Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Valentina Janis. Read her story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or organization as a Point of Light.
Valentina Janis, center, with some of her “foster grandchildren” at Crazy Horse School
Every school day for more than a decade, Valentina Janis has boarded a school bus shortly after dawn and arrived at Crazy Horse School in Wanblee, South Dakota, around 7:15. The 72-year-old sits at breakfast with the students – nearly all of whom are, as is she, Lakota – and waits patiently for the teachers.
Janis has a special role at the school. As a “foster grandmother,” she’s always ready with a sympathetic ear and a big hug.
“I can tell when some of the little kids need help,” she says. “They come in crying or they start fighting with other kids. You just have to care enough to step in and do something, say something. Eventually they open up and I think they respond to me because I’m outside of the family.”
Recently, she and her husband, Leonard, who volunteers as a foster grandfather – usually checking in on the older middle school and high school students – worked together with the school’s principal to calm down a 12-year-old girl who said she was feeling suicidal.
“God gave us children to love,” says Janis. “When they’re in a dark place, you must tell them that you care and you’re there for them.”
At home, the couple, who are actually grandparents to 20 children and several great-grandchildren, often “talk about different students and try to think about solutions,” she says. “Even if it’s just giving a child a birthday card, that really helps.”
Janis also believes that working to instill Crazy Horse’s core Lakota values is important, especially making sure students master the native language.
“If we lose our language,” she says, “we’re gone.” Non-native teachers often call her their “walking dictionary,” Janis adds with a laugh.
She also loves to pass on the many Lakota oral tales. One legend is about Iktomi, a trickster who often comes to no good because of his mischievous behavior. “He may think he gets away with doing bad things,” says Janis, “but he’s often left in the cold by himself.”
Janis meanwhile is warmly rewarded for her good deeds. For one Grandparents Day, the kids made her an oversized greeting card with felt flowers. And when she encounters her charges in the supermarket, “They come running up to me, screaming, ‘Grandma! Grandma!’” she says. “It makes me so happy, I feel like crying.”
Vrinda Madan
In a society that is full of judgement and plagued with negativity, it becomes increasingly difficult for young children to truly be themselves. Unfortunately, feeling comfortable in their own skin is a very real challenge that many children face.
Vrinda Madan is working toward putting an end to this. As co-founder of Project Be-YOU-tiful, an organization aimed at raising the self-esteem of young children, Madan is dedicated to teaching children their self-worth.
Project Be-YOU-tiful's mission is to instill confidence in children by focusing on internal beauty and embracing yourself. Last year, the organization put together a Fun Run, in which students from a local school participated in a mini-marathon. As the students paced through the race, they were showered with encouragement, from empowering chants, to bright signs reading "You are beautiful!"
Positive reinforcement is key to raising self-confidence
Knowing what these children are going through and understanding the challenges that they face has given Madan the extra motivation she needs. She has spent countless hours creating motivational tools and inspiring presentations, which she has shared with grade-school students for the past three years. During this period, Madan has reached out to over 700 children from kindergarten to 8th grade.
The constant bombardment of media, whether it's projecting a particular look or conveying some message, isn't always beneficial for young, impressionable minds. Sure, the ability to conveniently share ideas and information has its strengths, but when it starts to stunt the growth of children to the point that they aren't feeling accepted for who they are, something needs to change.
Positive reinforcement for many young students is all they need, which is exactly what Project Be-YOU-tiful provides. For those children who are bullied in school or made to feel different, when they are at their lowest, Madan is there to pick them up.
Norm & Oliver Prusinski
Norm Prusinski and Oliver
Norm Prusinski, a pet therapist in Eden Prairie, MN, uses his dog as a tool to spread joy. Prusinski and his 4-year-old Cairn Terrier named Oliver, makes a special visit to nearby hospice clients. Every Thursday, the two of them travel to Chanhassen and Spring Lake, where they spend several hours comforting patients, bringing a joy and an excitement that is seldom sent their way.
