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Bullets
courtesy of
DAV Awards 12 Youth Volunteer Scholarships
MIAMI, July 27, 2001 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Disabled American
Veterans (DAV) has selected 12 outstanding youth volunteers to
receive DAV National Commander's Youth Volunteer Scholarship
awards.
The first place scholarship of $15,000 was awarded to Scott C. Butcher, 18, of Phoenix, Ariz., who contributed 634 hours of service at the Department of Veterans Affairs medical center in Phoenix last year.
The second place scholarship of $10,000 went to Wendy Koegel, 18, of Marion, Ind., who donated 370 voluntary hours at the Marion VA medical center.
The two third place winners of a $7,500 scholarship went to Ashley J. Kirstein, 17, of Asheville, N.C., who donated 332 hours of volunteer service at the Asheville VA medical center, and April M. Cross, 18, of Lakewood, Wash., who donated 293 hours of volunteer service at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Eight others received $5,000 scholarships.
"I'm very proud of these young volunteers who are making significant contributions to the well being of sick and disabled veterans," said DAV National Commander Armando C. Albarran. "They are, without question, significant contributors who believe, as the DAV does, in building better lives for our nation's disabled veterans and their families."
The $5,000 scholarship winners are Joseph W. T. McQuaid of San Francisco, Calif., Vicky Betchley of Tecumseh, Kan., Phillip J. Merolle of Holbrook, N.Y., Christopher R. Carnes of Summerville, S.C., Angela Holman of Aurora, Colo., Melinda L. Chambless of Dublin, Ga., Seth Opeil of Mountaintop, Pa., and Carrie Douglas of Togus, Maine.
The DAV National Commander's Youth Volunteer Scholarship program honors outstanding young volunteers who are active participants in the Department of Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service (VAVS) programs. The scholarships are awarded to deserving young men and women who have donated their time and compassion to sick and disabled veterans in their communities.
The winners of the 2001 DAV National Commander's Youth Volunteer Scholarships have widely divergent interests, but they have one thing in common -- they honor those who defended our nation's freedom by donating their time to help hospitalized veterans.
Butcher, who plans to attend the honors program at Arizona State University this fall, extended his thanks to veterans. "I donated my time to help repay their sacrifices and I appreciate everything the DAV has done for me." He has supported a wide variety of community service projects including working as a "roving" volunteer in any areas where needed.
"Scott's enthusiasm and commitment to providing quality service is shown through his willingness to adapt and create new ideas to help sick and disabled veterans," Commander Albarran said. "He has gone the 'extra mile' to assist veterans, VA medical center staff, and fellow volunteers."
One of his more memorable projects was creating 4th of July cards for veterans. He and 20 other volunteers made hundreds of cards that were personally delivered to each patient in the Phoenix VA Medical Center. Each volunteer also spent time talking to veterans. "I spent two hours talking to a World War II veteran," Butcher said. "He told me about his life and I told him about mine. It touched home because it gave me a sense of purpose of the hospital and why I volunteer."
Koegel, who will attend Purdue University to major in hotel/restaurant management, said she was deeply honored by her $10,000 scholarship. "When I volunteered, I didn't expect to get rewarded for it. Thank you, veterans, for everything you've done for us."
"Wendy is respectful of the veterans she serves, giving compassionate care and doing all she can when a veteran needs help," Command Albarran said. "Working with psychiatric, dementia, geriatric, and HIV veterans, she has displayed an invaluable willingness to work with the most difficult cases."
An avid gymnast, Wendy fondly remembers doing backsprings down the hall of a patient unit. "The veterans gave me a perfect '10' and a big round of applause," she said.
Kirstein, a student at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, N.C., has been volunteering at the Asheville VA Medical Center since she was 12. "I asked how am I going to act and how am I going to relate to the people around me," she said. "It really makes you grow up and be more responsible."
"Veterans are drawn to Ashley's positive and caring attitude," Commander Albarran said. "She has accumulated nearly 1,000 hours of volunteer work and maintains a 4.25 grade point average, but her warm, caring smile and deep respect continually lighten the hearts and raise the spirits of so many of our disabled veterans. She is as equally skilled at administering EKGs or working at the medical center information desk."
"A couple of girls and myself put together a small show like the USO honoring Korean War veterans," Kirstein said. "We created a three-minute dance routine in 1950's style with costumes. The response was amazing. The veterans really loved it."
Cross, plans to attend Western Washington University to major in computer programming. She has volunteered at the Seattle, Wash., VA medical center for four years.
"Volunteering helps me understand the service of veterans to our country and how we got to where we are in our history," she said. "Volunteering is something that I gladly do."
"April works in many areas of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System, including general medicine, surgical care clinic, mental health research service, and the canteen service," Commander Albarran said. "She feels great compassion for the veterans she serves, and the veterans respond to her caring personality in a positive and trusting manner."
The Disabled American Veterans is a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. It is dedicated to one, single purpose: building better lives for our nation's 2.3 million disabled veterans and their families.
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