48 Individuals and 13 Groups Will Receive Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Awards in Virtual Ceremony Jan. 17

NEW CASTLE (Dec. 22, 2021) Forty-eight individuals and 13 groups will be honored with the 2021 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Award during a virtual ceremony to be held at 7 p.m. Jan. 17, 2022. The recipients will be recognized for significant contributions, engagement and impact in diverse service activities.

Throughout the month of December, staff members from the State Office of Volunteerism have been working with nominators to surprise honorees with the news of their selection. A “SurPRIZE Patrol” has delivered custom cakes and small gifts to honorees as they continue to serve their communities. The names of all recipients will be announced during a Facebook Live presentation on the Volunteer Delaware Facebook page at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 23.

“I salute these worthy recipients and all those who volunteered their time and energy this year to help improve the health and well-being of their neighbors in need,” said Governor John Carney. “The coronavirus pandemic has brought special challenges for many of our residents in 2021, which is why I am doubly grateful for the generosity and selfless commitment of these volunteers.”

The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards, administered by the State Office of Volunteerism, honors the contributions of individuals and groups in Delaware that have made a positive impact in their communities or across the state through service and volunteering.

“We are honored to be able to celebrate the exceptional service of so many deserving Delawareans,” said Kanani H. Munford, Senior Administrator for the State Office of Volunteerism and the Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. “With a combined total of nearly 200,000 hours of service in 2021, and representing an economic impact of over $5.6 million, these individuals and groups represent the largest and one of the most diverse groups of honorees we have ever had the privilege to recognize in a single year.”

The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of State Service Centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, as well as the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

The recipients of the 2020 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award are:

Paul Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award

Charles Michel (Sussex County)
• Charles Michel volunteers his time with numerous causes, but his primary focus is related to veterans. Charles has served with the Seaford American Legion for more than 20 years. He has been a post commander and a district commander, organized the annual Memorial Day service, oversees a medical supply lending closet and most recently became the state chair for the annual Boy’s State program. The part of his service that means the most to him though, is when he volunteers to play taps for veteran funerals. A veteran himself, Charles has dedicated his life to making sure that other veterans get the services and support they need.

Volunteer Leadership

Christina Haynes (Sussex County)
• Christina channeled the grief from the loss of her son into the creation of the 4Troy Foundation, which was established in January 2020 to bring awareness to RMC (Renal Medullary Carcinoma), to assist families that are navigating their fight with RMC for treatment, as well as housing. And also building a youth mentoring program to help student athletes throughout Sussex County with their academic work, athletic training, scholarship writing, college application completions and life skills building.

Vic Parker (New Castle County)
• ⁠Vic Parker is one of American Red Cross’ Leadership Volunteers for the Delmarva Chapter and has traveled in support of the organization’s humanitarian efforts in response to disasters. Vic is a national leader in sheltering and has had several occasions where she was requested to manage large shelters for high-impact disasters. Vic has served as a Disaster Action Team runner where she delivers Client Assistance Materials during the pandemic, a position held by only a few to keep minimal staff in the field when able. This past year, Vic organized a large blood drive and continually steps up to make sure that individuals affected by disasters get the help they need as soon as possible.

Carol Lucas (Kent County)
• Carol is a Lead Canteen volunteer and manages volunteer schedules, training, communication, connections, and interaction at her local Blood Bank of Delmarva Center in Dover. The Blood Bank of Delmarva relies on Carol to keep the volunteers in the refreshment area trained, scheduled, and pleasant to keep the blood donors happy and wanting to return to give blood again.

Nikki Gonzalez (Sussex County)
• Nikki serves as an advocate for individuals experiencing homelessness in Sussex County. Answering hotline phone calls at all hours of the day and night, Nikki works to make sure that individuals experiencing homelessness have their needs met. She coordinates volunteers, meals, and needs for items like shoes, socks and camping gear, and she does it all with a passion for service that is admirable to everyone she meets. Beyond her work to battle homelessness, Nikki serves on the boards for several organizations working to advocate for and support people battling addiction.

Martin Brett (New Castle County)
• As Vice Chair for the DEVOAD (Delaware Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) and Field Lead for our Hurricane Ida Flooding Response, Marty Brett worked closely with team leaders during volunteer work days to identify and structure the work to be done, as well as to guide the teams through any changes or decisions necessary in work to be performed. For three weeks, Marty was on scene every day to coordinate response activity for numerous organizations and his leadership enabled the VOAD to provide timely and effective services to the citizens of Wilmington in their time of need.

Elaine Mundy (Kent County)
• One of only two volunteers to return to the Hope Medical Dental Clinic after pandemic restrictions lifted, Elaine Mundy worked to eliminate the waiting list for treatment by creating a new and more efficient scheduling system. Because of Elaine, and for the first time since the addition of dental services to the clinic, no callers have been turned away due to the long waiting lists, and services specific to women are now being offered. Without Elaine’s leadership, the clinic simply could not help the number of people that it does.

Sarah Grady (Sussex County)
• As a dedicated volunteer with the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, Sarah Grady was asked to lead the dozens of volunteers who committed to assembling more than 22,000 art kits for students in Sussex County schools. In this role, Sarah coordinates the complex logistics of the intake of supplies in addition to developing and executing the timeline that the organization committed to for delivering the kits to local schools. Her leadership and dedication enabled this program to deliver vital arts enrichment supplies to thousands of local children.

Andrew Zampini (Sussex County)
• As the president of the Board of Directors for the Lewes Senior Activity Center, Andrew spearheaded the push for a new building and renovation of existing facilities for local seniors to gather and participate in social, recreational, educational, cultural and health-related programming, as well as accessing services and activities. The $1.8 million expansion of facilities was made possible, in large part, through Andrew’s leadership.

Don Connell (Sussex County)
• The Toy Project is an annual volunteer effort of the Mason/Dixon Woodworkers and is overseen by Don Connell. Each year, more than 1,000 toys are hand-made by volunteers to be distributed to children in need. Don spends countless hours each year making sure that volunteers can make the maximum impact through their handcrafted toys. Through his leadership, the program has grown and flourished, and we expect to be able to continue making toys for children for years to come.

Donna Murawski (Sussex County)
• In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Donna Murawski found a way to keep the Milton Community Food Pantry operating and set up the service for long-term success by identifying a building the pantry could purchase. Her unwavering support to keep the pantry open at personal sacrifice to her own family life has helped the family lives of countless others. Donna has made the battle against food insecurity in her area a personal priority and served more than 2,000 hours last year.

Jessica Gainer (Sussex County)
• Jessica Gainer is the Executive Director of Project SparkleOn (PSO), an outreach program for children in Sussex County. Under Jessica’s leadership, Project SparkleOn develops projects to involve youth in kindness and community service activities. Jessica teaches young people to make an impact, combat bullying, work with others and develop a positive self-image. Her goal is to make sure every young person feels capable of changing the world.

Paige Howell (Kent County)
• Paige Howell has a developmental disability and faces her own challenges by spreading kindness to others. She and her family take tough days and use them as inspiration to get up and do something for someone else. Through her initiative, Paige’s Kindness Project, Paige meets any need that she sees – from helping a single mom pay for her daughter’s music lessons, to delivering small gifts to first responders and community members. She drops off snacks and water each month to the local homeless shelter, decorated rocks for Milford police officers, prepared treat bags for seniors in her apartment complex, and has made more than 1,100 cards for others with disabilities who live in group homes across the state.

Lauren Berry (New Castle County)
• Serving as the Camp Volunteer Director for the Down Syndrome Association of Delaware, Lauren Berry has enabled hundreds of children to attend summer camp. Lauren is a leader with a strong background in working with children and brings knowledge through her experience as a special education teacher. Lauren is always willing to lend a hand, sets an example for other volunteers, and steps in to take leadership positions.

Individual Volunteer

Vivian Montana Goodman (Sussex County)
• Vivian supports multiple nonprofits in achieving their missions. She cooks meals for the Shepherd’s Office in Georgetown, raises money for the Alzheimer’s Association through a community dinner, and works with Lasagna Love to cook meals for anyone in need. Vivian also serves as a purchasing agent for a project that serves Delaware foster children, making sure that resources are stretched to provide pajamas and journals for children living in the foster care system.

Ed Scarborough (Sussex County)
• Ed Scarborough is a longtime volunteer who is always looking for a way to help. An avid volunteer throughout his life, Ed became an active volunteer with the American Red Cross of the National Capital & Greater Chesapeake Region in 2016. There have been years when Ed is deployed to help victims of disaster across North America more days than he is at home. During his travels, you will always see Ed with his sidekick Eddie the Red Cross Teddie, and the pair bring smiles everywhere they go. When COVID-19 struck in the spring of 2020, Ed had to take a break from deploying, but he didn’t let the pandemic sideline him from helping. Ed began working to ensure that his neighbors had plenty to eat and made regular visits to the various food pantries to pick up food that he could deliver to those in need.

