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Of Interest

• Hands On Greater Richmond
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Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards

On behalf of Governor Tim Kaine, the Governor’s Advisory Board on National and Community Service, Virginia Corps, and the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service are working together to recognize the significant contributions of Virginia citizens to the life and welfare of the Commonwealth and its people. In April during National Volunteer Service Week, awards to recognize these exceptional contributions were made at a reception in Richmond. Awards were presented to organizations, businesses, families, and individuals whose volunteer and community service efforts focus on building and strengthening the Commonwealth of Virginia.

2009 Award Recipients

See photos and read complete summaries this year's recipients.

• AMERIGROUP Corporation, Virginia Beach: Business Award. AMERIGROUP instituted a company-wide volunteerism program called "RealCaring," comprised of three components: Volunteer Circle, Disaster Response Team and Capacity Building.
  
  
• John A. Wilson, Williamsburg: Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery Award. Mr. Wilson is an emergency services volunteer serving in the Citizen Corps Council, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Fire Auxiliary, Colonial Virginia Chapter of the American Red Cross and the James City County Office of Emergency Management.
  
  
• Patricia McCormick, Williamsburg: Faith-based Organization Award. Ms. McCormick works at the Grove Christian Outreach Center that serves an impoverished area in James City County.
  
  
• Bruce and Debra Beale, Charlottesville: Family Award. Mr. and Mrs. Beale work to improve the lives of refugees who have resettled in Charlottesville through the International Rescue Committee.
  
  
• Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, Blacksburg: Government/Education Award. During the past fall semester, the cadets volunteered more than 3,600 service hours in the community through fundraising events, speaking engagements and direct service projects.
  
  
• Harry Blackwell, Hampton: National Service Individual Award. Mr. Blackwell serves the students at Cooper Elementary School as a volunteer with the Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program.
  
  
• The Phoenix Project – Learn and Serve Social Media Technology Program, Springfield: National Service Program Award. The Phoenix Project, together with its partners, Craigslist Foundation and George Mason University, has initiated a program to research, develop and implement effective social media tools to mobilize students more efficiently to meet the needs of citizens in economically distressed communities.
  
  
• Volunteer Emergency Families for Children, Midlothian: Nonprofit Group Award. VEFC maintains approximately 150 families across the Commonwealth to provide short-term shelter care and mentoring for abused, neglected, runaway, homeless and at-risk children.
  
  
• Ann Quinn, Gloucester Point: Senior Volunteer Award. Ms. Quinn works with the Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic, which serves low-income, medically uninsured residents of Gloucester and Mathews counties.
  
  
• Carolyn LeCroy, Norfolk: Volunteer Award. After serving 14 months in prison, Ms. LeCroy utilized her skills and talents as a media producer to create "The Messages Project" as a way to help incarcerated mothers and fathers maintain important family bonds with their children.
  
  
• Ashley Louise Gregory, Mechanicsville: Youth Volunteer Award. At 15, Ms. Gregory, founded Ashley's Angels, a free dance camp for children with disabilities. In addition, she is actively involved with numerous other charitable organizations serving children.

Selection Criteria

Recipients of the Governor's Community Service and Volunteerism Awards exemplify the following characteristics:

• Engage in the creation, organization, and/or mobilization of volunteers, groups and resources that are involved in projects benefiting the greater community.
• Demonstrate sustained commitment to meeting community needs.
• Utilize unique and creative approaches to meeting needs.
• Develop and foster the virtues and skills of civic engagement and social responsibility.