 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 33, No. 9 * May 7, 2001 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story Acts of Caring recognizes spirit of volunteerism By Beverly Anne Schlotterbeck
Accepting the Acts of Caring 2001 Youth Service Award are: (beginning 3rd from left) Clark Newsome, youth commissioner, Clark County (Wash.) Youth Commission; Jake Wolkenhauer, youth commissioner; Commissioner Judie Stanton, Clark County, Wash.; Beth Houston, program coordinator, Clark County Youth Commission; and Katie Heine, youth commissioner. Also pictured are: (l-r) Duane Meek, Nationwide Retirement Solutions; Peter Gallagher, America’s Promise; and (far right) NACo President-elect Javier Gonzales.
Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) welcomes Acts of Caring award winners to Capitol Hill. Last year alone, program volunteers distributed more than 900 fans in the community. Last month, the program was honored by NACo with the Acts of Caring 2001 Legacy Award for Excellence and Innovation. Legacy awards are given to programs that fully embody the spirit of volunteerism. The Acts of Caring program, now in its second year, recognizes county volunteer services that enhance or preserve a community’s quality of life. Acts of Caring are awarded in 11 categories, and winners are honored at a national ceremony in Washington, D.C. The Shelby County Fans for Seniors was one of two county programs honored with special awards at this year’s ceremony on Capitol Hill, April 23. The other program receiving special recognition was the Clark County (Wash.) Youth Commission, winner of the 2001 Youth Service Award. The Youth Service Award is presented to the program that best identifies a critical need in the youth community and addresses it by engaging young people in service. The Clark County Youth Commission, founded in 1998, is a 30-member body comprised of youth ages 11–19 that advises the Clark County Board of Commissioners and acts as an advocate in the community for the needs of youth. Since it began, the commission has publicly recognized youth for their positive role in the community and provided access to the Board of Commissioners on behalf of more than 300 young people. In addition to the award winners, the Acts of Caring recognition breakfast attracted several senators and representatives, who were on hand to recognize the achievement of their counties.
Accepting the Acts of Caring 2001 Legacy Award for Shelby County, Tenn. is Tommie Cervetti, manager, County Mayor’s Office on Aging. Pictured with Cervetti are: (l-r) Duane Meek, Nationwide Retirement Solutions Awards co-chair; Peter Gallagher, America’s Promise Awards co-chair; NACo President-elect Javier Gonzales; and NACo Executive Director Larry Naake. Attending this year’s ceremony were: Sens. Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), Mark Dayton (D-Minn.) and Reps. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Howard Coble (R-N.C.), Norman Dicks (D-Wash.), Van Hilleary (R-Tenn.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Dennis Moore (D-Kan.), Connie Morella (R-Md.), and C.L. Otter (R-Idaho). Winners of the Acts of Caring Awards include: Arts and Culture
Civic Education
Criminal Justice
Elderly Services
Emergency Management
Environment
Health Services
Libraries
Children and Youth
Social Services
Information about the Acts of Caring winners is available on NACo’s Web site, www.naco.org. County News will also publish brief descriptions of the programs in upcoming issues. The Acts of Caring program is one element of NACo’s Counties Serve America public awareness campaign, undertaken in partnership with Nationwide Retirement Solutions, a Nationwide Financial company. |