Joe Principe (New Castle County)
• Joe Principe is a volunteer with Autism Delaware who can be counted on to do anything and everything needed to support families, like his, who are living with the impact of an autism spectrum disorder. Joe works every event, offers his shop for storage, finds sponsors to provide pizza for parties and events, brings a large team to the walks and helps with the events surrounding the spring race at Dover International Speedway. Joe’s consistent support helps Autism Delaware continue to offer a large range of services to families in Delaware who are living with autism.

John Brady (Sussex County)
• John Brady has been serving as a part of the Boy Scouts of America since he was a child. Growing up with a scout leader father, John learned what it meant to live a life of service, and he has taken that lesson to heart. Other council volunteers have only wonderful things to say about John and his dedication to scouting. He goes to every scouting camp in the area, tries to be at every Court of Honor possible, and serves as a tremendous resource for scout leaders across the state. Because of his work, the scouting program grew in Sussex County to involve more youth and leaders while increasing financial support for scouting.

Shelli Smith
• In her time with CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) Delaware, Shelli Smith has accepted multiple challenging teen cases. As a CASA, Shelli works with young people who need a Court-Appointed Special Advocate. These situations are always challenging and require a dedicated individual who can build relationships and advocate for the young people involved. Her clients are spread across hundreds of miles, and some have required specialized care in out-of-state placements. Shelli manages to forge strong working relationships with everyone on the team that serves each of the young people, and her work has made a tremendous impact on the lives of each of her clients.

Dianne Shearon (Sussex County)
• Dianne Shearon’s thousands of hours served at the Community Resource Center of Rehoboth Beach have enabled its Food Rescue program to fight the growing problem of food insecurity. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, needs have increased dramatically in the community, and Dianne’s commitment to managing both the volunteer and donor side of the operation and the distribution. Plus, she makes sure that people’s needs are met as quickly as possible. Without her leadership, the resource center would not have been able to grow the way it has.

Babita Jagnanan (New Castle County)
• Babita Jagnanan donates clothing, household items and food to individuals, families and organizations in need in Delaware, through one-on-one distribution or via community giveaway events. The donations are largely through her family charity, Forget Me Not Families, or through partnerships. Through Babita’s service, she can help remove the stresses of acquiring needed basic belongings, personal care products, and food for those who are struggling. During the pandemic, she has volunteered at multiple vaccination clinics, helping to organize, directing traffic, even securing an RN to provide shots when there was a shortage. She also organizes holiday meals for the homeless and anyone else who might not have family as a resource for those uncertain times.

William “Chick” Glenden (Kent County)
• William “Chick” Glanden has been a volunteer EMT in Delaware for the past 30 years, continuing to provide coverage at least one night a week. Even while undergoing treatment for cancer and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chick continued working to ensure that the Frederica Volunteer Fire Department’s ambulance was always available when there was a need. Chick also serves as a volunteer Mayor for the town of Frederica and oversaw the addition of a new park to the town.

Ellen Muenter (New Castle County)
• Ellen works to support several area nonprofits, including the Brandywine Zoo, the Natural History Museum and the Friends of the Wilmington Parks. Her fundraising efforts help support operations at all three organizations. Her contribution to the Friends of the Wilmington Parks has grown the volunteer program to ensure that the Jasper Crane Rose Garden is tended year-round and especially during the growing season. Working at the Brandywine Zoo, Ellen reads to children who are visiting, and at the Delaware Natural History Museum, Ellen feeds and cares for animals.

Stephanie Jaynes (New Castle County)
• As a volunteer with the Chesapeake Bay Girl Scout Council for the past 15 years, Stephanie Jaynes has served in many ways, including as the leader of Troop 537 and as the cookie mom for many years. Her service has inspired and encouraged numerous young women, including those she has mentored through their Bronze, Silver and Gold Award projects. Stephanie also serves as a mentor to new troop leaders, helping them with program ideas, supplies/material, encouragement, and assistance with difficult situations.

Ennio Zaragoza (Kent County)
• Ennio Zaragoza spends thousands of hours each year working with Code Purple of Kent County. Through his work, Ennio has addressed food insecurity in the Dover area, helps those recovering from addiction, and supports individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Ennio also works with individuals who are exiting incarceration, helping with reentry and providing resources. Because of the dedication Ennio exhibits, Code Purple of Kent County has been able to expand its mission capacity to meet growing needs.

Pam Salaam (New Castle County)
• Pam Salaam is not a member of any organization, but goes out on her own to collect and prepare food to serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness in New Castle County. Pam visits parks throughout the county and meets with individuals to make sure that their needs for food and basic supplies are met, even using her own resources to purchase needed items. Her meals always include fruits, vegetables, meat and dessert, and are prepared and served fresh each day.

Mary Kendall (Sussex County)
• Mary Kendall is a devoted volunteer with the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation (JMFF). This past January, the JMFF embarked on an ambitious program to supply Creative Art Nourishment Kits for children in the Sussex County schools, as well as students who use the Food Bank of Delaware backpack program in Kent and Sussex counties. Mary registered herself to volunteer for every morning and afternoon shift offered. This was an 8-hour daily commitment for several weeks at a time. Mary also took it upon herself to gather hundreds of empty boxes from local stores so that kits could be assembled and packed in a timely manner. Mary was instrumental in making sure that the JMFF was able to deliver Creative Nourishment Kits to local school children.

Dianne Nichols (New Castle County)
• Dianne Nichols works with Literacy Delaware to help adults in Delaware with low literacy or English language skills. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as in-person sessions ceased and alternate methods had to be found, Dianne took the lead in finding online programs that would allow Literacy Delaware to continue delivering on its mission. Once a solution was found, Dianne conducted training workshops for volunteer tutors to help them learn how to use this important tool. Now, Dianne continues as the lead for the IXL program, tracking hours and scores for all those involved. Dianne is also spearheading a multi-part professional development project for tutors.

Richard Carver (New Castle County)
• Richard Carver’s knowledge of technology enabled him to facilitate Literacy Delaware’s transition to a virtual instruction model, allowing the adult English Language Learners to continue their studies even as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person classes. The monumental undertaking of pivoting the entire operation to online learning could not have occurred without the expertise of volunteer tutor and now “resident” IT guru Richard Carver. Rich conducted numerous workshops on how to use remote platforms and shared tutoring and remote teaching ideas to inform and engage tutors. He developed a tutor resource intranet. which contains links to helpful websites with resources for online teaching and continues to conduct mentoring sessions for new volunteers during tutor training, as well as offering one-on-one tech assistance whenever necessary.

Ruth Pryor (Sussex County)
• An avid volunteer, Ruth Pryor serves as a volunteer and as the Treasurer at the Cape Henlopen Food Basket, as a “shoe shopper” for Clothing Our Kids, as a community educator and facilitator for an Alzheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group, and sings in the St. Edmund Catholic Church choir. In addition to all of these service activities, Ruth serves on the Board for Lunch with a Purpose. Her work has helped to ease the impact of food insecurity, helps those struggling with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis and supports dozens of local nonprofit groups through fundraising activities.

Sophie Philips (New Castle County)
• As Miss Delaware 2021, Sophie Philips committed to a year of full-time volunteer service to the people of Delaware. For 9/11 Day this year, Sophie led a team of volunteers to build a pollinator and vegetable garden in the Southbridge neighborhood in Wilmington. Sophie worked with a local garden center to carefully choose plants that are native to this area and then worked with a team of volunteers to bring everything to the site. Once there, Sophie taught the volunteers (including local children) how to prepare the soil, do the planting and care for the plants as they grow. Their goal is to have a vegetable garden that can feed local families while supporting local pollinators.

Roxanne Ferguson (New Castle County)
• Roxanne Ferguson is a lifelong volunteer who has worked with Rotary International for more than 15 years, serving in leadership and working with a variety of causes and projects. Roxanne has volunteered with Stockings for Soldiers, Girl Scouts of the Chesapeake Bay, the New Castle Chamber of Commerce, the American Cancer Society and as a skilled volunteer with the Middletown-Odessa-Townsend soccer program. Additionally, she is currently serving with the Jean Birch Senior Center, where she helps support the MOT Senior Communities. Roxanne’s commitment to service led her to a position as Co-Host of the Pathways to Service Rotary Radio Show, where she discusses important topics relevant to the community and informs the community about projects and services.

Harry Brake (Sussex County)
• Harry Brake is a constant volunteer. Harry is primarily involved with the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy, but he is always looking for a way to incorporate service into his life and the lives of his students. He leads the way in both maintaining and improving the Chapel Branch Nature Trails and engages students who use the trails for their cross-country team to give back by doing maintenance tasks and planning improvements. Harry also works with local birding enthusiasts to help build birding and bat habitats in the area. This past year, Harry also worked on building a permanent 9/11 exhibit at the Woodbridge High School by getting students involved in recording interviews with survivors and creating a gallery walk of information for young people to be able to better understand the events of that day.

Ron Russell (Sussex County)
• Ron Russell, also known as “the birdman,” is a member of the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy board. He has not only achieved the installation of 16 bird boxes at the Chapel Branch Trail at Woodland Road, but also has been successful in having 38 birds that have fledged. When a bird fledges, it has enough strength in its wings to fly. Ron also has committed himself to cleaning up the busy stretch of public road along the edge of the nature area, ensuring that visitors and wildlife have a clean space. Ron’s work with the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy has enhanced its reach and his knowledge of birds has been a tremendous asset to rebuilding native bird populations in Western Sussex County.

