Governor Honors Outstanding Virginia Volunteers

Governor Bob McDonnell has announced the recipients of the 2010 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Awards. These awards highlight the efforts of outstanding citizens of the Commonwealth who seek to enhance the lives of others in their communities. The awards are presented to groups, individuals and families whose efforts exemplify extraordinary volunteer service. Governor McDonnell also proclaimed April 18-24 as Volunteer Week in Virginia. As a prelude to the recognition week, individuals and organizations were honored at a special ceremony, April 15 in Richmond. Read profiles of this year's award recipients and view the photo gallery.

AmeriCorps Week in Virginia

AmeriCorps programs throughout Virginia will participate in AmeriCorps Week, May 8-15. AmeriCorps members, alumni, project staff members, commission members, friends, and supporters will actively promote the national service program in an effort to bring more Americans into service, salute current and past members, and thank AmeriCorps' many partners.

Virginia AmeriCorps Week Events

• AmeriCorps Four Mile Run Restoration of Arlington, VA is recognizing the week with removing invasive garlic mustard on May 13 from 1-3 p.m. at Thrifton Hill Park. Watch this program in action.
• On May 14, the Richmond Flying Squirrels will hold "AmeriCorps Night" at the Diamond as they square off against the Altoona Curve. If you're in Central Virginia join us, and be sure to show your spirit by wearing your AmeriCorps t-shirts, pins or caps.
• AmeriCorps Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) members have planned "Family, Fun and Fair" for the residents of Pecan Acres in Petersburg, Saturday, May 15 from 11-3 p.m. Join in the games and prizes, food, and entertainment. Pecan Acres, 433 Pecan Street, Petersburg. 
• AmeriCorps Action for Community Enhancement Services (ACES) will participate in the Summit on Aging on Wednesday, May 12 from 8 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Pine Camp Cultural Arts Center, located at 4910 Old Brook Road in Richmond. AmeriCorps members will assist facilitators with their workshops.
• Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) - AmeriCorps and America Reads will assist with a citywide Pamper Drive for Richmond's Early Childhood Development Initiative for under-privileged mothers in the Richmond area. Pampers of all sizes for newborns to toddlers will be accepted beginning this week. VCU AmeriCorps members will kick-off the drive and open it to the entire VCU community.

Read the Governor's AmeriCorps Week proclamation [PDF - 509 KB]. See a complete list of AmeriCorps Week events throughout the nation.

Virginia Youth Honored for Volunteerism at National Award Ceremony

Two Virginia students, Samantha Halle, 18, of Chesterfield and Nyasha Sprow, 12, of Dale City, were honored in the nation's capital recently for their outstanding volunteer work during the presentation of The 2010 Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. The two young people - along with 100 other top youth volunteers from across the country - received $1,000 awards as well as personal congratulations from former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Olympic snowboarding champion Seth Wescott at the 15th annual award ceremony and gala dinner reception, held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. Samantha and Nyasha were named the top high school and middle level youth volunteers in Virginia last February. In addition to their cash awards, they received engraved silver medallions and an all-expense-paid trip with their parents to Washington, D.C., for this week's recognition events. Learn more about Samantha and Nyasha.

Conference on Community Collaboration in Preventing Family Violence

The Family and Children's Trust Fund (FACT) of Virginia will hold a Conference on Community Collaboration in Preventing Family Violence on June 15, in Richmond. FACT, which works to prevent and treat family violence in Virginia, will present at the conference "Violence at Home: The Fact Report", the Commonwealth of Virginia's first report on social indicators of family violence. The report will communicate the state of family violence across the life-span continuum in Virginia, raise awareness of the problem of family violence, assist policy-makers, and spotlight innovative responses to prevent and address family violence statewide. Other agenda items and sessions include network building, volunteer recruitment and management, creating successful community collaborations, and a community collaboration and volunteer awards luncheon. Register today.

Nonprofit Resources

• The Nine Basic Rules for Volunteer Recognition - HandsOn Blog
• Sunrise Optimist Youth Volunteer Award - Nominate a high school student in the Alexandria community by May 14
• Three Very Important Manuals for Nonprofit Organizations - Nonprofit Leadership 601
• Availability of $5.4 million in grants to establish Youth Engagement Zones announced - Corporation for National and Community Service
• Virginians can save money on emergency supplies during Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday, May 25-31
• Grant Opportunity: 2010 Washington Gas Environmental Innovator Grant

In the News

• Vote for AmeriCorps Alums in the Pepsi Refresh project
• Encouraging Older Volunteers - The New York Times
• Helping humanity with click of a mouse. Do Something's take on defending slacktivism - Fast Company
• A look at service one year after passage of the Serve America Act - NPR
• VCU students recognized for National Volunteer Week - VDEM
• Parents Play Biggest Role in Encouraging Teenagers to Give, Study Finds - The Chronicle of Philanthropy
• Virginia grandfather and grandson share a love of science, sharing and volunteering - Richmond Times-Dispatch
• President proclaims April 19 as National Day of Service and Remembrance for Victims and Survivors of Terrorism - Whitehouse.gov