Virginia Service

Commonwealth Award: James Ukrop, Richmond
Jim Ukrop currently serves on more than 10 community boards and is the Founding Chairman of the Virginia Performing Arts Foundation. Not only does he give financially, but Jim also lends his time to other efforts such as the revitalization of downtown Richmond, The Healing Place, the Advisory Board of the Local Initiatives Support Coalition, Swansboro Elementary, and the Volunteer Emergency Shelter for the Children Plus program. Mr. Ukrop served as Founding Chairman of the 21st Century Virginia Coalition, the first statewide youth advocacy organization for 18-24 year-old Virginians.
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Faith-Based Program: Church of the Epiphany, Herndon
Herndon's Church of the Epiphany has cooked and served hot meals to the homeless in Fairfax County twice a month, for the last five years. More than 3,000 hours of service and approximately 12,000 hot meals were committed to this activity though the church’s hot meals program. In addition to offering meals to the needy, the program also offers courses on enrichment and self-sufficiency.
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Family: Chiles Family, Beaverdam
Bobby and Judy Chiles have created social and exercise programs to assist persons with disabilities. Together they volunteer and raise funds for activities such as the "Boogie Club," Winter Beach Party, Saturday Night Dance Party, and Hanover Boys to Men program.
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Government: Volunteer Interpreter Program, Fairfax
The Volunteer Interpreter Program assists the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court staff and clients who encounter communication obstacles due to language differences. Approximately 35 interpreters assist the court and provide services to other courthouse and offsite programs. The Volunteer Interpreter Program assists staff in conducting intake hearings, telephone calls, and written translation of forms and brochures.
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Homeland Security Service: Edward Roman, Woodbridge
Since 1999, Edward Roman has contributed a minimum of 20 hours per week, and has logged more than 5,000 hours in the past five years with the Prince William County Police Department. He performs many vital daily duties for the department, such as transferring police vehicles from the station to repair facilities and the local car wash, inventorying police weapons, and testing equipment such as alcohol testers, radar units, radios, and mobile data car computers.
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Large Business: Wachovia Securities, Richmond
Over the past five years, Wachovia Securities’ Community Stars program has achieved a 75 percent volunteer participation rate serving such organizations as Homeward, Habitat for Humanity, Lunch Buddy’s program, Special Olympics, United Way, blood drives, and much more.
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National Service Program: The Grandfathers Group, Alexandria
Started in 1998, the mission of The Grandfathers Group is to promote and enhance positive youth development for young African-American males whose fathers are absent from the home by recruiting senior African-American male mentors. The mentors (age 50+) serve as volunteer grandfathers to 6-12 year-old African-American boys. Grandfathers serve mainly in one-on-one relationships. Over the past five years, 21 grandfathers have logged 1,600 hours, and mentored 25 boys.
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Nonprofit Group: Medical College of Virginia Hospital Auxiliary of VCU Health Systems, Richmond
The Medical College of Virginia Hospital Auxiliary acts as a support system to patients and their families. Serving many low-income families, the Auxiliary has logged a total of a quarter of a million volunteer hours, with 50,000 hours in the past five years alone. Currently, its main areas of service include the Hospital Hospitality House, the MCV Home Health Care, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and the Pediatric Oncology Clinic.
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Senior Volunteer: Joe Meade, Nickelsville
Joe Meade helped develop the recreational facility at Keith Memorial State Park that began in 1998. Joe and another partner personally donated $1,000 toward the purchase of land by the Scott County Board of Supervisors. In addition to securing grants and contributions, Joe was instrumental in winning support of hundreds of volunteers and partners such as the local Boy Scout Troop and Virginia Department of Transportation.
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Small Business: Eddie Heussler, Richmond
Eddie Heussler could have kept driving that day. He didn’t have to stop his Federal Express delivery truck. On January 22, 2002, Mr. Heussler was on his delivery route in Chesterfield when he came upon a house on fire. A 4 year–old boy flagged him down and pointed to the house where his 79 year–old grandmother, Helen Newcomb, was trapped inside. Mr. Heussler ran through the front door to try and save the woman. He spent minutes searching in vain for Ms. Newcomb and made contact with her but was forced to retreat when the living room flashed over in flames. When he emerged Mr. Heussler had severe burns over most of his body. The rescue teams found him, his body literally smoking, in the front yard of the house. Not long ago, Eddie was released from the hospital and is just now making his way back to work. No award exists that could sufficiently recognize such a heroic action.
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Volunteer: Susie Diaz, Virginia Beach
Susie Diaz’s daughter Maria died in a car accident on August 24, 2001, while driving back to college for her sophomore year. On that day, Maria became a tissue donor, and Susie has been an active tissue and organ donor advocate ever since. Currently, she commits much of her time volunteering on behalf of LifeNet, a tissue and organ donor procurement organization in her hometown.
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Volunteer: John Washington, Midlothian
John Washington provides guidance services to inmates at the Chesterfield Diversion Center. John’s main role is acting as a motivational force to female drug offenders at the Diversion Center. In addition to his motivational style, John provides guidance in handling stress, assists with post-release plans, teaches basic life skills, and emphasizes the importance of confidence to his students.
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Volunteer Administrator: Joe Iman, Chesapeake
Joe Iman has served as a volunteer administrator for the Society of St. Andrews since his retirement in 1997. The Society of St. Andrew is a grassroots ministry that partners with farmers, volunteers, financial supporters, and hunger relief agencies. The group’s philosophy is centered on the concept of gleaning, or salvaging fresh food that would otherwise go to waste, and delivering it to those in need. Joe’s main responsibilities include recruiting, training and supervising farmers, volunteer gleaners, and receiving agencies in the area.
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Youth Volunteer: Arron Messer, Afton
As a rising senior at Nelson County High School, Arron Messer has invested more than 20 hours per week for the past year in various community service activities. This past summer, he volunteered approximately 40 hours per week at Rockfish Valley Community Center (RVCC). He was nominated by the RVCC Board of Directors to chair the Administrative Committee and has proven to be a dedicated and fully involved chairman through grant writing and leading some of the center’s major projects.
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Youth Volunteer: Girl Scout Troop #141, Chilhowie
Girl Scouts Meredith, Kelly, Kelsey, Samantha and Sarah are a whirlwind of volunteer activity. Over the past few years, these young women have sponsored magazine drives; constructed children’s activity boxes for the children’s ward at Smyth County Community Hospital; organized a school-wide food drive for the Smyth County Social Service food pantry and Christmas box collection for teens at Southwestern Virginia Mental Health Institute; and conducted a country breakfast that resulted in more than 150 boxes of food raised for charity, and more.
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