Ted Mariner (Sussex County)
• Ted Mariner serves in many different roles at the Nanticoke Senior center including as a bus driver, delivering homebound meals, and hosting Veterans Day and Memorial Day events. Ted is always willing to give a hand when something is needed. Also a volunteer with VFW Post 4961, Ted is a veteran who uses his time to support other veterans and their families to feel remembered and respected.

Hadiyah Gissendanner (New Castle County)
• Hadiyah Gissendanner served as a Resident Educator at the tuition-free Catholic boys’ school, Nativity Preparatory School. During her time there, Hadiyah developed such incredible relationships with the administration, parents, and students, that she was hired into a new role that was created to match her skillset and further the mission of the school. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hadiyah helped the school navigate first to virtual, then to hybrid learning and finally supported the transition back to full time, in-person learning. Hadiyah helped the school establish safety measures that have successfully prevented outbreaks.

Mary Sue Wilson (New Castle County)
• A volunteer with the Therapeutic Riding and Ongoing Training program at Carousel Park, Mary Sue Wilson works with children and adults living with disabilities and helps them to receive the benefits of therapeutic riding. Mary Sue has developed a connection with every student and works closely to ensure that they receive the maximum benefits of the program. When needed, Mary Sue also steps in to assist with special events and ensures that the program continues to grow and support as many individuals as possible.

Danette Butler (New Castle County)
• After losing her son to an overdose in 2010, Mrs. Butler turned her pain into purpose by working with inmates to find resources for addiction programs. Working with counselors, probation officers and other agencies, Mrs. Butler eventually started an organization called Parents with Incarcerated Children (PWIC). She is also the founder of the Pardon ME project to help meet the needs of ex-offenders to remain in recovery and out of trouble, find jobs and pursue expungement or pardon where possible. To date, she has helped more than 350 people through her work within the prison system.

Joan Flaherty (Sussex County)
• Joan Flaherty serves as a volunteer member of the Rehoboth Beach Tree Committee, which is an advisory committee making recommendations to the elected Mayor and Commissioners. Joan volunteers her time to weed and water trees on municipal property once a week and advocates for native, not invasive, trees, to be planted. Joan is also a key fundraiser, taking names to the engraver for golden leaves that are posted on an artistic tree on the walk at City Hall. The leaves are engraved with the names of donors and their favorite sayings about trees. Joan and other volunteers have worked with the DE Center for Inland Bays to plant hundreds of new trees, and to come back later to check on them, straightening the new trees that might be knocked sideways. Joan has also worked with the center on turtle monitoring and nest building.

Stephanie Sue DiMartine (New Castle County)
• Stephanie DiMartine is an active volunteer with Special Olympics of Delaware. Athletes with Special Olympics who have never played a sport that Stephanie coaches are rewarded with encouragement and confidence in their ability to perform in competitions and highlight their new skills. She always remembers names and creates fun at practices year-round with three different sports. The Pole-R Express Plunge Team she runs broke fundraising records last year by raising $46,000. Stephanie not only volunteers for Special Olympics, she also is the president of the Northern Delaware USBC Bowling association, serving as a volunteer with their board in the community and helping bowlers and their families in need.

Kelly Paustian (New Castle County)
• In 2021, Kelly Paustian was instrumental in helping develop and implement Dine More 24, a new aspect of the statewide giving day event, Do More 24 Delaware. The Do More 24 Delaware giving day event raised nearly $2 million over 24 hours in March 2021 for more than 400 nonprofits serving Delaware. The Dine More initiative was an innovative way to take advantage of the pandemic economy while simultaneously helping to drive business to participating restaurants and support nonprofits participating in the giving day event. Kelly’s work brought together two very different but important industries within our state during a critical time. The $6,000 Kelly helped raise through the Dine More 24 initiative and was awarded through the Do More 24 Delaware giving day campaign generated nearly $185,000 in donations (a 30x return) and motivated hundreds of Delaware nonprofits to activate their supporters and new donors from around the state and world.

Sharyn Fagone (New Castle County)
• Sharyn Fagone has been a volunteer with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research since February 2007 and averages more than 350 hours a year in service. Sharyn provides supportive care to bird patients, enriches their enclosures with natural habitat, and serves as a transporter. Sharyn responds to calls for help in both Kent and New Castle counties, giving injured birds a ride to Tri-State’s clinic in Newark for needed treatment and care. When necessary, Sharyn also works with Sussex County transporters to meet mid-state, sometimes on a moment’s notice, to transport injured birds. Sharyn is vital in the work of Tri State Bird Rescue’s work to provide care for injured birds.

Raymond Bryant (Sussex County)
• Raymond Bryant divides his considerable volunteer time between two organizations he cares for deeply. After finding an injured Turkey Vulture and working with volunteers at Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, Ray saw an opportunity to help care for birds and began volunteering himself. Ray serves as a transporter and a member of the re-nesting team. Ray also serves as the Community Liaison on the board of the Harry K Foundation, an organization dedicated to the defeat of childhood hunger. Ray uses his connections and his organizational skills to plan events and work to distribute food boxes to families in need.

Monica Lea (Sussex County)
• Monica Lea has extensive experience in service, particularly in the area of disaster relief. When a need arose for a statewide cadre of individuals who were able to respond to disasters quickly, Monica agreed to take the lead and create the program. Starting from scratch, Monica quickly created the structure to onboard and engage volunteers, as well as the processes to be able to deploy those volunteers quickly in support to disaster organizations. When Hurricane Ida ravaged a portion of Wilmington, the program Monica helped build was tested for the first time and volunteers were able to respond in less than 24 hours to support as needed. Monica’s expertise in both disaster response and volunteer management were crucial in developing this program.

Lawrence Jackson (New Castle County)
• Lawrence Jackson is heavily involved in supporting community organizations across the West Side of Wilmington, including volunteering for West Side Grows Together. He is the first call when they need help on Fourth Street and the first one to offer help. Each morning, for the past 12 months (and prior), he goes out with a trash picker and a bucket to pick up trash around the neighborhood. He helps prep for community events by having tables, chairs and supplies ready to go, and he immediately notices when something needs attention from the City of Wilmington or other groups, such as when the fence was broken at the Fourth & Rodney playground. Lawrence Jackson provides critical on-the-ground feedback and support to community organizations along Fourth Street, in addition to being the full-time unpaid “caretaker” of the corridor.

Gary Focht (Sussex County)
• Sometimes it is difficult to believe that Gary Focht is retired. Using skills gleaned from his career as a parks administrator, Gary dedicates himself to maintaining the Woodbridge High School Cross Country trail, creating new and maintaining current trails at the Millstone tract and Chapel Branch tract for the Nanticoke River Watershed Conservancy, and working with the Woodbridge Cross Country team as a volunteer coach. Skilled volunteers like Gary are vital to the work of nonprofits like the NRWC because they are able to jump in and perform work with a level of expertise in the area where they are serving. Gary’s knowledge of trail and tree maintenance enables the conservancy to share beautiful natural spaces with the public.

Noa Abigail Mills (New Castle County)
• Noa Mills is the founder of ReThink Edu, a nonprofit organization with a focus on providing innovative and modernization to educational techniques as well as providing educational resources on a multitude of levels throughout the state. Noa has partnered with DelDOT to establish and create a community service cleanup program that provides community service hours to students across the state in their respective academic groups. She also has created and distributed an annual Noa A. Mills scholarship from her organization. In addition, she is currently working with state leaders, Senator Nicole Poore and more to rewrite state regulation 615, shifting it to make it mandatory for schools statewide to provide mental health resources to students who are absent due to mental health issues.

Lynne Robinson (New Castle County)
• More than 16 years ago, Lynne Robinson founded PAWS for People with a goal to provide pet therapy visits to individuals in need throughout Delaware. As the organization grew, Lynne continued to volunteer alongside her own dogs. Lynne’s golden retriever Boo Radley was there with her from the start and, although Boo has since passed on, Lynne’s dedication to pet therapy has pushed her forward alongside her new friends

 

Volunteer Group

Bank of America Community Volunteers
• Bank of America volunteers participate in more than 100,000 hours of service each year to provide critical financial education to people of all ages, beginning with K-12 economic and personal finance education and continuing through adulthood with the Better Money Habits support, an online educational tool for individuals helping with family finances and providing tools for entrepreneurship. Bank of America Community Volunteers have helped the University of Delaware Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) reach thousands of Delaware kindergarten through 12th grade students and UD freshman in providing quality personal finance education. This successful partnership – now more than a decade old – has galvanized, influenced, and created a movement in financial and economic education, laying the groundwork for empowering more than 15,000 students statewide, over the course of this partnership, and helping beneficiaries to make better and sound financial choices.

Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware
• Ellen Udovich and her team from the Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware work in disaster response and recovery, primarily focusing on helping those in special populations or in high SVI areas recovering from disaster. They do this through muck-outs (cleaning out flood waters from homes), debris removal (removing flood-damaged items from homes or clearing damaged and dangerous trees/vegetative debris) and mold remediation. This is often the first step toward making a home habitable again and the first step in a disaster survivor’s path to recovery.

