volunteerism all over Atlanta….not only in service herself, but tirelessly teaching, informing and leading others in service. A diverse group of people ultimately benefit from her service: the elderly, disabled, mentally ill, young families, single parent families, battered women, newly unemployed, working poor and children.
Brenda continues to volunteer in Marietta and throughout the city, and is interested in starting her own non-profit soon.
Shannon DeBra
Giving Animals a Second Chance at Happiness
In Cincinnati, Ohio dogs and cats have a voice and a powerful force in Shannon DeBra. After volunteering at a Kentucky animal shelter in which many animals were euthanized because they couldn find suitable homes, Shannon discovered she had found her mission in life. She became a very active volunteer at the shelter, and as a result, the number of adoptions increased dramatically.
Taking her experience at the shelter as a microcosm for similar situations at other local rescue centers, Shannon next looked to address the problem of space and housing for homeless animals while they waited to be adopted. Her solution? Shannon created her own nonprofit rescue shelter called Recycled Doggies.
Shannon immediately discovered another issues to be addressed: the fact that most animals become homeless because their families can no longer afford to take care of them. Again, Shannon, undetered, simply created a solution. Her second nonprofit, the Cincinnati Pet Food Pantry, offers temporary food assistance to pet owners, with the goal of them keeping their pets as opposed to turning them loose or taking them to shelters. Currently the pet food pantry is assisting 140 families with keeping their pets.
In addition to taking care of the dogs in her rescue shelter and launching the pet food pantry, Shannon still spends countless hours helping dogs and cats at various other shelters by getting the word out about their urgent need for rescue.
Shannon is working tirelessly to make the lives of shelter animals better one animal at a time, and people within the commuity are taking notice. They are now engaged in the issue and are talking about how poverty and the economic downturn impact pets and pet owners. People are donating money, food and cat litter. The outpouring of support and the overwhelmingly positive community and media response has been heartwarming for Shannon to experience.
Shannon's longer-term goal is to open a special veterinary clinic in the Cincinnati area whose focus will be to assist people whose pet has been diagnosed with a costly illness or injury with treatment in order to prevent the pet from being euthanized or surrendered to a shelter.
Steven J. Newton
To Serve and Protect: A Retired Law Enforcer Extends His Oath For 25 years, Steven Newton worked in law enforcement. But his oath to serve and protect, was not a principle applied to just his 9 to 5 career; it is the way he lives his life every day. Steven is also a former Marine/Navy veteran, serving with the 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, 4th Marine Division, and with the Navy’s NAVACTS-UK-318.
Once he returned from Desert Storm, Steven wanted to make a difference in the lives of wounded service members and veterans. He did so by founding an organization called The Silver Star Families of America. The Silver Star Families of America (SSOA) recognizes and honors ill and wounded veterans. When Steven first began the organization, SSOA had only eight members.
Today the organizations includes more than 5,000 people, the majority of whom are volunteers. Since the early days of SSOA, Steven’s drive has led to significant change. His persistence and passion brought about a statewide mandate. His home state of Missouri to make May 1st the official Silver Star Service Banner Day – a day set aside for citizens to remember those who have served the country. The organization is currently working to have the day recognized nationally.
Steven, who has Parkinson’s disease, is committed to making certain veterans are getting what they need. He says his life’s goal is to “promote the morale of all people in uniform, from members of the Armed Forces to Emergency Services.”
Sunshine Roth
Making Sure that Those Who've Fought for Us are not Forgotten
Sunshine Roth had seen her own husband's struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after he returned home from Vietnam. It was because of this personal experience and understanding that she came to offer her service to The Silver Star Families of America (SSFOA); a national organization that reaches out to and recognizes ill and wounded veterans.
Sunshine first volunteered for SSFOA in February of 2008. Initially she joined solely to honor her husband. But she quickly became more deeply involved, joining committees and becoming the SSOA's state representative in Illinois.
Sunshine collects donated gifts to give to veterans during the holiday season, and sends cards to those in VA Hospitals. She oversees the presentation of SOSA's Silver Star Service Banners to veterans in her state, and strives to find as many veterans eligible for this honor as possible. She puts a tremendous amount of effort into this service; and her efforts have not gone unrecognized.
The local community has been moved and inspired by Sunshine's dedication. They've donated gifts, blankets and their time to help Sunshine on her mission. The work she has done raised the awareness of veteran's needs in her community. Soon citizens were “adopting” families with a ill or wounded veteran, and making certain that family had a holiday meal and gifts under the tree for their children. They also send prayer blankets to dying veterans.
That awareness level now extends to the community's youth as well. Sunshine travels to elementary schools to talk to children about the importance of taking care of those who fight for us. She also established May 1st as her city's Silver Star Service Banner Day.
