Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, April 19, 1990 TAG: 9004200513
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Davidson and the hospice program earned gold awards while the Botetourt Senior Citizens Van Transporation Program earned one of the 29 silver medals given statewide.
These volunteers and other nominees for the Governor's Award and those for the President's Volunteer Action Awards will be recognized April 27 during a noon ceremony in Roanoke's Elmwood Park Amphitheater. The event, sponsored by the Voluntary Action Center of the Council of Community Services and the Junior League of Roanoke Valley, is being held as part of National Volunteer Week.
The winners of the Presidential Award will be announced during National Volunteer Week. Roanoke-area nominees are:
Davidson, who has founded, volunteered and raised money for almost a dozen civic institutions. He helped conceive and build Center in the Square. Through his fund-raising efforts, a new building has been purchased and renovated for expansion by the downtown Roanoke complex, which houses three museums and two theaters. Davidson also has helped the Roanoke Valley chapter of the American Red Cross with its preparations for the purchase of a new facility. His fund-raising efforts also have helped the United Jewish Appeal, Roanoke College and the Julian Wise Foundation.
The 25 Roanoke Memorial Hospitals' Hospice Volunteers, who donate their time to help terminally ill patients. They offer physical help, spiritual encouragement, transportation and emotional support. In 1989, the volunteers contributed more than 1,800 hours to patients with cancer, AIDS, heart abnormalities or kidney disease. The volunteers also were nominated for the President's Volunteer Action Award.
The Botetourt Senior Citizens Van Transportation Program, which is a 14-year-old taxi-type service for senior citizens. Volunteers provide transportation to and from medical appointments, grocery shopping and also deliver prescriptions. During the last 10 years, 20 volunteers have traveled over 248,090 miles to help the senior citizens of Botetourt County to function independently.
Ted Bauer, who travels more than 60 miles round-trip from his home in Roanoke to volunteer in Catawba Hospital's One-To-One program. He reads to patients, plays tapes for them and takes them for walks.
Percy Bolton, Harry Guilliams, Norris Hopkins, Jim Holt Jr., Irvin Manning, Paul Moore, and Clinton Rakes, who volunteer at the Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in Salem and in Martinsburg, W.Va. They travel more than 250 miles and volunteer at least eight hours each trip. They escort patients to community programs, are bedside companions and assist in holiday celebrations.
Coy Brammer of Rocky Mount, who volunteers at Benjamin Franklin Middle School on an almost daily basis. Brammer, who is in his 70s, provides clerical services to the office staff and teachers.
Nancy Calkin of Roanoke, who has provided 15 newly arrived refugees with English instruction, has assisted in finding housing and houshold necessities for them since January 1989. She also provides transportation for the refugees.
Jason Campbell of Boones Mill, who has spent much of the past five years volunteering at Mill Mountain Zoo. He does everything from taking care of the animals to office work.
Steve, Melanie, Matt and Bobbi Jo Carmer, who, as a family, work to further the cause of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In addition to working 21 1/2 hours during the 1989 Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon, they also help build sets, haul materials and clean up.
William Clark Jr. of Roanoke, who works with the 370 residents of Friendship Manor Convalescent Center three times a week for three to four hours a day. Since a bout with throat cancer, which has left him with only one vocal cord and half of his larynx, he has put in more than 700 hours at a Roanoke cancer rehabilitation center.
The Rev. Robin Colwell, who has been a volunteer minister at Catawba Hospital for five years. About 200 patients benefit from his services. He has only missed one service since he began.
John Will Creasy, who also was nominated for the President's award, has donated time and talent on behalf of the arts in the Roanoke Valley for the past 35 years. After he joined the "Masterpiece Evening" art auction fund-raising team for Blue Ridge Public Television, donations almost doubled. He serves on numerous boards and steering committees, has designed brochures for the Roanoke Symphony and sets for theater productions, and was the impetus behind "Rainbow Splashes," a theater program for children.
James Cromwell of Roanoke, who has been teaching English to newly arrived refugees from Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe since October 1987.
The Crystal Spring Volunteers, who have enhanced the educational quality of Crystal Spring Elementary School by spending more than 3,000 hours with the pupils and teachers. The volunteers also have raised $20,000 for the school.
Gloria Divers and Carol Hagy of Rocky Mount, who are the coordinators of the volunteer program at Franklin County High School. They assign volunteers to help teachers, staff and students, and tutor individual at-risk students. Divers, who averages 129 hours of service per month, serves not only as a tutor but also as a friend to many of the students she helps. Hagy developed the "Volunteer For A Day" program, coordinated 1,600 hours of volunteer service during September, October and November of 1989, and averaged 134 hours of volunteer work herself per month.