Maynard and Eleanor Gregory
• Husband and wife team Maynard and Eleanor Gregory work with patients at the Bayhealth Inpatient Rehabilitation facility. While they look forward to a day when they can safely return to their in-person volunteer duties, they’re making the biggest impact they can despite the pandemic limitations. Eleanor recycles blue surgical wrap and has made scarves, PPE, walker bags and more out of the clean material that was once discarded. The couple also has shifted the way they interact with patients because of COVID-19. Although they aren’t currently able to come to the Bayhealth Sussex Campus to be with patients, they send each of them a handwritten note and interact with patients virtually.

James and Dianna Hickey
• Jim and Dianna Hickey provide a reliable, knowledgeable and loving set of extra hands to help care for animals at the Brandywine Valley SPCA facility in Georgetown. When they are in need, Jim and his wife Dianna will personally donate whatever the shelter cats and dogs may need to make their stays comfortable and safe. These dedicated volunteers go above and beyond at both Sussex County shelter locations, volunteering almost nine hours a day, five days a week, and never hesitating to do what needs to be done for the dogs and cats at the shelter.

Elder Podwys, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
• This group of dedicated volunteers joined the New Castle County Parks in August 2020 with one aim: to serve. The COVID-19 pandemic had limited their members in-person missionary work, so they and their coordinator were eager to provide service and value to community. Since then, the group has served more than 1,900 hours, never refusing a task and demonstrating the strongest of work ethics. Even as temperatures hit triple digits, this group worked to remove invasive plants, weed, beautify grounds and trails, cleanup storm damage and pick up trash. Their work at the beautification and maintenance of Delaware’s state parks and natural resources, which are a vital part of our communities for both residents and visitors, as well as cleanup of parks, trails, and other resources, especially after, for example, the flooding that resulted from Ida’s storms in our area.

The Harris Family
• The Harris family saw a need for a community center in Bridgeville and took action to make that happen. As the founders of the Cornerstone Community Center, Darryn and Latoya, along with their young daughters, work to make sure that the needs of people in the Bridgeville area are met. The Harrises collect items for individuals experiencing homelessness, support the local senior center, hold events to promote community and support individuals, promote mental health awareness and services, and recently held a backpack giveaway as kids were going back to school. As a result of Darryn, Latoya and their family, there is an increased sense of community in Bridgeville and increased access to needed resources. This family has made volunteerism a family endeavor, involving even their young daughters in meaningful service.

Garden Stewards
• The 37-acre Delaware Botanic Gardens at Pepper Creek (DBG) first opened to the public in late 2019. These gardens were created, built, and maintained through the efforts of community volunteers. With only four paid staff, the volunteer Garden Stewards show up regardless of the weather to support and maintain the five gardens at the DBG facility. Through their efforts, the community has access to a beautiful place for enjoying nature and learning about native plant species.

Joshua M. Freeman Volunteer Corps
• The 261 volunteers of the Joshua M. Freeman Volunteer Corps have touched a tremendous number of mid-Atlantic residents and seasonal visitors through their mission to advance arts access for all through performance, education and advocacy. This year alone, more than 98,000 people have experienced the arts, thanks to the efforts of our staff and volunteers. This number includes more than 34,000 children who were impacted by their arts in education efforts. The tireless efforts of this group, under often demanding deadlines, is a testament to their commitment to service and to sharing the impact of the arts with the community.

Junior League of Wilmington
• The Junior League of Wilmington, through its initiative Stand Up. Period., is committed to raising awareness of period equity in Wilmington and working toward ensuring individuals have affordable programs that provide period supplies. Period equity refers to removing the barriers that prevent people, particularly those living in poverty, from being able to manage their menstrual cycles and participate fully in their lives. Those who lack adequate period supplies experience school and work absences, opportunity losses, and emotional distress. And while they are suffering, societal stigmas often preclude open discussions about period equity. These dedicated volunteers are tackling a topic that is still considered taboo in many ways. By talking about menstruation and period equity, they are breaking down stigmas and bringing dignity back to a natural part of life.

Lions of District 22
• Members of the Lions of District 22 serve statewide, with over 1,200 members, 36 clubs and 9 Leo (Youth) clubs. This past summer, this group came together to help 200 displaced families in Wilmington due to flooding. Clubs also routinely provide glasses, ramps, food, shelter, mentoring to youth, road clean-up, funds to local libraries, funds to local youth groups such as little league and scouts, scholarships for college, collection of glasses for recycling, collection of plastic for recycling and using those funds for park benches, help with Special Olympics, provide guide dogs for people who are blind, provide low-vision equipment to those in need, provide computer equipment to students who need them, and many other projects to meet needs that they see in the community. It is estimated that these dedicated volunteers have contributed more than 15,000 hours in Delaware in just the past year.

Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization
• The Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization is a part of the Miss America Organization and is one of the largest providers of scholarships, exclusively to young women, in the world. At the state and local level, volunteers support programming designed to empower young women to be their personal best, serve within their communities, and earn college scholarships. The board of the Miss Delaware organization is made up entirely of volunteers who manage every aspect of the program from competition organization, recruitment and event logistics to development and service activities. Through the work of the Miss Delaware board, hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships have been awarded to young women in Delaware and thousands of young women have been able to participate in skill building, service activities and personal development programming offered.

Rick and Cecilia Stafford
• Rick and Cecilia Stafford work closely with the Nanticoke Senior Center and Code Purple to help support individuals who are experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Rick spends many Thursday nights at the Code Purple shelters to provide overnight volunteer support and Cecilia provides meals to the residents. They also help with meal delivery for seniors who are vulnerable and support the Christmas Chicken delivery. They also work to build awareness of muscular dystrophy through various events where they ride their motorcycle. Rick and Cecilia are unique because of the way that they have made volunteering a part of their lives. As a couple, they are constantly looking for ways that they can help, and they have made a memorable impact on so many seniors and individuals experiencing homelessness in Sussex County.

Wilmington Friends Garden
• Every year for the past several years, the Wilmington Friends Garden has provided over 500 pounds of produce to various food banks (primarily Lutheran Services and the Sunday Breakfast Mission). The produce is grown and harvested by Wilmington Friends School staff, students and parents. The Wilmington Friends Garden is special because it creates a learning and service environment for students and families while giving back to the community. Each week during harvest season, the food grown in the garden is collected and donated to the Lutheran Services Food Bank or other food banks in the community to help individuals struggling with access to healthy/fresh food. The garden operates from spring through fall, with various plants in rotation to maximize the growing and harvesting seasons.


15 Young People, 4 Groups Honored with the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Award

NEW CASTLE (May 19, 2021) – Highlighting the difference that young volunteers make in their communities, Governor John Carney will present the Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards virtually to 10 individuals, four groups and five emerging leaders in recognition of their service to Delaware.

“Giving back to our communities is one of the most selfless things a person can do,” Governor Carney said. “It makes me proud for the future of our state to see the number of young people we are honoring this year and the range of their volunteer activities, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. These young people are helping to change the lives of people in need and serving as an inspiration for others to follow their lead.”

In the past year, the State Office of Volunteerism programs worked with a total of 3,544 individual volunteers reporting 643,863 hours of service to the State of Delaware. In economic terms, those volunteers contributed $29 million in service to Delaware and its residents.

“In honoring the contributions of time and passion by these young volunteers receiving the Governor’s Volunteer Youth Service Award, we recognize youth helping their fellow Delawareans,” said Kanani Hines Munford, Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. “Their commitment is helping us to build a stronger community through volunteerism, as well as to develop the next generation of leaders.”

The 2021 youth award recipients served their communities during a difficult year by assisting with food distribution, collecting toiletries and hygiene items, making and delivering cards, supporting individuals with disabilities, finding unique ways to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing emergency services and working to find alternate ways to continue traditions like birthday parties and local holiday celebrations. The honorees are representative of Delaware’s young people who are making a positive contribution to society and inspiring others to do the same.

Honorees will be announced during a Facebook Live broadcast on May 20, 2021, and their stories will be told during a virtual ceremony to air during the 2021 Delaware Volunteerism Conference on August 26, 2021. Those who will not be attending the conference, but are interested in viewing this event can view it for free on the Volunteer Delaware Facebook page or online at volunteer.delaware.gov beginning immediately after the end of the conference.

The Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards, administered by the State Office of Volunteerism, honor the contributions of individuals and groups in Delaware that have made a positive impact in their communities or across the state through service and volunteering. The awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Health and Social Services, Division of State Service Centers, State Office of Volunteerism, and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

For more information about the awards or volunteer opportunities, go to volunteer.delaware.gov, or contact Suzanne Farris, Volunteer Services Administrator, at 302-857-5006 or via email at Suzanne.Farris@delaware.gov.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2021 Governor’s Youth Volunteer Service Awards:

INDIVIDUALS

Brian Alleyne Jr.
New Castle County
Brian volunteers at The Warehouse as a Youth Ambassador and provides daily upkeep and landscaping assistance to the facilities department. Brian’s work makes The Warehouse look and feel warm and inviting when constituents come to visit and/or participate in activities. Brian also assists the facilities department with daily sanitization of the inside of the facility, keeping the building in line with COVID-19 protocols. Brian is an active volunteer at The Warehouse events and never hesitates to jump in and support the team whenever and however he can.

