Virginia Service

Civic Engagement: Judge Thomas Shadrick, Virginia Beach
Judge Thomas Shadrick spearheaded the effort to recruit volunteers for Seatack Elementary School 's mentorship program, which began in 2000.This program provides students with an appreciation of the importance of education, as well as a consistent and positive role model in their lives. Judge Shadrick's efforts are the result of a clear understanding that youth in at-risk settings have increased odds of academic and social failures because of the challenges of their socioeconomic status.
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Commonwealth Award: Stephen Northup, Richmond
Stephen A. Northup is honored for his staunch dedication to pro bono legal representation and social justice. Mr. Northup has tirelessly and effectively campaigned to increase the pro bono services offered by his legal firm, Troutman Sanders LLP. A native of New York and a Harvard-educated lawyer, Mr. Northup convinced his firm to encourage lawyers to donate at least 50 hours a year to pro bono work. Mr. Northup recently received the 2004 Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Pro Bono Award, which is the Virginia State Bar's highest honor recognizing a lawyer's provision of free legal services.
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Faith-Based Program: Volunteer Emergency Families for Children, Midlothian
Volunteer Emergency Families for Children is a unique, highly successful public-private collaboration dedicated to helping children have their needs met within their own communities. VEFC volunteers have been reaching out to children in crisis since 1979. This year the organization is celebrating twenty-five years of volunteer service to more than 14,000 at-risk or in-crisis children. This organization is an outstanding demonstration of how volunteers can maintain sustained commitment to meeting community needs.
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Family: Alvarez Family, Strasburg
Roy, Rosa, Elizabeth and Ben donate approximately 30 hours each month to the Shenandoah County Free Clinic in Woodstock. The clinic serves low-income, uninsured residents for all their healthcare needs. Now the Alvarezes serve on the clinic board, the fund raising committee, and serve as invaluable interpreters with the clinic's Spanish-speaking patients. Their strong commitment to the community is helping to bridge the gap in cultural understanding between long-term residents and new immigrants in a rural area where change sometimes comes slowly.They have pride in their ethnic heritage and a deep love of their community which allow them to reach out to all.
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Government: The Songfellows, Culpeper Garden Senior Center, Arlington
The Songfellows are a group of 13 senior adult men who present a cappella song programs to senior center groups, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, churches, civic groups, and at the Arlington County Fair.The Songfellows function under the auspices of the Arlington County Office of Senior Adult Programs. Their mission is to bring joy to senior citizens through music. All of the Songfellows are senior citizens. Through their repertoire of 100 songs and knowledge about music and composers, they bring enjoyment and intellectual stimulation to their listeners.
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Homeland Security Service: Kimberly Johnson - Smith, Arlington
Kim Johnson-Smith provided early leadership to organize residents to strengthen community preparedness and safety shortly after a plane crashed into the Pentagon on 9/11/01. As the Chair of the Arlington County Citizen Corps Council Task Group on Public Education for Emergency Preparedness, and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Kim works to coordinate community involvement in all aspects of emergency preparedness planning.
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Large Business: State Farm Insurance Companies, Charlottesville
The State Farm Insurance Company volunteers are committed partners in the education process in the Charlottesville City Schools. Longevity and quality of service are qualities that set these volunteer tutors apart .These generous workers and their generous company are all part of the “village” that is required to teach our children.
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National Service Individual: Kimberly Lunsford, Roanoke
Kimberly Lunsford is serving as a host manger for NRCA's SHARE (Self Help and Resource Exchange) food distribution and volunteer program. She publicizes the program and recruits and trains volunteers to run the program in their local communities. She is very sensitive to the population she serves and is admired by co-workers and volunteers.
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National Service Program: Hand in Hand, Hampton
Hand and Hand, Inc. was established in 2002. After years of volunteer service and work with community and faith-based groups, the founders of Hand and Hand, Inc., Cynthia Down-Taylor and Brenda Henderson, saw how many of the groups struggled to stay in existence. Hand and Hand also serves as an umbrella organization for a statewide AmeriCorps *VISTA project, that mentor at-risk youth, provide services to ex-offenders, transitional housing, computer literacy classes, youth camps, nutritional programs, smoking cessation programs, after-school programs, and support to senior citizens.
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National Service Program: Clinch Valley Community Action, Inc., North Tazewell
Clinch Valley Community Action has sponsored a Senior Companion Program since 1989. During the past 15 years, over 175 volunteers have served their communities. In the past year, 51 companions served 46,220 hours. The companions provided services to 110 homebound seniors who needed assistance with daily living tasks, including meal preparation, housekeeping, errands, and most of all, companionship. The need for these kinds of services is so great that the program maintains a waiting list of over 80 clients.
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National Service Program: Senior Connections, Richmond
The Senior Connections Foster Grandparent Program works with children who need intensive individual help to learn to respect others, and how to avoid drugs, tobacco, and bullying other children. They also help to teach children to protect themselves and their families from the dangers of fire, and to learn that they can go to police officers for help when necessary. In 2003, the Foster Grandparent Program sponsored a flu shot clinic for the community. During the summer, volunteers provide daycare programs in area churches.
