Patricia Powell

As a Vietnam veteran, Patricia Powell sets no boundaries in giving to the community and asks nothing in return. Her commitment to service has continued unabated throughout the years.

Powell began volunteering with the Lawton Volunteer Program in September 2003 with a personal goal of donating 1000 hours per year. In 2010, Powell gave 899.5 hours of her service to the program.

Powell is one of many volunteers that spend time working at a National Cemetery. As a volunteer, her contributions range from janitorial duties and contributing to the beautification of the site, to updating the Grave Locator Book. When funeral processions enter the grounds, volunteers throughout the National Cemetery step outside or stop their work, with hats in hand, to pay respect as the processions pass by. As a veteran, Powell says it is her privilege to assist family members in finding support and comfort as they venture through a traumatic event.

In addition to her service at the cemetery, Powell also volunteers her time to numerous other organizations, which include Habitat for Humanity, her local church, Mobile Meals, Hearts That Care Free Clinic, and St. John’s Missionary Church “Soup Kitchen.”

Powell’s commitment to public service is a testament to her extraordinary character. Serving in the unique capacity of a veteran herself gives her the insight to better reach out to and comfort military families in difficult times.

Jack Jolin

The Soleil Veterans Club consists of 84 veterans from the community of active adults, and they represent all the major United States military services.

Jack Jolin, the club’s Treasurer and Secretary, served in the Army from 1962 to 1965, where he was trained as a computer programmer. After his service, Jolin utilized this knowledge to create a 40 year IT career.

The club meets quarterly and invites individuals from local military and veteran organization to inform the members about veteran benefits and how they can help veterans and active duty personnel in our area. They also invite local community leaders to our meeting to present information that benefits their members.

Once a year they plan, cook and serve a hardy “Mess Hall” style breakfast for their neighbors in the community. The proceeds from the breakfast support veterans and active duty personnel families in need of assistance during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. Last year the club was able to provide $2000, in $50 gift certificates, to the Georgia National Guard Family Assistance group that works with the Canton National Guard Armory and other North Georgia NG Units.

The club is currently working with a variety of North Georgia military organizations that have personnel in the Canton area and can identify recent veterans and active duty families in need for this holiday season. They hope to distribute over $1500 to help out the families of veteran service men and women this year. Jolin’s work with the Soleil Veterans Club aides and supports a community under stress, as well as actively engages a group of volunteers with the unique experience of those they aid.

Bobby Henline

Bobby Henline is a retired SSgt in the United States Army and serves on the Board of Directors for Operation Homefront of Texas.

Bobby did four tours in Iraq and on his fourth tour was severely injured when his Humvee was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Henline was the sole survivor and lost 4 of his comrades in the explosion. Bobby was severely burned over 38% of his upper body. His burns were so severe that he did not have a skull for 18 months. Henline has undergone over 45 surgeries (skin grafts, amputation of his left hand, and reconstruction of his skull) and has numerous other surgeries planned for the future. Operation Homefront of Texas was able to assist Henline and his family with financial assistance and some home modifications while he was recuperating in San Antonio.

As a way to give back to his community, Henline joined the board of Directors at Operation Homefront of Texas and has presented numerous times on behalf of the organization. In addition, Henline is also a motivational speaker, comedian, and visits wounded warriors at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio on a weekly basis.

His passion is comedy and he performs at many events to fundraise for Operation Homefront of Texas and other non-profit organizations that support our military service members, their families, and wounded warriors. It took Henline some time, however, to get to the point that he could joke about his injuries. Henline states:

“There were days when I prayed I wouldn’t wake up. I felt like I was more of a burden to my family than if I died.”

But Henline is not a quitter. He uses his love of life to bring joy and smiles to the faces of many other wounded warriors who are struggling with their injuries.

In addition to his comedy, Henline also tours throughout the country visiting schools and community groups to speak about his injuries and how society can help the many heroes that come home from Iraq and Afghanistan. Henline is a compassionate man who is definitely a ‘giver.’ He is a Point of Light to so many wounded warriors and their families, to young students who are seeking a purpose in life, also to many who need a laugh through his comedy.

Henline addresses many community needs. Because of his injuries, he raises awareness about the ‘scars’ of war and how American patriots can continue to help and support our brave men and women in uniform. As he travels around the country as a motivational speaker, he shares his experiences (not only his scars) with many individuals, including students, to focus on a purpose in life.