Oliver, who enjoys making the trips just as much as Prusinski, has a special relationship with many of the patients. As he enters into the hospice, he has a specific order in which he pays each patient a visit. Whether it’s rubbing his furry head on some patients, jumping into the laps of others, or even allowing patients to walk him, Oliver and just his overall presence brings a happiness to these patients that is much needed.
Prusinski and Oliver provide compassion and comfort to these people who are in their darkest days. For these people terminally ill, the happiness the duo brings is irreplaceable. For many patients, those few hours of smiles and laughs is all they have.
Prusinski and Oliver started volunteering in 2012 at the Presbyterian Homes Optage Hospice. Just nine months old at the time, Oliver was an immediate hit. Obedient, but yet playful, Oliver’s visits would turn into an event.
“Like some athletes have a god given talent, Oliver was born to be a therapy dog for hospice patients,” says Prusinski.
Prusinski is continuing to spread joy with the program he created for Optage Hospice. The team of Prusinski and Oliver is an example of the love a pet can bring to the heart of hospice patients.
Lisa Milk
In many cities, it is not uncommon to see a stray dog perusing the streets. Homeless, possibly wounded, these dogs are fighting for their survival. Fortunately for them, No Paws Left Behind (NPLB) is there to help.
NPLB is an organization that rescues dogs from the street and from kill shelters then finds them a permanent home. Their services extend throughout the entire state of Florida, assisting with the overall protection and placement of these pets. While the organization has shown commitment to evoke change, it is the direct efforts of Lisa Milk that has served as the building blocks for NPLB.
First volunteering in the summer of 2014, Milk’s involvement with NPLB cannot be overstated. She started out transporting saved dogs throughout Florida to their new homes. She also conducted several site inspections of prospective adopters, ensuring that the adoptive pet owners matched the NPLB criteria. With Milk’s volunteer efforts becoming more frequent, she quickly became NPLB’s most active and trusted volunteer.
In less than a year, Milk has impacted NPLB tremendously. Though she has participated in over 65 volunteer activities and saved over 100 dogs, it is Milk’s continued dedication that has led to a transformation in NPLB’s entire infrastructure.
With the NPBL Board taking notice of Milk’s commitment, she was invited to join NPLB in an administrative capacity. Joining in its infancy, Milk has helped the NPLB grow greatly. Assuming the role of CFO, Milk helped transition NPLB from just an organization that cares, into a licensed and registered 501(c) (3) non-profit company. From a once-a-week volunteer to head of financial and administrative work, Milk continues to not only be an asset to NPLB, but for their furry friends as well.
George Kelly
A teacher’s job can be very challenging at times. It’s hard enough getting through to a single child, so just imagine how difficult it must be with a classroom consisting of 30 children. While the need for teachers will always be in high demand, the need for a teacher assistant is just as crucial.
George Kelly of San Francisco, CA, has been a volunteer teacher’s aide for nearly two decades. Every Wednesday for 17 years, Kelly has been making a special trip to Harvey Milk’s Civil Rights Academy, where he helps kindergarten students improve their reading and writing skills. Consistently on hand to tutor and mentor these children, Kelly’s involvement has become ingrained in the classroom’s culture. While students are thrilled to see Mr. Kelly every Wednesday morning, no one is happier than kindergarten teacher Ms. Leanne Francis.
Ms. Francis’ job entails catering to a classroom full of five year olds. While it is a pleasure for her to teach these children, it can definitely be a tiresome task. So, that one day a week, for those few hours, Ms. Francis embraces Kelly’s help.
The impact Kelly has made truly withstands the test of time. Evidence of that is in fact that his very first volunteered class is nearing their college graduation.
Kelly’s enthusiasm to make a difference at Harvey Milk Academy goes beyond the classroom. Realizing the workload of teachers like Ms. Francis, Kelly recruits local volunteers to assist other teachers at the Academy. Understanding that there is a serious demand for tutors, Kelly has reached out on several fronts. Whether it’s speaking at district-wide parent orientations, setting up recruiting tables, or raising donations by reaching out to local businesses, Kelly continues to fight to create a better learning environment.
Joseph Harley Strawn
Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Joseph Harley Strawn. Read his story and nominate an outstanding volunteer or organization as a Point of Light.
