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Volunteers: core of joint base community

  • Published
  • By Pascual Flores
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Joint base community members attended the Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony April 24, 2013, at the Tommy B's Community Activities Center here.

The ceremony, attended by more than 300 community members gathered to honor the hard work and dedication of those who continuously volunteer their time in support of the joint base.

"Volunteers, today we celebrate you," said Mary Kierstead, Military and Family Support Center community readiness consultant. "Thank you for all you accomplished during this volunteer year." "We are so proud and honored to work side by side with you."

Col. John Wood, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst commander, conducted the awards presentation for the 2012 joint base volunteer of the year, volunteer organization of the year and the quarterly volunteer awards.

The volunteer of the year award was presented to Stephanie Higley. Higley, the support squadron key spouse, orchestrated quarterly team building event for 90 units and their family members, crafted new strategies to welcome newcomers and supported spouses of deployed service members by facilitating landscaping, mowing, childcare, meals and baked goods.

"What led me to volunteering is just the desire to get involved," said Higley. "I think it is important for resilient military spouses to establish roots, make connections and build a family at whatever base they are at."

Higley also volunteers with the Joint Base Librar-e and Resource Commons, Military Officers Spouses Club, Parent Advocates of Students and Schools, Protestant Women of Chapel, religious education and Lakewood Outreach Ministry.

"I'm blessed and honored to receive this award," said Higley.

Operation Santa Claus was recognized as the volunteer organization of the year for the service provided as well as the organization's impact to the community. Operation Santa Claus provided 14,000 gifts to military children in 2012, and its volunteers have donated a total of 10,386 hours to ensure children in the joint base community have a merry Christmas.

"Operation Santa Claus doesn't care what service you are, how old you are, they just want to help you, our military member," said Wood.

The 2012 quarterly volunteer awards went to:

First Quarter winner, John Meyers, MOSC Thrift Shop. Meyers has volunteered at the MOSC every week for the past ten years. Meyers has volunteered 172 hours and his efforts were key in the MOSC thrift shop giving $12,650 back to JB MDL organizations.

"I have 43 years between my civil service and Air Force time, now I'm giving back," said Meyers, who retired as a senior master sergeant after 25 years. "Now my wife and I volunteer and we are giving back."

Describing his feeling for receiving the award, Meyers said, "It is out of this world, it is really nice."

Second quarter winner; Colleen Wood, 1st Battalion, 309th Regiment, Combat Support, Combat Service Support, 174th Infantry Brigade Family Readiness Group, assisted the family readiness liaison with holiday parties, family days and other unit events. She compiled and separated more than 3,000 pounds of school supplies and helped stuff more than 80 backpacks for unit children.

Third quarter winner; Brenda Wetzel, from the 514th Air Mobility Wing spouses, received, sorted and packaged supplies donated for Hurricane Sandy victims. Wetzel oversaw the distribution of more than 1,800 square foot of supplies to include clothing, shoes, food and other essential items.

Fourth quarter winner; Evelyn Curry, 174th In. Bde., served as the FRG treasurer since January 2012, and ensured the FRG funds, ledger and balance sheet were always 100 percent accurate. Curry mailed cards for unit birthdays, marriages and bereavements and her actions have boosted the morale of Soldiers and family members alike.

The 87th Force Support Squadron coordinates the Joint Base Volunteer Program and each year the squadron tries to capture the monetary value of all of the volunteer hours provided by the hundreds of joint base volunteers.

"This year, after careful calculation, we arrived at $1,657,524," said Kierstead.

The recognition ceremony was followed by a Volunteer Expo and Open House with representatives from Blue Star Families, Military and Family Support Center, Joint Base Librar-e and Resource Commons, Operation Santa Claus, The Attic, International Spouses, Youth Sports, Quilts for Kids, Furry Angels Therapy Dogs and the Community Outreach Volunteer Experience.

"I volunteer to give back to the community and to help the families here on the joint base," said Sgt. 1st Class Godfree Francis, 2nd Battalion, 315th Regiment, 72nd Operations Brigade and Reading, Pa., native. "The money we generate as volunteers goes back to the family readiness group functions we organize in the battalion to help with the expenses for a Christmas party and family picnic."

Volunteers provided 138,127 hours of services in the past year and serve in 26 registered organizations on the joint base.

"Without the significant contributions of our volunteers, the joint base would not be the wonderful community that it is today," said Kierstead. "Across the joint base community, the power of volunteers is evident and has touched the lives of so many."