Ashley Burns
Kent County
Ashley made thank you cards that were distributed to first responders; hats and scarves using a crotchet loom for people experiencing homelessness; and no-sew blankets that were distributed to various organizations. She collected canned foods that were given to USO Delaware Community Center. Ashley participated in Polytech High School’s Candy-Grams event in which she collected candy that was given to the Milford Veterans Home. Ashley also helped collect birthday party items for “Birthday in a Box,” which were delivered to students to help celebrate their birthdays at home. Ashley worked to coordinate a drive-through Halloween Celebration so children in Kent County would be able to celebrate Halloween during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Emily Chesser
Kent County
Emily spends much of her time knitting beautiful hats and scarves for people experiencing homelessness. She has also collected candy for Stockings for Soldiers and participated in a project with HeartArt making cards. Emily made more than 100 thank you cards to send to veterans, active duty soldiers and first responders. She helped with Polytech High School’s Candy-Gram event, in which candy was collected to donate to the Milford Veterans Home. She has collected birthday supplies to make “Birthday in a Box,” helping some of her peers and children in foster homes to celebrate their birthdays at home with all the fixings.

Brynn Hovatter
Sussex County
Brynn is a member of the 4-H club, Cypress Heart and Hands, and has been able to attend monthly nursing home visits, annual Adopt-A-Family festivities, and Meals on Wheels. Brynn has served as president for the past few years to lead her club members to become better leaders. In Junior Council, she has been an active leader, currently holding the office of vice president and has previously held the reporter office. She has mentored and taught younger youth as a counselor at Georgetown Day Camp, Experience Extension Day Camp, and Fall Overnighters. She also has been able to help at the annual Spaghetti Dinner, International Dinner, Operation Christmas Child Trips and Hopkins Farm Tours.

Merve Kekik
New Castle County
Merve has been a regular volunteer with Zakat Foundation of America and has been actively involved in various projects to serve the community. Merve has helped Zakat Foundation by packing hundreds of boxes with nonperishable food and hygiene items and delivering them door-to-door in Wilmington. More than 100 young kids were fed with healthy snacks packed in small boxes during the COVID-19 lockdown. Merve was instrumental in engaging a group of young volunteers to organize a hygiene items drive, collecting and assembling more than 100 hygiene kits. She helped lead a group of high school students who gave virtual tutoring sessions in math, reading and writing to younger children, which lessened the burden of some families in the community.

Ava Rudishvahca
Kent County
Ava volunteers with Embrace Delaware, where she serves with a gentle and willing heart to love those affected by disabilities. Ava has provided a relationship and friendship with participants at events she has worked with one-on-one. She has built a friendship with a child who is on the Autism spectrum and struggles to makes friends. Ava shows up not only at Embrace Delaware events but also stops by to see her friend with autism at their house. Ava is always willing to go above and beyond when serving our Embrace friends with disabilities.

Aidan Stephen
Kent County
Aidan spends his Saturdays and Sundays at the Delaware State Fire School from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. training to be a firefighter and emergency medical responder. He also actively volunteers with the fire company auxiliary to help with food service and COVID-19 protocol to ensure a safe environment. He has spent five years volunteering with the Camden Wyoming Fire Company. Aidan was one of the responders after the tornado devastated areas of Kent County in August 2020. He responded to and assisted citizens who were forced to climb out of a window into the arms of Aidan and other responders after being trapped in their home when trees fell on their house. These and many other citizens can sleep well at night knowing they can count on Aidan when an emergency arises.

Adithcharan Thyagarajan
New Castle County
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Adith conducted a Computer for Kids drive. He raised enough funds to donate more than 70 computers through the Urban Promise Organization in Wilmington. Urban Promise is a nonprofit organization that educates and helps low-income family students. Adith was able to help the students of low-income families receive laptops to attend online school during the pandemic, which allowed many students to be able to continue their education and attend classes on Zoom, thus lifting their spirits during this unprecedented time.

Aminah Washington
New Castle County
Aminah demonstrated her commitment to social activism by walking 2.23 miles in memory of Ahmad Aubrey. She created signs and peacefully protested the unjust killing of George Floyd. She is also passionate about community engagement. She leads her siblings and cousins in a family service project bi-annually in which bags with toiletries, hand warmers, snacks, feminine supplies and socks are assembled to hand out to individuals experiencing homelessness. Prior to quarantine, Aminah provided more than 50 hours of service to help Rose Hills Community Center’s food distribution program. She also assisted with our Bethel AME Food Ministry and Ronald McDonald Meal Prep.

Shanell Wooten
New Castle County
Shanell has volunteered over 125 hours with various communities throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. She has sorted, lifted, and provided food, gloves, toothbrushes, toothpaste, gift cards and more to hundreds of families. During this time when people were in great need of food, Shanell did not hesitate to assist during food distributions, collecting items and raising funds to provide families with gift cards. She also organized a sock drive, word search and goodie bag drive for our elderly citizens who have been having a difficult time adapting to being unable to see their family members due to COVID-19 guidelines. She is currently working on getting more youth involved with volunteering in their local communities with the food distribution.

GROUPS

Early College High School Hornets in Action
New Castle, Kent, and Sussex County
The Early College High School Hornets in Action volunteered 350 hours putting together the Manna Bags project. Students collected personal care items, such as soaps, lotions, creams, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, diapers, wipes, and socks among many other items. The group assembled and sorted all items and assembled personal bags. They were able to provide more than 110 personal bags consisting of personal care items for women, men, children and babies, which were distributed to shelters, the Veterans Home and at Code Purple sites in New Castle, Sussex and Kent counties.

Masks from the Heart
New Castle, Sussex, Kent County
During a critical time in the COVID-19 pandemic, Masks from the Heart provided protective facial coverings to more 2,000 individuals. When school and sports were canceled, Brynn String and Mylee Wilkie (both age 13) found a need in the community and spent hours sewing, organizing, gathering supplies and distributing facial coverings to first responders, nursing homes, hospitals, fire departments and more. When requests started flooding in through their Facebook page, instead of becoming overwhelmed, they sewed for hours every day and did interviews on the radio and with newspaper reporters to recruit more sewers to help them meet the demand.

Students at St. Mary Magdalen School
New Castle County
The students at St. Mary Magdalen School participated in many projects. They collected donations to help feed the hungry and packed more than 160 brown bag lunches and 120 goody bags for the children in Ministry of Caring shelters and child care centers. The students created inspirational messages on each bag. They made more than 30 fleece blankets, made 24 pounds of fruit salad and collected cases of baby wipes. They collected more 500 coats, hats, scarves, and gloves – and perhaps the most caring of all – prepared a luncheon for the low-income senior residents at the Village of St. John, consisting of baked ziti, salad and dessert, as well as bingo games and prizes.

Zakat Foundation Team with a Dream
New Castle County
The Team with a Dream fed many families and children, distributed paper products, hygiene kits, winter relief items, masks and gloves to various organizations and communities throughout Delaware. The young members of the team coordinated with each other to organize the hygiene kit drive and the Knit for the Needy projects to collect all the items needed. In partnership with Family Promise of Delaware, the team served hot dinners to families experiencing homelessness who are temporarily staying in motels. In addition to food relief, the talented team members also helped each other and the younger students by providing virtual learning sessions. Many younger students in the community benefited from the team members’ one-on-one support and mentoring.

EMERGING LEADERS

Layla Gainer
Sussex County
Layla is the founder of Project Sparkle On, Inc. Layla, now 10 years old, has made it her mission to inspire others to join her on her kindness crusade and to inspire other kids to participate in various community service endeavors with her. Through her organization, Layla has raised money to buy 500 superhero capes for hospitalized children to wear in their “Be the Impact Day” event, as well as to send handmade Christmas cards to military troops overseas through their project “The Dear Soldier Crusade.” Layla and her organization have adopted residents at several senior-living nursing homes during such holidays as Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Layla also conducts multiple random acts of kindness for local police departments, retail stores, and post offices.

Arjan Kahlon
New Castle County
Arjan saw the disparate ways in which school nurses were recording details about COVID-19 cases and suspected COVID-19 cases and realized the need for an organized system to monitor the cases at each school. Volunteering to find a solution, Arjan consulted with an epidemiologist at ChristianaCare and developed a system for the nurses to record and track important information from parents, doctors, the schools and the Delaware Division of Public Health. This allowed school nurses to effectively communicate when students were safe to return to in-person learning. This system has since been implemented by schools servicing nearly 1,500 students.

Divita Taduvayi
New Castle County
Divita Taduvayi is the founder and president of Girls Tech Together, an international nonprofit organization that introduces elementary girls to computer science through a novel, interactive curriculum. Through this organization, Divita has taught more than 150 girls through a 10-week program and has also established several chapters globally. She leads the Student Executive Team, consisting of ambassadors, mentors and event coordinators who have expanded the initiative from Delaware into more communities. Divita’s programs last up to 10 weeks, and she is able to ensure that each girl is developing over the course of the sessions, creating a lasting impact.