As Bobby states, “I look at how many years I have left to do what I’m doing and I realize I’ll be able to help far more people than the terrorist who set off that bomb will ever be able to hurt. If I didn’t take advantage of this opportunity that’s been given to me, I’d be dishonoring the guys who died in that Humvee. There has to be a reason I survived.”

Christian Haerter

Christian Haerter and his partner, Michelle Severance, created Jordan’s Initiative after Haerter’s son, Jordan, was killed in Iraq in 2008.

Jordan bravely sacrificed himself so that his fellow Marines could live. Inspired by Jordan’s courage, Haerter and Severance have dedicated themselves to help all service members and their families affected by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Haerter and Severance use Jordan’s Initiative to raise awareness about veterans’ needs, provide immediate assistance to those serving in the military and to military families, and to create a community of support. As a volunteer organization, Jordan’s Initiative is not completely run by Haerter and Severance. Instead, they rely on their community to help, which provides opportunities for others to get involved. Haerter and Severance’s community use Jordan’s Initiative as a means to volunteer and provide support to deployed troops, combat veterans and military families who need help the most.

Jordan’s Initiative addresses the needs of combat veterans, their families, and the surrounding community. Military families endure many hardships that are unseen by the public. Haerter and Severance ease these burdens by providing immediate care and support when needed. There are many organizations for families including: “Family Assistance” program, Care Package Drives, “Wheels to Freedom” program, and the “Community Spirit Award” program.

Christian Haerter and Michelle Severance are unique because their story is one of both loss and triumph. Although they lost a son and a friend when Jordan died they turned their energy outward and began helping veterans because they understood that reaching out was the best remedy for their pain.

Gary Gray

Service to one’s country was an expectation in the Gray household. Gary’s parents both served in the United States Navy as did his brother. In 1966, Gray chose to enlist in the United States Army and served a tour of duty in Vietnam.

Move forward forty years. In August 2008, Gary found himself in a position he never thought he’d be in – homeless. Due to the economic conditions facing his community and the country, Gary remained homeless for nine months. In May of 2009, his life began to change. Gary received services from the Senior Community Service Employment Program which led him to the Longview Housing Authority (LHA) – the organization eventually became the host site for his AmeriCorps position sponsored by the United Way of Cowlitz County.

Through this service and volunteer opportunity, Gary found the motivation to help himself while becoming a role model to help improve the quality of life for his fellow veterans.

Gary, once a participant in Longview Housing Authority’s housing program for homeless veterans, was approached about becoming an AmeriCorps member in order to help create an employment program for fellow homeless veterans. Not only did this invitation give Gary the opportunity to serve his county again, but it resulted in developing job opportunities for fellow veterans where none existed before.

On June 1, 2009, Gary enrolled as a full-time member on the Cowlitz AmeriCorps Recovery Team. The Longview Housing Authority felt that Gary’s veteran status and first-hand experience with homelessness made him an ideal candidate to provide services to homeless veterans. Gary’s many responsibilities included conducting outreach to homeless veterans and informing them of the available housing programs, assisting unemployed veterans with job readiness and work search through the Vet Works program and connecting veterans with services available through the Veterans Administration (VA).

As part of his outreach activities, Gary shares his life story and encourages other veterans to volunteer as a pathway to self-sufficiency.

“Being idle doesn’t help you move forward in life. I was embarrassed to be homeless, but the AmeriCorps experience awakened me and made me a better person; a more engaged citizen; it turned my life around.”

Ramon Guitard

In honor of Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2011, Points of Light will feature stories of veterans, service members and their families recognized as Daily Point of Light honorees this week.

Ramon Guitard, a Purple Heart recipient, served two tours in Iraq and lost both legs when a roadside bomb exploded outside Baghdad in 2004. After spending a month in a coma, Ramon woke to find his right leg had been amputated, a blood clot had caused a stroke that temporarily paralyzed the left side of his body and he had lost vision in his right eye. As serious as his injuries were, Ramon felt moved to help other patients in their recovery and began volunteering as a motivational speaker while he was hospitalized at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

After his release from Walter Reed AMC, he continued to motivate and inspire others through his speeches at various faith and community organizations. He continued his efforts by becoming a Red Cross Volunteer at Moncrief Army Community Hospital. Ramon furthered his involvement by becoming a board member of Operation Homefront. He continues today with American Red Cross as a motivational and public speaker for special events.