Joseph Strawn
Ever since he was a 5-year-old Cub Scout, Joseph Strawn has enjoyed serving others. As Joseph worked to become a Boy Scout, his scoutmaster was there right beside him, cheering him on, motivating him to always do better.
Recently, the Las Cruces, New Mexico, teen’s thoughts turned to his old scoutmaster when the time came for him to complete a project to earn his next rank, that of Eagle Scout. He remembered how the man had lost his job, his wife and his home in quick succession after becoming ill from complications related to diabetes.
Joseph contacted the organization, Mesilla Valley Community of Hope, that had housed the man for a while, then helped him move to an apartment before he eventually died at age 55.
“I asked the director how I could help and she gave me three options,” recalls Joseph, now 17.
They each involved Camp Hope, a tent city on the nonprofit’s campus that provides transitional housing for about 50 homeless people.
One was to put a fence around a pond, the second was to build some boxes for the camp’s vegetable gardens and the third was to help procure and install solar energy panels.
The last option “seemed like a big thing compared to the others,” Joseph says with a laugh. “But I thought, ‘I have all summer to do something, so I might as well try!’”
Learning that his old scoutmaster had become homeless and then talking with others like him was enlightening for the teen.
“I had a stereotype that homelessness was because of something negative in people, like they spent all their money on drugs,” Joseph says. “But when I worked at the camp, I saw how they were all looking to get back on their feet. They wanted to feel like they were contributing to society.”
Joseph researched companies that made and installed solar arrays, led the effort to raise the $6,000 in funds and chipped in with everyone from his parents to other scouts to build a trench for the wires and box to store the solar batteries. The panels now power a small office shed on the campgrounds.
“When you give back to your community, you not only help those less fortunate but you feel more grateful for everything you have,” Joseph says. ‘I know that I’m blessed to have a home and a family.”
Judy Rector
“Ending Homelessness One Family at a Time”
That’s the motto and overall mission for Traditional Housing BARN, Inc. BARN, a non-profit, has been dedicated to providing clean, safe transitional housing for homeless women and children for nearly 20 years.
One of the most devoted volunteers to come through BARN’s program is Judy Rector.
For over six years Rector has been on hand to assist BARN with multiple facets of the organization. Volunteering seven days a week, Rector helps sort, clean, organize, label and prepare BARN’s donations. Ranging from clothes, shoes, toys, household items, etc., the proper handling of these donations is essential as it provides hundreds of mothers and children with the items they so desperately need.
Rector’s involvement goes even further. After prepping the donations for the families are in need, there is actually a surplus of goods that go unclaimed. Rector prepares all of the leftover donations for a giant BARN Yard Sale. The Yard Sale takes place once a month and reels in over $50,000 a year. That money goes towards BARN’s operational costs, such as purchasing new mattresses and beds, blankets and pillows, bathroom supplies, and much more.
Unfortunately, the facility in which Rector helps organize donations and put on the monthly Yard Sale is in ruins. Closing at the end of the year, the 100-year-old building is not structurally sound and will need hundreds of thousands of dollars for repair. Whether it’s using her own farm building, or attempting to raise the necessary funds, Rector is actively seeking a solution.
Volunteering every day, this is not just a hobby for Rector but instead a calling. With 90% of mothers that come through BARN not reverting back to any public assistance, that success rate is a direct reflection of Rector’s impact.
Sarah Horrigan
While there are plaguing issues domestically, there is a whole world abroad that is need of special attention as well. Sarah Horrigan has decided to tackle these foreign concerns.
After a stellar career, serving over 30 years for the State Department, Horrigan decided to embark on a new journey. Wanting to make a difference in the world, she pursued an opportunity that can impact an entire nation.
Realizing that communication is of the utmost importance when relating to another culture, Horrigan earned a certification to teach English abroad. Working with MovingWorlds.org to find a skill-based volunteer project overseas, she eventually relocated to the East African country of Tanzania.
The opportunity in Tanzania allowed Horrigan to work with an “edutainment” company called Ubongo. Ubongo is an organization that uses facets of entertainment, such as YouTube and television, to teach children English and Math skills. Horrigan helped Ubongo transition much of its content into English.