Abigale Townsend
New Castle County
Abigale has completed hundreds of hours of volunteer work and service both during the year 2020 and throughout her high school career. Abby hosted a School Supplies Drive for the organization Urban Promise Wilmington; sent letters of encouragement to behavioral health hospital patients at Wilmington Hospital; and sent Valentine treat bags to church members with disabilities and to Alzheimer’s patients at ChristianaCare. More than 350 school supplies were donated to Urban Promise Wilmington’s school; 70 Alzheimer’s and elderly hospital patients received Valentine treat bags/words of encouragement; and behavioral health patients received Christmas cards and letters of encouragement. She encourages others to attend and support service projects and volunteer opportunities.

Ann Stewart Wall
New Castle County
Ann Stewart took the initiative to preserve the Christmas in Odessa tradition of fresh greens sales and created a record of the process, which up until now, has been an oral tradition. Her goal was to gather information from past greens sales and create a digital record that can be passed along to the next Christmas in Odessa and Greens chairpersons. Ann Stewart not only created a digital record of the past and present, but also led wreath-making events prior to the main event. The success of the Christmas in Odessa Greens sales would not have been possible or successful without Ann Stewart’s leadership.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

 


Deadline Extended until October 25 for Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards

WILMINGTON, Del. – The State Office of Volunteerism has extended the deadline for nominations for the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards through Sunday, October 25. These awards recognize the important contributions made by Delaware’s volunteers to their communities. Award recipients will be announced December 5 to coincide with International Volunteer Day. No ceremony will be held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thousands of Delawareans give their time and effort each year, volunteering in their communities and working to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Governor Carney. “I’m especially grateful this year for those who have taken on the critical work of volunteering as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. These annual awards are a chance for us to highlight the contributions of our volunteers and to say thank you. Their selfless work builds a better Delaware for all of us.”

Nominated volunteers must have been active during the past year leading up to September 15, 2020, although prior volunteer activity can also be highlighted to show long-term commitment. To be eligible, the nominated individuals and group members must be 18 or older.

Volunteers will be honored in the categories of:

  • Individual: An exceptional individual over 18 who volunteers.
  • Emerging Volunteer Leader: An individual over 18 who has demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities.
  • AmeriCorps Alum: A Delaware Alum whose commitment to embody service beyond their term of AmeriCorps service continues to bring about positive community change. Alums must have served in the 2019 service year or before.
  • Business: A corporation or business that has made a substantial impact in the community by promoting service to their employees through engaging in volunteer activities and/or by providing time for employees to volunteer for local organizations and/or agencies.
  • First Responder: Any individual employed in an emergency service occupation whose service has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a capacity outside of paid employment.
  • Group/Team: A group or team of two or more people who volunteer together on the same project(s).
  • Active Military Veteran: An individual who has served or is serving in the armed forces and volunteers in a Delaware community in a capacity outside of their military role.
  • Nonprofit Volunteer Program: A nonprofit whose volunteers have shown exemplary service in carrying out the mission of the organization through direct service.
  • In addition, the Paul Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to a nominee who has had a longtime commitment to volunteerism. Wilkinson was a member of the Delaware Governor’s Council on Volunteerism from 2000 until 2004, when legislation transformed the Council into a Commission, and he continued serving until 2008. He passed away on Jan. 17, 2009; his legacy and dedication to serving others continues through the award named in his honor.

The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of State Service Centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

“Volunteers are an invaluable part of our efforts to improve the health and well-being of all Delawareans and to protect our vulnerable populations,” said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik. “I’m thankful for the hard work and generous support of all our volunteers, especially as our residents struggle to cope with the impact of the pandemic.”

“The 2020 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards provide an excellent opportunity for Delawareans to nominate those extraordinary groups and individuals who lighten the burdens of others through their dedicated and ongoing service,” said Kanani Hines Munford, Senior Administrator for the State Office of Volunteerism and Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. “Now is the time to highlight their exemplary service.”

The nomination form is available online at volunteer.delaware.gov. Nominators may also request a form by emailing Suzanne.Farris@delaware.gov or calling 302-857-5006.

Nominations that are not submitted online must be delivered by Friday, Oct. 23, to the State Office of Volunteerism, Attn: Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards, c/o Suzanne Farris, Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover, DE  19901 or emailed to dhss_VolunteerDelaware@delaware.gov.

For more information about the awards or volunteer opportunities, go to volunteer.delaware.gov or contact Suzanne Farris, Volunteer Service Administrator, at 302-857-5006 or Suzanne.Farris@delaware.gov.

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Nominations Open for Governor’s Volunteer Awards; Deadline is Oct. 18

DOVER (Oct. 9, 2020) – Nominations for the Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards are being accepted by the State Office of Volunteerism through Sunday, Oct. 18. These awards recognize the important contributions made by Delaware’s volunteers to their communities. Award recipients will be announced Dec. 5 to coincide with International Volunteer Day. No ceremony will be held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Thousands of Delawareans give their time and effort each year, volunteering in their communities and working to make a difference in the lives of others,” said Gov. John Carney. “I’m especially grateful this year for those who have taken on the critical work of volunteering as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 crisis. These annual awards are a chance for us to highlight the contributions of our volunteers and to say thank you. Their selfless work builds a better Delaware for all of us.”

Nominated volunteers must have been active during the past year leading up to Sept. 15, 2020, although prior volunteer activity can also be highlighted to show long-term commitment. To be eligible, the nominated individuals and group members must be 18 or older.

Volunteers will be honored in the categories of:

  • Individual: An exceptional individual over 18 who volunteers.
  • Emerging Volunteer Leader: An individual over 18 who has demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities.
  • AmeriCorps Alum: A Delaware Alum whose commitment to embody service beyond their term of AmeriCorps service continues to bring about positive community change. Alums must have served in the 2019 service year or before.
  • Business: A corporation or business that has made a substantial impact in the community by promoting service to their employees through engaging in volunteer activities and/or by providing time for employees to volunteer for local organizations and/or agencies.
  • First Responder: Any individual employed in an emergency service occupation whose service has gone above and beyond the call of duty in a capacity outside of paid employment.
  • Group/Team: A group or team of two or more people who volunteer together on the same project(s).
  • Active Military Veteran: An individual who has served or is serving in the armed forces and volunteers in a Delaware community in a capacity outside of their military role.
  • Nonprofit Volunteer Program: A nonprofit whose volunteers have shown exemplary service in carrying out the mission of the organization through direct service.

In addition, the Paul Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to a nominee who has had a longtime commitment to volunteerism. Wilkinson was a member of the Delaware Governor’s Council on Volunteerism from 2000 until 2004, when legislation transformed the Council into a Commission, and he continued serving until 2008. He passed away on Jan. 17, 2009; his legacy and dedication to serving others continues through the award named in his honor.

The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of State Service Centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, and the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

“Volunteers are an invaluable part of our efforts to improve the health and well-being of all Delawareans and to protect our vulnerable populations,” said Department of Health and Social Services Secretary Molly Magarik. “I’m thankful for the hard work and generous support of all our volunteers, especially as our residents struggle to cope with the impact of the pandemic.”

“The 2020 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards provide an excellent opportunity for Delawareans to nominate those extraordinary groups and individuals who lighten the burdens of others through their dedicated and ongoing service,” said Kanani Hines Munford, Senior Administrator for the State Office of Volunteerism and Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service. “Now is the time to highlight their exemplary service.”

The nomination form is available online at Volunteer.Delaware.gov. Nominators may also request a form by emailing Suzanne.Farris@delaware.gov or calling 302-857-5006.
Nominations that are not submitted online must be delivered by Friday, Oct. 16, to the State Office of Volunteerism, Attn: Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards, c/o Suzanne Farris, Williams State Service Center, 805 River Road, Dover, DE 19901 or emailed to dhss_VolunteerDelaware@delaware.gov.

For more information about the awards or volunteer opportunities, go to volunteer.delaware.gov or contact Suzanne Farris, Volunteer Service Administrator, at 302-857-5006 or Suzanne.Farris@delaware.gov.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of life of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.


Governor Announces Delaware’s Outstanding Volunteers; 24 Recipients Will Be Honored Oct. 25 in Dover Ceremony

NEW CASTLE (Sept. 28, 2017) – Twenty-four individuals and groups will be honored with the 2017 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award on Oct. 25 at Dover Downs Hotel. The people and organizations engaged in diverse activities including mentoring children, rescuing wildlife, helping seniors and veterans, and protecting the environment.

“The thousands of volunteers across our state make connections and forge relationships each day that make a difference in the lives of so many people,” Governor John Carney said. “By supporting vulnerable individuals and families, these dedicated volunteers play a critical role in helping us to build stronger communities. With that appreciation in mind, it is my privilege to honor the 24 individuals and groups with the 2017 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award.”

“Serving everyone from at-risk children to our most vulnerable seniors, Delaware’s volunteers demonstrate how their selfless actions help to bring us closer together and enhance our sense of community,” said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, Cabinet Secretary for the Department of Health and Social Services, which oversees the State Office of Volunteerism. “I thank this year’s honorees for their incredible passion in serving their neighbors.”