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National Service Program: Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging, Front Royal
In the past year, the Shenandoah Area RSVP was the only Senior Corps program in Virginia to receive national recognition by USA Weekend and the Points of Light Foundation for its Make a Difference Day project of delivering personal care packages to residents of nursing homes. In 2004, the Shenandoah Area RSVP began working with a faith-based organization in which volunteers are matched with homebound seniors who need some assistance and support to remain independent. Beginning in 1977, with 17 volunteers serving at 12 stations, the agency has grown to 450 volunteers contributing to over 76,000 hours annually at over 100 stations.
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National Service Program: Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc., Roanoke
The Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project serves the low-income rural areas in all ninety-five counties of the Commonwealth of Virginia, operating a variety of programs. Its mission is to assist low-income rural families and communities to access safe, affordable water and sanitary wastewater disposal facilities, as well as to improve their housing, communities, and quality of life. The VISTAs help provide community organizations with the skills to create healthy communities to resolve their problems and recruit and train citizen volunteers.
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Nonprofit Group: Bedford Ride, Bedford
Bedford Ride is a nonemergency medical transportation program for the citizens of Bedford City and County. This program provides transportation for citizens who have no other means of reaching their doctor appointments, dentist, pharmacy, and other health-related destinations. Bedford Ride currently is providing over 450 trips a month, to Bedford , Lynchburg , Roanoke , Salem , and the UVA Medical Center in Charlottesville.
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Nonprofit Group: Legal Information Network for Cancer, Richmond
The Legal Information Network for Cancer (LINC), is a community-based volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that provides a different kind of support to people with cancer. LINC's clients, often low-income or medically indigent, do not have the support network or resources to deal with the overwhelming financial and legal issues that typically arise when dealing with a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. The volunteer attorneys in LINC's referral network put in so many hours for LINC clients because they care so deeply about people with cancer and their families.
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Outstanding Volunteer: Rosa Jiggetts, Richmond
Rosa Jiggetts lives and serves as a resource for her own North District, but she feels called to serve the entire Richmond area and is known city-wide as a resource for the homeless and poor. She gives six to eight hours every single day to the community, plus she is on-call twenty-four hours a day. Rosa initiated the “City of Kindness ” slogan soon to be seen on posters and bumper stickers throughout Richmond. Her goal is to focus on the power of good as a means of overcoming crime.
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Outstanding Volunteer: Monica Vieira, Charlottesville
Monica Vierira volunteers at the University of Virginia Children's Medical Center three days a week (over 450 hours annually), and orchestrates Art Affects, a unique program that exposes inpatients and outpatients to a variety of artists and art techniques that encourage self-expression. Not only does this support their physical recovery, but it enhances the overall rehabilitation process for hospitalized children.Through sharing her passion, she has given everyone a new perspective on art and its healing capabilities.
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Senior Volunteer: Ruth Lucas, Richmond
Ruth Lucas has been a volunteer in Virginia 's juvenile correctional centers for over 30 years. Mrs. Lucas has touched the lives of thousands of young people, bringing them hope and encouragement through her positive influence and strong faith. Her mission is to help incarcerated youth learn that better choices will aid in their return to the community. She makes everyone know that they are worthwhile human beings by the love and understanding she shows them.
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Small Business: St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub, Alexandria
St. Elmo's, a wonderful little coffee shop owned by Nora Partlow and Scott Mitchell, has become much more to the Del Ray community of Alexandria. Rarely does a business dedicate itself so completely to a community. One of St. Elmo's proudest traditions is being a catalyst for local artists. They have provided many aspiring artists the opportunity to display their works or give live performances. Through serving on numerous boards and councils, Nora and Scott demonstrate their business's dedication to their community and city.
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Small Business: Stewart Gamage, Williamsburg
Stewart Gamage is the College of William and Mary's Vice President for Public Affairs, and has pleaded the case for building Virginia 's higher education system in the face of diminishing state financial support. Ms. Gamage has gained the credibility and respect that enable her to be a successful advocate for higher learning. She was also a founding member of Women Executives in State Government and the Democratic Leadership Council. She has served on the William and Mary Board of Visitors, the Society of the Alumni Board, and the Williamsburg Land Conservancy Board.
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Volunteer Administrator: Teresa Gardner, Coeburn
Teresa Gardner is the coordinator of the Remote Area Medical (RAM) Health Expedition in Wise County , the largest health-care outreach effort in the United States. The project involves an enormous collaboration of organizations, institutions, civic groups, businesses, churches, and individuals that share the common vision of helping the disadvantaged. Mrs. Gardner has been the driving force behind bringing the RAM concept to Southwest Virginia. She works unselfishly and often in obscurity to promote the health and wellbeing of others.
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Youth Volunteer: Marcia Sharp, Williamsburg
Marcia Sharp is a student volunteer at the College of William and Mary, Marcia's achievements are too numerous to list. She is integrally involved with the Respite Care Program, and spends her entire summer volunteering 40 hours per week with clients. This past year, Marcia organized an Adopt-a-Family program, sponsored food and clothing drives, a Salvation Army teddy bear drive, and volunteered with ARC, working with adults with mental retardation, whom she treats with dignity and respect and in doing so improves their quality of life.
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