Volunteer of the Week---Jimmy Rodgers

Local Kentuckian receives National Service Award

Yesterday, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne presented Jimmy Rodgers with the Take Pride Bronze Volunteer Hours of Service Award for his service to America’s public lands. Mr.

Rodgers has given more than 1,200 hours of his time and talents to our national parks, and currently serves as a park host at North Fork Campground, which is located on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Rough River Lake.

“It’s a pleasure to present this hard-earned award to Jimmy Rodgers, a man who has given of himself to help maintain and preserve our nation’s public parks,” Secretary Kempthorne said.

“It is our hope that volunteers like Jimmy Rodgers will help inspire young Americans across Kentucky and the country to volunteer on our great land,” said Heather Roebke, Executive Director of Take Pride in America®. “Dedicated volunteers like this are what help keep our country and our shared spaces great.”

This is one well deserved award, Jimmy...thanks for all you do, you're our volunteer of the week!

Take Pride in America joins local families for Family Volunteer Day cleanup this Saturday

This Saturday, November 17th, is Family Volunteer Day, a day designed to bring families together and get them involved in their community. In recognition of the day, Take Pride in America is having a family cleanup event in Alexandria at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Belle Haven Marina, from 10 a.m. to Noon. The event will mainly be comprised of staff from the Department of the Interior, and their families, although other local families are more than welcome to join in.

In an age of hectic schedules, families taking the time to spend quality time together, for a worthwhile cause, helps strengthen family bonds as wells as plants seeds of volunteerism in America’s future generation. Family volunteering can be comprised of an entire family, or just any two people who consider themselves family.

Family Volunteer Day is an initiative of the Points of Light & Hands On Network and sponsored by The Walt Disney Company. The day is about fostering caring values and providing engagement opportunities that enable families to become contributors, problem solvers, and partners in building cohesive communities.

Families and individuals interested in coming out to Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve should RSVP to takepride@ios.doi.gov, or call us at (202)208-5848. Also, members of the press can call us at (202)208-6502 to set-up a pre or post event interview, or to go over event details.

In addition, Disney will be donating goodie bags to thank all volunteers for their help. So kids, bring your families out to volunteer, and get a prize pack from Disney.

--Take Pride E-News Update--

Hey guys, just a quick update this week...

National Family Volunteer Day
Remember, next Saturday, November 17th is National Family Volunteer Day, a day designed to bring families together and get them involved in the community. National Family Volunteer Day was established by the Points of Light Foundation and Disney, and is a great way to bring families together for a good cause. Take Pride will be having a family cleanup event at Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve in Alexandria, Virginia. The Marsh is located in Belle Haven Marina, and the event will be from 10 a.m. to Noon. We invite anyone in the area to join us for a couple hours of good family fun! Please call (202)208-5848 for more information.

Volunteer of the Week
We would like to take a minute to thank Alana McKinney for her continuing volunteer efforts in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Alana is our volunteer of the week! She has been a volunteer since 1987, and over the years has compiled over 8,845 hours of volunteer service. That wasn't a typo, Alana has given nearly nine thousand hours of her time! Alana is a true gift to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and her love for service is obvious. In addition to taking care of the parks ranch, she also works in the gardens, as well as leads historical programs for park visitors.
Alana is a prime example of the difference that a committed individual can make when they put their will and talents behind a worthwhile cause.

New Take Pride Schools Form
Alright, so we just released a new Take Pride Schools sign up sheet. If your school hasn't registered yet, or if you'd like to share the Take Pride Schools program with a neighboring school, please check out the new registration form at http://www.takepride.gov/schools/index.html. It's now easier than ever, you can simply download the form and email it back to us.

International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day

Does anyone know what today is? Today is a little known appreciation day, which in our opinion should receive a lot more attention. This is International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day, and we would like to take a moment to show our appreciation to all the Volunteer Managers out there.

On behalf of Take Pride in America, thank you for your continued work with volunteers on our Nation’s public lands and waters. It’s your hard work and dedication that truly keeps things moving forward.

As you well know, volunteering does not succeed in a vacuum. Behind the hundreds of thousands of volunteers across this country stands a committed group of individuals…like you…who tirelessly recruit, train, and support them. We sincerely thank you for your overflowing enthusiasm and your steady leadership.

Here at Take Pride we are steadfast in out commitment to encouraging volunteerism on our public lands. With your help, moving forward we will be able to continue to enhance our priceless natural, cultural, and historical sites for years to come!

Thank you again for your tireless efforts.

Remember, we’re here to help. If we can ever be of service to you, please do not hesitate to let us know. A quick phone call or email and we’re right there with you.

To find out more about International Volunteer Manager Appreciation Day, please visit www.ivmaday.org

Sincerely,

Your friends at Take Pride