“Beautiful stories of compassion and extraordinary service to others emerge as a result of the awards process,” said Georgeanna Windley, Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

On Oct. 25, more than 350 people are expected to honor the volunteers for their outstanding service. The event at Dover Downs Hotel will begin with a reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the ceremony starting at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $35 per person and are available by visiting www.volunteerdelaware.eventbrite.com. Information on the event and the recipients is available on https://volunteer.delaware.gov

The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Health and Social Services, the Division of State Service Centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, as well as the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

The 2017 recipients by county (with more detailed bios of the honorees below):

PAUL WILKINSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Ben Fournier, Chadds Ford, Pa. (volunteers in all three Delaware counties)

INDIVIDUAL WINNERS

New Castle County
Dr. Marie G. Finamore, Arts/Culture
Mary E. King, Community Service
Gerald R. Poirier, Education/Literacy
Desiree Dowling, Health & Special Needs
Elaine Vignola, Human Needs

Kent County
Pastor Aaron Appling, Human Needs

Sussex County
Roxanne Nelson, Economic Development
Dr. Thomas Connelly, Education/Literacy
Maryanne Yingst, Environment
Dr. Nancy Feichtl, Healthy Futures
Chase A. Marvil, Social Justice/Advocacy
Scott Underkoffler, Veterans & Military Families

GROUP WINNERS

New Castle County
Kalmar Nyckel Volunteers, Arts/Culture
Networks Schools for Employability Skills, Economic Development
Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation, Education/Literacy
Christiana Care Health System Project Connect Volunteers, Health & Special Needs
Moving for Melanoma, Healthy Futures

Kent County
DonDel Theatre Company, Community Service
Friends of Killens Pond State Park, Environment

Sussex County
Greater Lewes Community Village, Human Needs
Ocean View Police Volunteers, Public Safety
Clothing Our Kids, Social Justice/Advocacy
Operation SEAS the Day, Veterans & Military Families

Mini-bios of the honorees follow:

PAUL WILKINSON LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Ben Fournier
For 27 years, Ben Fournier has volunteered for Delaware Hospice’s grief camp for children, Camp New Hope. Ben is a professional photographer and has donated his services to capture the cheerful, soulful, silly and sad emotions that the children experience throughout the healing process of the four-day bereavement camp. In honor of his 25th year of volunteering, Ben launched a successful fundraiser that helped pay for the cost of sending nearly 100 children to camp. Two years, later, he is well into his third fundraiser and has a goal of reaching $100,000 this year. Though he arrives each year as a photographer, Ben steps in wherever he is needed. Whether he acts as a fundraiser, lunch time helper, errand-runner or a human jungle gym for a group of 6-year-olds, Ben comes to Camp New Hope ready to help.

INDIVIDUAL RECIPIENTS

Dr. Marie G. Finamore, Arts/Culture
For more than 50 years, during the weeks of Lent leading up to Easter, St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Wilmington has hosted the Via Crucis, a pantomime reenactment, with narration and choir, of the Stations of the Cross. While this Catholic tradition takes place each spring (depending upon where Easter falls in any given year), for Dr. Marie G. Finamore, the preparations begin in August. Dr. Finamore is a lifelong member of St. Anthony’s and has been participating in each Via Crucis in various capacities since 1960 and has been the director for the past 10 years. The Via Crucis provides a safe, educational activity for more than 100 children each August through Easter, and Dr. Finamore ensures that there is no cost to the families for their children to participate in this safe, fun and educational activity.

Mary E. King, Community Service
Although her own relatives are buried in other Delaware cemeteries, when Mary E. King first saw the condition of the Riverview Cemetery in 1999, she saw the need and heard the call for volunteers. In the past year alone, Mary has contributed more than 1,000 volunteer hours as the Board of Director’s Secretary of the Friends of Historic Riverview Cemetery (FHRC) with the mission of operating and maintaining Wilmington’s most culturally diverse, nonprofit public cemetery. As a member of the “boots-on-the-ground” Board, she assists with a variety of duties in the operation of the cemetery, including cutting grass, writing grants, providing research, and offering assistance to visitors and the families of those interred at Riverview. Mary’s extensive skills, abilities and generous gifts of time and service extend to every area of the FHRC mission.

Roxanne Nelson, Economic Development
Reading Opens Doors, founded in 2007 by Roxanne Nelson, provides new Sussex County Habitat for Humanity (SCHFH) homeowners and their children with books and skills to facilitate reading. Since the program’s inception 10 years ago, Reading Opens Doors has served more than 100 Habitat for Humanity families in Sussex County. In July 2017, Roxanne and Sussex County Habitat celebrated two significant program milestones: providing libraries for its 100th Sussex County family (serving 252 children) and the program’s 10-year anniversary of working in partnership with Sussex County Habitat for Humanity. Last year alone, Roxanne invested more than 325 volunteer hours in the interview, selection, and delivery and set-up of family libraries. Roxanne’s dedication and service strengthen Habitat for Humanity’s impact, improving the lives of families by fostering an early love of reading. The joy on the faces of the children as they proudly show off their books and bookshelves in their new home inspires Roxane to keep going.

Dr. Thomas Connelly, Education/Literacy
Dr. Thomas Connelly has been instrumental in the success of young men attending Cape Henlopen High School who are participating in the Gentlemen’s Society of Excellence group. The Gentlemen’s Society of Excellence was created by a need for some young men to have a place they could go before their formal school day began that would lend itself to starting that school day in a positive manner. Dr. Connelly has spent more than 320 volunteer hours mentoring students and tutoring five days a week during and after school. Fostering self-sufficiency with his mentoring, Dr. Connelly relied on his personal experiences with homelessness to help the students understand that they, too, can overcome the challenges that they are experiencing – from their own homelessness, to not knowing from where their next meal would come. He also helps them understand that peer pressure and being involved in drugs and alcohol is not the path to success. Dr. Connelly has given the students he mentors more self-confidence and the knowledge that they can achieve their goals if they stay focused and believe in themselves, because he believes in them.

Gerald R. Poirier, Education/Literacy
During his 19-year involvement with the nonprofit Delaware Science Olympiad (DSO), Gerald Poirier has volunteered hundreds of hours. The mission of the Olympiad is to improve the quality of science education through a series of annual competitions in such subjects as biology, physics, chemistry and engineering for kindergarten through 12th-grade students. Since 2011, Gerald has served as Director of the Delaware Science Olympiad spending approximately 500 hours annually providing resources and training to event supervisors, maintaining the DSO website, managing team registrations, organizing workshops, responding to questions, building event equipment, organizing the event venues, and recruiting volunteers from educational institutions and professional societies. Gerald’s motto is, “As long as the students ask for help, I help as much as I can.”

Maryanne Yingst, Environment
Maryanne Yingst joined the Newark-based Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research in September 1999 and has filled many different roles since then. Starting as a bird care volunteer, Maryanne helped care for the thousands of avian patients that get admitted each year. As her first year progressed, Maryanne trained for retrieval and transport of injured birds. On a moment’s notice, Maryanne responds to calls about birds in trouble and covers all areas of northern Delaware and nearby Pennsylvania. It quickly became evident that Maryanne would be an excellent trainer for new volunteers and, over the last almost 20 years, she has trained hundreds of new volunteers, including individuals in Kent and Sussex counties on how to safely capture/retrieve and transport injured wild birds. Maryanne spent almost 600 hours volunteering in 2016 and has already logged more than 500 hours in 2017 with Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research.

Desiree Dowling, Health & Special Needs
Desiree Dowling serves as the co-founder and chief operating officer of the Mark J. Dowling Foundation, Inc., which supports patients, survivors affected with sarcoma and other rare cancers, and also their caregivers. When Desiree’s husband, Mark, was diagnosed with sarcoma in 2012 he underwent an arduous journey through multiple surgeries, radiation treatment and the amputation of his right arm. Now that Mark is back in good health, he and Desiree started the Mark. J. Dowling foundation to provide educational resources, financial support and holistic encouragement throughout Delaware. Giving selflessly of herself to the foundation, Desiree says, “The people that we touch, or the lives that we touch, the cancer survivors we work with are truly the champions.”

Dr. Nancy Feichtl, Healthy Futures
Dr. Nancy Feichtl has been a community volunteer for 20 years, seeing and responding to a variety of needs. Currently she is the founder of ITN Southern Delaware, an affiliate of ITN America, a nonprofit transportation network that provides sustainable, community-based and community-supported transportation services for seniors 55+ and adults with visual impairments throughout Kent and Sussex counties. With Dr. Feichtl’s guidance, ITN Southern Delaware has built a transportation cooperative network that helps to promote lifelong safety and mobility. Dr. Feichtl also helped to start Sussex Academy, the sole successful charter school in Sussex County, is actively involved in Citizens for Clean Power and is one of the volunteer drivers for ITN Southern Delaware, logging more than 2,000 miles on her personal vehicle in 2016 alone.

