Volunteers honored for outstanding service

From the League of Volunteers
March 12, 2006

On March 12th LOV’s Board and Staff gave thanks to volunteers who attended the annual dinner and awards night at the Elks Lodge in Fremont. Sixty two (62) volunteers and 2 organizations received “Volunteers Make A World of Difference” tee shirts for giving over 50 hours of service last year. All our volunteers who donated 10 or more hours of service received beautiful “Volunteers Make A World of Difference” certificates of appreciation. Volunteer service “LOV Bucks” were turned in for great merchandise gifts. Those volunteers who reaped “big bucks” for their many hours of service saved some of those bucks for the always-lively auction following dinner. THE PULSE & PRIDE AWARD — LOV’s top honor for volunteerism and awarded not only for outstanding hours of service, but for invaluable work provided in assisting LOV in its mission to the community was presented to Katie Spencer who gave 1,586.5 hours of service in 2005.

After leaving her job at the Salvation Army Katie went on to become a Class A truck driver. Starting her job at the un-godly hours of 3 am – she then comes to LOV to volunteer after work. Katie was involved this past year with helping us move, worked at Newark Days, helped with our mini office services, counted and sorted food in the food pantry during Thanksgiving & Christmas as well a assisting with registering clients for food baskets and our Adopt-a-Family program. Katie is also one of the volunteers in the office answering phones, giving out information and referrals to clients, signing up mandated community service workers and scheduling them. She worked Thanksgiving Day with our “Turkey Taxi” picking up those who needed rides and then taking them back home afterwards. She comes in on her days off from 9 am to 5 pm as well as after work from noon to 5 pm. We really appreciate Katie’s devotion to our programs.

DOUBLE HONORS FOR DEVIN RUSSELL

On April 11 th – Mayor David Smith presented Devin with the City’s top honor for Youth Service to the community. At LOV’s Volunteer Recognition Night, Devin was honored by the Board of Directors for his outstanding service in 2005. LOV’s Youth Award is not given out every year. However, this year we really had an outstanding teen – and the City of Newark thought so too. Devin is a member of our Y.E.S!Youth Encouraged to Serve teen club which, besides summer fun, emphasizes volunteer service to the community. Devin first came to LOV in 2003 and frankly had some problems to over come. Being a part of Y.E.S! made an impression and we were glad to have him return the next year and become more involved in the activities. This past year we have seen a real growth – assuming a leadership role and mentoring other teens. Devin gave 157 hours of service over the course of last summer, delivering Meals on Wheels, working to help clean up a senior’s yard (including some badly needed pruning of bushes). Other service included working with our bulk mailing, cleaning up the Teen Room and working with John Schiavone, our Facilities Manager, doing general maintenance and repair work. We are very proud of Devin and we are counting on him to return and mentor new teens this coming summer.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER SERVICE

Dominic Dutra We didn’t track his hours – so we have given him 500 – although it’s probably much more than that. This wonderful man spent countless hours trying to find a new home for LOV. Searching sites in Fremont and Newark , arranging for walk thru, making offers, working with prospective landlords and a local architect, attending meetings with our Building Committee, Staff and Board members. Together Dom and LOV hit many dead ends and many obstacles – but he never gave up. He is a wonderful friend of LOV – and we hope some day, when we are able, he will work with us again and help us to find a permanent home of our own.

Cammie Mitchell donated 278.5 hours of service last year. She came to us just before Thanksgiving and worked in the food pantry stocking, sorting and counting donations and making food baskets. She also assists in the front office answering phones, greeting clients, screening families to be adopted at Christmas and helping distribute food and gifts to those families. Cammie has also been a great help with data entry and has worked with our mini office services.

Annette Chiapuzio – with a total of 267.25 volunteer hours in 2005 , She helped with Newark Days, works the front office answering phones, with mailings and other mini office services. During the holidays she assisted in overseeing the food pantry, counting and sorting food, making food baskets for clients and distributing the baskets as clients came to pick them up During our Open House, she was our spokesperson and greeter in the food pantry and did a very good job of informing our guests of LOV’s services to the community and recruiting some new volunteers with her enthusiasm.

League of Volunteers