Vance honoring volunteers

  • Published
  • By Vance Airman & Family Readiness Center
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Team Vance is recognizing all who made the base and surrounding communities better through volunteer service at a luncheon May 2 in honor of National Volunteer Appreciation Week.

This year, April 27 to May 5 is designated as the annual week to celebrate volunteering. This year's theme is "Volunteer to Change the World."

Terri Presa, Vance volunteer coordinator, said the base will host the luncheon to show gratitude to individuals who gave their time to make a difference, as well as recognize the most outstanding volunteer.

"More than 400 base volunteers contributed 3,350 hours valued at $62,800 to several base and community activities that made a difference to those who received their efforts," Ms. Presa said. "The Airman & Family Readiness Center is awarding the Volunteer Excellence Award to a person who exemplifies the spirit of the volunteer program. The Vance nominees this year are Howard N. Deunk III, Gene Kornman, Marvin Laubach, Carly McQueen, Lara Nash and Stephen York."

Some of the activities that base volunteers donated time and effort to make a difference included: the base chapel, the base Thrift Shop, MS Walk, area schools, March of Dimes, Christmas in April, Relay for Life, SIGMO, Special Olympics, YWCA Christmas Party, Breakfast with Santa, Angel Food, Habitat for Humanity, Scare on the Square, Red Cross, Boy Scouts, YMCA, veterans' groups, volunteer fire department, Our Daily Bread, local churches and Camp Tomahawk.

The U.S. Department of Labor states from September 2006-2007, approximately 60.8 million people volunteered in the United States. Volunteers are defined as persons who did unpaid work, except for expenses, through or for an organization.

National Volunteer Appreciation Week was created in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order establishing the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Every year since that time, each president, as well as many governors, mayors and other elected officials, have signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week.

Those interested in attending the luncheon must RSVP by April 23. For more information, call Terri Presa at 213-7120.