Pastor Aaron Appling, Human Needs
Pastor Aaron Appling is a community leader who has made it his personal mission to combat the growing problem of homelessness in Dover. Since 2015, he has been advocating for, walking with, feeding, housing, supporting and caring for the hundreds of people who are homeless and near-homeless in Dover. Pastor Appling leads a team of dedicated people who help him every day provide lifesaving services to the vulnerable homeless population. Many of the people who now assist him were formerly homeless themselves. Pastor Appling’s dedication to people who are homeless serves as an inspiration to those around him to come out and do what they can because “everyone who wants a home deserves a chance to have a home.”

Elaine Vignola, Human Needs
In 1995, Elaine Vignola began volunteering with the Ministry of Caring in Wilmington. Her commitment to the Ministry and its work with people who are poor has been unwavering and constant for 22 years. Elaine has taken on multiple roles of leadership – volunteer, organizer, persuader and “behind the scenes” worker. Her scope of influence and impact have been and continue to be significant and immeasurable. She has helped the Ministry of Caring feed the poor; shelter men, women, and children who are homeless; provide child care to at-risk children; provide job training and opportunities; and help low-income seniors live in dignity and security throughout the greater Wilmington area. As they say at the Ministry of Caring, “If you want it done, and done well, ask Elaine Vignola to do it!”

Chase A. Marvil, Social Justice/Advocacy
At the age of 15, Chase Marvel created “The Inspiring Project” with a purpose of promoting positivity and lending a helping hand to anyone and everyone in need. Beginning in 2013, Chase began posting inspiring messages on social media to help his followers who may be having a bad day feel better. The goal of the project is to shine light onto those who are feeling lonely, down or helpless. The long-term objective is to help people experiencing bullying and decrease suicide. Not only does Chase promote positive outreach on the internet, he also hosts events at various businesses and has created “Inspiring Walls” that provide schools, businesses and organizations the opportunity to share their passions and inspirations on a large mural. Chase’s “The Inspiring Project” is a daily operation run mostly by himself that has impacted nearly 100,000 people.

Scott Underkoffler, Veterans & Military Families
Scott Underkoffler is the proud son of a veteran and has been dedicating his time to better the lives of other servicemen/women and their families. Currently the Delaware Detachment Commander of the Sons of the American Legion, Scott’s hard work and dedication to serve other has touched hearts of many and his influences are continually changing the lives of servicemen/women and others throughout the community. He helps to change the lives of veterans who need help but cannot afford it. With his strong voice, he persuaded the legion to provide threshold ramps for people with disabilities for many of the members. These ramps helped members with wheelchairs and others with mobility impediments to gain more independence in going about the routine of daily life such as going to the grocery store or the doctor. Currently, Scott is spearheading a fundraising drive to have a wheelchair ramp built for a veteran from American Legion Post 24. Scott is the go-to guy who veterans and their families can trust to do his best to help members of the community.

GROUP RECIPIENTS

Kalmar Nyckel Volunteers, Arts/Culture
The Kalmar Nyckel Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)3 educational organization serving both school children and the general public. The foundation owns and operates a 17th-century square-rigged tall ship, the Kalmar Nyckel, which is maintained and sailed by a small group of professional sailors supplemented by strong support from a volunteer crew of 18. The volunteer crew put in more than 11,000 hours helping to host educational field trips, public day sails, charter events, free school outreach programs, tours for festivals, general maintenance, new volunteer sailing crew training and staffing the Copeland Maritime Center. The volunteer crew works side by side with the professional staff to do major projects that are vital to the ship’s operation and the education department programming. Without the volunteer support, the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation would not be able to carry out amazing education programs and present the ship to the public.

DonDel Theatre Company, Community Service
The DonDel Theatre Company of the Modern Maturity Center in Dover performs two productions each year, one in June and one in late November/early December. The nine-person volunteer cast spends 400+ hours each year planning and rehearsing for three nights of sold-out shows twice a year. The proceeds from these performances help to feed more than 500 homebound clients and up to 800 in-bound clients of the Modern Maturity Center. In addition to the money raised, these shows also entertain and bring great joy to the senior citizens served by the Modern Maturity Center.

Networks School for Employability Skills, Economic Development
For more than 10 years, students from the Networks School for Employability Skills have volunteered at Faithful Friends Animal Society providing critical support. The five students who served in 2016 spent close to 500 hours as animal caregivers, working in the Cat Cuddler Program, walking dogs, making dog treats and performing general maintenance and upkeep in the shelter. The five volunteers showed dedication and a passion for animal welfare.

Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation, Education/Literacy
The Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation, Inc. (FSSF) is the charitable arm of Wilmington Women in Business, Inc. (WWB). The foundation awards annual scholarships to adult women based on need, academic record and potential for success. Volunteers provide mentoring support to female scholars who face (or have faced) personal and economic challenges. The Fresh Start Scholarship Foundation is staffed completely by volunteers, who are professional women in the business community. These volunteers each spent between 500 and 1,000 hours in 2016 fundraising, recruiting new scholarships, mentoring, and planning strategies.

Friends of Killens Pond State Park, Environment
The Friends of Killens Pond State Park is a nonprofit organization with a mission to protect the land within the park and to actively participate in the park’s preservation and improvement. The 20 active volunteer members spend more than 500 hours trimming back overgrown areas, laying down mulch, creating and sustaining flowers beds, organizing summer concerts, assisting with events and fundraising. Without the service of the volunteers, Killens Pond State Park would not be able to operate as smoothly and successfully as it does.

Christiana Care Health System Project Connect Volunteers, Health & Special Needs
The Project Connect Volunteers of Christiana Care Health System is a dedicated team of 12 individuals who have helped dozens of Delawareans kick their smoking habit. Project Connect seeks to increase participation in tobacco cessation programs by using trained volunteers to engage and connect inpatient tobacco users to treatment options through the Delaware Quitline. This volunteer assignment requires dedication, patience and compassion as the volunteers interact with patients who are scared, vulnerable and dealing with nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Moving for Melanoma, Healthy Futures
Moving for Melanoma of Delaware is in its 10th year of promoting awareness, education and prevention of this deadly skin cancer. The mission is to raise funds for research and to provide education and support to those affected by melanoma in Delaware. Volunteers can be found at swim clubs, school events, fairs and other places where they can set up their booths and hand out sunscreen and information on prevention of melanoma. Many of the board and committee members are either survivors of melanoma or have family members who have been affected by this disease and have a vested interest in education, prevention and research for melanoma.

Greater Lewes Community Village, Human Needs
The Greater Lewes Community Village program is a volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to helping seniors, people with disabilities and low-income adults live independently at home for as long as possible. The Village provides volunteer support, services and programs that enhance the lives of its members by helping them to be healthy and engaged in a variety of social, educational and cultural activities. Made up of 90 volunteers, the programs and services offered by The Village serves as a bridge between seniors who live at home, but need to adapt to changing circumstances or are beginning to have difficulties functioning in their own home. The Village meets these seniors where they are and helps them to lead full, safe and independent lives.

Ocean View Police Volunteers, Public Safety
The six individuals that make up the Ocean Police Volunteers spent almost 2,000 hours in 2016 providing essential services to the community. The volunteers assisted with traffic control, acted as funeral escorts, completed building and vehicle maintenance, worked with victims, aided with community policing activities and performed a variety of other tasks. By assuming a variety of these duties, the volunteers freed up sworn police officers to focus on crime fighting and public safety.

Clothing Our Kids, Social Justice/Advocacy
Clothing Our Kids (COK) is a nonprofit organization of approximately 150 volunteers whose mission is to improve the lives of at-risk elementary school children by providing them with school clothing. In Sussex County, 22 percent of children live below the poverty level and do not have school clothing. Lack of appropriate school attire has a negative impact on children’s self-esteem, school attendance, ability to learn, and can lead to bullying. Clothing Our Kids’ goal is to assist youngsters with an equal start in their early education and help them become successful students. Working exclusively through nurses, counselors, and assistant principals, volunteers with Clothing Our Kids respond to requests, usually within 24 hours. Volunteers pack up the items and deliver them to the school, where the children are presented with the package in private, so they are never embarrassed in front of their peers. In the 2016-17 school year, Clothing Our Kids provided more than 20,000 items to 3,852 children.

Operation SEAs the Day, Veterans & Military Families
Now in its fifth year, “Operation SEAs the Day” is an annual event held in Bethany Beach for veterans who are recovering from injuries sustained while serving our county and their families. During the week after Labor Day, Bethany Beach hosts 32 VIFs (Very Important Families) for a well-deserved week of rest, relaxation and fun. The families stay in homes donated by local homeowners, and are provided with the resources to experience the best of Bethany and nearby attractions. Each Operation SEAs the Day week is meticulously planned by an all-volunteer Board of Directors who spend almost 3,000 hours each year arranging the weeklong event. The week includes a kick-off welcome reception, beach bonfire/cookout, Hero’s Welcome Home/Thank You parade, a concert at the Freeman Stage, boating, therapeutic horseback riding, stand-up paddle lessons, golf, tennis, spa day for ladies, children luncheon, caregiver coffees, and farewell brunch. Local businesses and area residents add to the “menu” of activities, all exclusively available to the veterans and their families, free of charge.

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The Department of Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.