Alma Students Receive National Service Award
Sixty-seven Alma College students, faculty and staff are the
recipients of the President’s Volunteer Service Award from the
President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation in recognition
of their hurricane relief efforts on the Gulf Coast.
“The dedication and commitment of these students, faculty and staff to
disaster relief makes them truly worthy of these awards,” said Sallie
Scheide, assistant director of Discovering Vocation at Alma College.
“They have made a huge difference in the lives of others.”
Members of a 2006 Spring Term class headed by staff member Bob Simon,
assistant athletic trainer, and former faculty member Mark Cubberly,
earned the gold award, while members of a February 2006 Alternative
Break work team earned the bronze award.
Both groups performed volunteer service in Chalmette, La., through the
National Relief Network, a Greenville, Mich., organization committed to
bringing large numbers of volunteers to state and federally declared
disaster areas for the purpose of helping families in their efforts to
rebuild homes, communities and lives.
The awards recognize dedication to volunteer service and signify that
the recipients served their community and country with distinction.
In letters to the recipients, President George Bush wrote, “Through
service to others, you demonstrate the outstanding character of America
and help strengthen our country.”
Twenty-five students in the Spring Term Hurricane Katrina Relief course worked in Chalmette, La., from May 1 through 20.
“We were able to gut 22 houses in 11 days of working,” said Simon. “We
handed out kitchen sets, which contained pots, pan, silverware and cups
to individuals who had very little relief. We worked with the fire
department on the last day and performed community service.
“The experience was different for each of our students, and I know that many of them planned to go back,” he said.
The February Alternative Break work team that traveled to Chalmette included 33 students and six faculty and staff.
Posted: Mon, October 30th, 2006 at 9:12AM