Horrigans impact with Ubongo has been undeniable; her efforts has directly led to growth. Since Horrigan’s involvement, Ubongo has doubled in size. This expansion not only assisted with educating more children, it also help create new jobs. Within the year Horrigan finished her first project with MovingWorlds, Ubongo expanded beyond Tanzania, with projects in Uganda and Kenya, with over a million viewers on a weekly basis.
While the bulk of Horrigan’s impact was felt in Tanzania, she has also volunteered in South Asia in Nepal. Giving back her time to help educate others is proof of Horrigan’s selflessness.
Throughout Horrigan’s global experience her dedication has never wavered. Whether it’s Tanzania or Nepal, Horrigan paid her own way to and from these countries. Though Horrigan has had a long, successful career in the States, her volunteer efforts allows her impact to be felt worldwide.
Danika G. Gordon
The adolescent stage presents many obstacles for children. One of those obstacles unfortunately is bullying. During a period in which emotions rapidly change, bullying can have a lasting and detrimental impact in young peoples lives. For many young children, this experience is all too common.
At 8 years old, Danika Gordon came face to face with her bully. While this experience was no different than any other bully experience, resulting into hurt feelings or possible tears, Gordon did not let that defeat her. Instead, it motivated her.
Danika Gordon
Gordon got involved in 4-H, the nation’s largest positive youth development and youth mentoring program. At the age of 11, Gordon volunteered to be the Character Education Coordinator in her 4-H club, where she taught her peers about good choices and leadership. From being bullied to helping prevent it, Gordon has helped make a difference.
While most 11-year-olds are playing and doing whatever it is pre-teens do, Gordon was busy writing, What Makes You a Super Hero. Gordon composed this book to spread positive messages and uplift young children.
Gordon is constantly working to help children build confidence and self-assurance. She has led book readings and conducted over 20 workshops. Such as organizing a Kindness Poster Contest in which close to 100 students from her Middle School participated. Or inspiring a school-wide, month-long, complaint-free challenge at a local Christian School. She even put together a community service project in which 150 students, all around her age, wrote letters and colored pictures for those that are elderly and in the military.
Now 13 years old, and working on her second book, Gordon is truly remarkable. While her first book, What Makes You a Superhero, is meant to inspire children, it is Gordon’s own superhero qualities that inspires us all.
Platte County, Missouri is a community stricken with homelessness. With the average age of homelessness in the state being 7 years old, and within the county there being a 7.4% poverty level, Platte county and its surrounding area has been calling out for immediate assistance.
Hillcrest has answered the call.
Hillcrest Platte County created to bring about this urgent need for change, is committed to helping the homeless establish a new life. In exchange for shelter, honest, hardworking families are required by written agreement, to find full-time employment, obey program guidelines and attend weekly volunteer-taught classes. These classes cover an array of topics, such as life skills, employment, community living and budgeting, all essential for a productive citizen.
Though Hillcrest has provided a platform needed to transform these families, the magnitude of change wouldn’t at all be possible if it wasn’t for the efforts of countless volunteers. This is evident in the Hillcrest Thrift Shops.
Home to several hundred volunteers, the two Hillcrest Thrift Shops, one located in South Platte and the other in Platte City, have become centerpieces of the community
“I find it a privilege managing this amazing group of volunteers,” says Cindy Hoffecker, an Assistant Manager overseeing the Thrift Shops. “Everyday they provide opportunities to each other and to our residents to experience our mission first-hand
Started in 2008, The Hillcrest Thrift Shop was initially created to house a surplus of donations. Now, with two stores, the Thrift Shops have become a vital part of Hillcrest’s operations.
Hillcrest Thrift Shops have grown in revenue each year, and has about 400 volunteers giving back each month. From retirees to children, whether court-ordered or school sanctioned, people from all walks of life has helped the thrift shops thrive.
Valentina Janis, center, with some of her “foster grandchildren” at Crazy Horse School
non-profit company. From a once-a-week volunteer to head of financial and administrative work, Milk continues to not only be an asset to NPLB, but for their furry friends as well.
Joseph Strawn
Danika Gordon