[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 5103]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


            RECOGNIZING THE 2015 VOLUNTEER FAIRFAX HONOREES

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 15, 2015

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to recognize Volunteer 
Fairfax and express my sincere appreciation to recipients of the 23rd 
Annual Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards.
  Established more than 40 years ago, Volunteer Fairfax matches the 
skills and interests of thousands of volunteers with the needs of local 
non-profit organizations. The success of this model and its impact on 
delivery of needed services is beyond question; Volunteer Fairfax has 
been rated as one of the most effective community service organizations 
in the nation.
  In 2013 alone, more than 26,000 individuals volunteered directly 
through Volunteer Fairfax; an additional 2,700 employees from 12 
corporations supported 29 local agencies. More than 1,000 non-profit 
and charitable organizations were served by Volunteer Fairfax, and the 
value of volunteer services provided exceeded $1.3 million.
  Each year from this group of extraordinary ``Doers Who Do,'' 
Volunteer Fairfax selects a few exceptional individuals, groups, or 
organizations to be honored. It is my great pleasure to submit the 
following names of the 2015 Fairfax County Volunteer Service Awards 
honorees:
  Community Champions:
  Braddock District: Joanne Elder
  Dranesville District: Steven Bloom
  Hunter Mill District: Sahana Arkalgud
  Lee District: Dixie Wright
  Mason District: Winnie Lebo
  Mount Vernon District: Shirley Short
  Providence District: Ken Quincy
  Springfield District: Stephen Beck
  Sully District: Reverend Doctor Eugene Johnson
  At-Large: Philip Church
  Adult Volunteer 250 Hours & Over: Michelle Bond
  Adult Volunteer 250 Hours & Under: Mike Harrison
  Adult Volunteer Group: Library Friends Groups of Fairfax County 
Public Library
  Corporate Volunteer Program: CACI Cares
  Fairfax County Volunteer: David Kline
  Fairfax County Volunteer Program: Fairfax County Animal Shelter
  Family Volunteer: Colonel Edward and Mrs. Kimberly Bellem
  Lifetime Achievement: Peggy Ferguson
  Rising Star: Roberta Bucher
  Senior Volunteer: Lawrence Kelly
  Volunteer Program: Marketplace Volunteer Program
  Youth Volunteer: Carolina Sosa
  Youth Volunteer Group: Boy Scouts of America Troop 55
  Integrate Individual: Pedro Velasco de Paz
  RSVP Northern Virginia: Elizabeth Pokorny
  In addition, Benchmark Honors will be awarded in four different 
categories to commend those who have contributed 100, 250, 500, or 
1,000 hours of volunteer time to our community.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in commending Volunteer 
Fairfax for its decades of outstanding community service, as well as in 
congratulating the 2015 Service Award honorees and the thousands of 
other local volunteers for their incredible contributions to our 
community. Their selfless dedication is worthy of our highest praise 
and is one reason that our community is often ranked as one of the best 
places in the country to live, work, and raise a family.




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