Janet Harris, a President's Volunteer Action Award Nominee, who has worked with numerous patients at Catawba Hospital in its One-To-One program since 1983. She has provided services to patients and staff, and performed clerical duties for Volunteer Services and Employee Relations departments. She also has supervised the Christmas Room operation for four years.
Rita K. Hutts of Roanoke, who has the longest tenure of any reading volunteer for the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped. During 1989, she provided almost 100 hours of reading time. She recruits new volunteers, promotes programs and services and has made client referrals. She also volunteers for the Bureau of Crippled Children Orthopedic Clinic and St. Francis House.
Thelma Cox Jennings of Vinton, who volunteers at the lobby information desk at Community Hospital. She contributes 12 hours per week as a clerk in the hospital's gift shop, delivers newspapers, mail, and flowers to patients and serves as a hostess to patients' families in the critical-, intensive- and progressive-care units. Jennings has volunteered since 1971 and has performed 14,350 hours of service.
William E. Reynolds of Salem, a President's Volunteer Action Award nominee, who began volunteering for the Virginia Department for the Visually Handicapped almost six years ago. He has contributed more than 650 hours and driven more than 10,000 miles to assist clients and staff. He has provided transportation, sighted-guide assistance, assessment and visual input to more than 100 people. He also has recruited volunteers and developed a network of additional drivers.
Greta Rikard of Salem, who volunteers as a board or committee member and in direct service for the Roanoke Department of Social Services, Roanoke Area Ministreies and the Board of Area Lutheran Churches. She helps needy people by distributing government-surplus foods, operating a food pantry, helping in a shelter for the homeless, sending needy children to camp and recruiting and encouraging others to volunteer. Rikard is a retired social-work executive.
Roanoke City Firefighters, who host Muscular Dystrophy Association patient outings, asssist children and load wheelchairs on the summer camp bus, and demonstrate fire equipment for patients. They raised more than $5,000 in 1989 through shooting matches and a raffle and assisted in building and tearing down sets for the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
The Roanoke Valley Alive and Well Coalition, a project of the Council of Community Services, which coordinates various health-promotion activities. The coalition is a public-private partnership composed of more than 200 businesses and agencies. There are more than 500 individual members from the private sector. The project's activities include health fairs, the "Quit and Win" smoking-cessation contest and "Project Lean."
The Science Museum of Western Virginia Youth Volunteer Program, which challenges students in grades six through 12 to broaden their science education through numerous hands-on activities. Volunteers provide services for museum visitors, serve as interpreters on the exhibit floor and in the Hopkins Planetarium and assist with general curatorial needs and animal care. Students attend a training program and pledge to donate 75 hours of service.
Karen Scott of Callaway, who works with the public, clients and staff of the Franklin County Department of Social Services by providing transportation for foster children to doctors' appointments and visits to parents. She also performs clerical duties in the department's office.
Ola Shortt, who also was nominated for the President's Award. In her 27 years of volunteer work for hospitalized veterans, she has earned the highest award presented by the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center for her 22,500 hours of service. She also has volunteered to staff polling places during elections for the past 10 years.
Judy Thurston of Roanoke, a President's Volunteer Action Award nominee who has volunteered to coordinate efforts and collect money from fellow Norfolk Southern employees for Catawba Hospital's Operation Santa Claus. The money helps purchase Christmas gifts for patients who might not otherwise be remembered.
The members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1264 in Roanoke, who visit patients at the Salem Veterans Affairs Medical Center and escort them to community programs, serve as bedside comrades and assist in patient programs and activities.
Prentiss A. Webb of Roanoke, who has been an advocate for Virginia's elderly for the past 15 years. He has helped to secure funds and services by serving on local and state committees as member or chairman of the League of Older Americans nutrition project, the LOA Advisory Council and Board, and Virginia Coalition on Aging. He also has served on the Private Industry Council, helping educate the business community on the benefits of hiring older workers.
Karen Wilson, a Roanoker who has been a volunteer for six years at the Roanoke Museum of Fine Arts. She has rallied volunteers for a variety of projects, from clerical work to major fund-raising events. She has served as chairman of the Sidewalk Art Show and Crafts Festival and as president of the Docents Guild.
Perneller Lorice Chubb Wilson, a Roanoker who has served as chairman of Roanoke's NAACP Labor and Industry Committee. She also organized and is president of Concerned Citizens for Justice and has performed other civil-rights work. She is the mother of seven and grandmother of 13.
Youth Support Services, which was nominated for both awards. The agency is an all-volunteer service that operates in cooperation with the Roanoke judicial system to serve high-risk youths, reduce crime, relieve crowded court dockets and save taxpayers' money. The volunteers share office work and counsel youths through the age of 17 who have committed delinquent acts or have exhibited socially unacceptable behavior that could lead to such acts.
by CNB