Her extraordinary level of service, her ability to educate, motivate and inspire others, and her unyielding energy and passion to take care of those who serve our country – these are the things that make Sunshine Roth a Daily Point of Light award honoree.
Dawn Horney
Children who get their schooling at home often do not have access to the same experiences that other school children do. Holiday parties, student competitions, field trips… things that other students may take for granted aren’t readily available to many home schoolers.
Enter volunteer Dawn Horney. Dawn has taken it upon herself to do all she can to ensure homeschoolers get a positive and enriching educational and social experience from their school years.
She attended teacher training for the “Jason Project,” a research program that connects students with scientists and their efforts to study and apply science to real world problems. Dawn then adapted the curriculum for homeschoolers and oversaw the program in her region for five years.
Of the numerous other events and outings for homeschoolers that Dawn has coordinated, she is especially proud of her teams of homeschoolers who have particiapted ion the Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge.
One of the teams she coached made it to the top six and the finals of the competion. She also works tirelessly to coordinate various field trips for homeschoolers; including an educational overnight camping field trip to the Phoenix Zoo, and trips to experience the public transit options available to citizens and meet with public transit officials.
Now in her 11th year as a home school support leader, Dawn is looking forward to leading a team of students to participate in next year’s National History Day & Poetry Out Loud competitions, coordinating the Junior Achievement Finance Park Program, and working on a high school enrichment program.
Asked how she has enough time for all she does, Dawn states, “I don’t think it’s possible to have enough time to develop and provide as many educational and social enrichment activities for homeschoolers as I have ideas or inspiration—but I strive to do what I can, and expect this to be a lifelong pursuit.”
Gregg Scott
A Constant Source of Support for Youth
Greg Scott has been involved with youth organizations since 1984. His deep dedication to help young people gain life skills that will help them to become active and engaged citizens can be felt throughout the communities in which he has lived.
After moving to Chester in 1992, Gregg immediately went in search of an organization in which he could serve. He connected with the American Legion and volunteered to develop the Boys State program for the Legion post, becoming District Chairman in 1998. During that same time period he also was a youth soccer and baseball coach. Every spare hour he had was given to help the youth of the community achieve their goals.
Gregg also began to volunteer for the Boy Scouts as an assistant scout master and merit badge councilor. His dedication to that organization resulted in his being asked to be on the Lassen District Committee as the Membership Chair, a position he still holds today. Yet, he still believes his most important role with the Boy Scouts is simply being with the scouts at the weekly meeting and outing to act as a role model and mentor.
He is also a volunteer board member of the Narcotics Overdose Prevention and Education (NOPE) Taskforce, and is a board member of the Chester Public Utility and Fire District.
What’s even more remarkable is that during that time, Gregg returned to school and changed his career. A time period full of big life changes, usually associated with stress, was a time when Gregg’s volunteer hours increased all the more. Since he started keeping track in 2003, Gregg has volunteered well over 4,500 hours to youth programs in his community.
Gregg has said that he wil continue to volunteer as long a his health allows and then will simply take on different, less physical, tasks. His long term goal is to insure that more and younger adults are involved in the programs that will give our youth a chance at a better and brighter future. His ultimate reward would be to see the young people he works with today, become the leaders and mentors of the next generation.
Gerard Inguagiato
Tax season brings apprehension and anxiety to many people. Filling your taxes can be a daunting and time consuming experience. For hard working lower income families, having help to file your taxes is often out of reach – tax preparation cost money, and on a tight budget it may not be a possibility.
Enter Gerard Inguagiato. A CPA by trade, Gerard volunteers for the Center for Economic Progress, an organization that offers free tax preparation for hard-working, low-income families at free tax sites in all across the state. He is known as the “Mayor of Truman,” to his fellow volunteers.
At the tax center on the campus of Truman College, where Gerard volunteers, because he is recognized as the unofficial leader of the group of volunteers there. In fact many volunteers look to him for tax law advice and instruction. His certification as a “Quality Reviewer” means he can also review tax returns before they’re sent to the IRS to ensure that they have been properly completed, and done so with the maximum benefit to the client in mind.
Last year in Illinois, some 1,200 volunteers donated 37,000 hours of their time to help more than 33,000 low-income families and individuals receive $52 million in total refunds. Gerard is in his tenth year of volunteering for the program.
Besides helping the working families of Chicago, Gerard also lends his expertise to the very organization her volunteers for. In providing the Center for Economic Progress advice on financial matters, the organization can work to grow and improve their volunteer tax preparer training, and the experience for clients. Gerard is in his tenth year volunteering for the program.
His dedicated service helps ensure that the Center for Economic Progress can continue to allowing families to file their taxes in a safe and friendly environment – bringing much-needed tax refund money back to their families and their communities.