Ramon is actively engaged in voluntary service directed at the needs or improvement of the community. He overcame his own obstacles and is currently helping others to overcome their obstacles. He promotes positive attitudes towards people with disabilities and encourages people with disabilities to lead independent lives.

He creates a chain reaction and teaches people how to assist other veterans. He gives people the tools to increase their self confidence. In spite of his recent diagnosis with chronic myeloid leukemia, Ramon will not be deterred. His contribution to the community is a reminder to people to value and appreciate life every day.

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Bob Fabor

Bob Fabor is a Point of Light in his community providing quality Boy Scouting experiences to boys of all ages in the Baltimore Maryland Council. Bob himself has over 20 years of scouting knowledge and has been a positive influence to a long list of Eagle Scouts who have returned to lead new boys.

The Boy Scout program is one that the Baltimore community deeply cares about. The program teaches males constructive attributes to care about their fellow man or scout and to help the community all the while they acquire a good understanding of nature and their surroundings.

Bob has a passion for being a good role model and cares about the welfare of the boys in his county. Bob is so dedicated to the Boy Scout program he goes above and beyond his teaching role. He is committed to doing anything and everything that is asked of him to help Community Engagement of Boy Scouts in the Baltimore area. Bob provides support to various Cub Scout and Boy Scout units teaching specific survival and leadership skills, he is on medical staff for all weekend activities, and functions as the community engagement member of the 4 Rivers District for the monthly business meeting and roundtable. He is a remarkable man, and the Boy Scout community is lucky to have him as a mentor.

Marie- Therese Connolly

Marie-Therese Connolly is a full-time volunteer dedicated to elevating the issue of elder abuse to the forefront of the national consciousness, building an effective network to prevent and redress these horrible wrongs.

Marie is the volunteer director of Life Long Justice, an initiative of Appleseed, which is a nonprofit network of 16 public interest justice centers in the U.S. and Mexico. She is also a Senior Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, where she is writing a book about elder justice and the lack of legal protection for elders.

As part of her work in the elder justice field, Marie was a witness before the Senate Special Committee on Aging at the “Justice for All” hearing regarding elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. She spoke at the Elder Abuse Forum hosted by the Congressional Victims’ Rights Caucus. With Appleseed, Marie is leveraging pro bono talents of lawyers, researchers and economists to gather data, clarify messages, and make systematic positive change for our nation’s seniors.

Elder abuse can be physical, emotional, financial or sexual in nature. Abandonment and self-neglect are also forms of elder abuse. Abusers are often family and/or caregivers, which further complicates the issue. Elder abuse is the only form of family violence for which the federal government provides virtually no resources. In addition to the lack of governmental resources, there is a growing shortage of geriatricians and caregivers for seniors. Serious research gaps in the field of elder abuse make it extremely difficult to assess or comprehend the breadth of the needs.

Marie advocates for seniors who are being abused, neglected and/or exploited. She recognizes the deficiency of adequate protection for vulnerable elders and actively works to further the cause of elder justice. This is why Marie is a Daily Point of Light.

Shannon Hays-Truex

Shannon Hays-Truex has been volunteering her time as an educator and coordinator of the Environmental Education program at McNary National Wildlife Refuge in Washington for twelve years.

Shannon teaches and organizes volunteers to teach in the outdoor classroom, sets up outdoor teaching stations, teaches at each event and helps clean up. Without Shannon, there would not be an Environmental Education program.

The program serves thousands of children, primarily Hispanic, to whom the natural world is unfamiliar. In addition, Shannon leads interpretive hikes in the Columbia Basin Urban Wildland Ranger Program. Shannon also helps restore wildlands throughout the community and has helped established native plant gardens at McNary Refuge and local parks.

Because of Shannon's coordination and teaching efforts, 2,139 students, parents, and teachers participated in a high-quality environmental education program in 2011 alone. Each year, between 1,000 and 2,000 students are introduced to birds, wildlife, habitats, plants, and other natural wonders.

Shannon is extremely creative and imaginative in her educational program, bringing together art, nature studies, costumes, and sometimes music. This is why Shannon is a Daily Point of Light.