AREA UNITED WAY VOLUNTEERS GIVEN AWARDS FOR LIVING BY THE 'GOLDEN RULE'

Outstanding volunteers in the area were honored Thursday with praise and trophies, and their efforts earned cash for the organizations where they volunteer their time.

"We hope that by recognizing the efforts and effects of active volunteers, more people will be motivated to volunteer themselves," said Don Fisher, manager of the JCPenney Store in Cape Girardeau at Thursday's Golden Rule Award Program at Drury Lodge.

JCPenney, with its national volunteer recognition efforts, this year joined with the Area Wide United Way's annual volunteer recognition program to offer contributions to the nonprofit organizations where the year's outstanding volunteers donated their energies.

After recognizing the accomplishments of 51 nominees, four winners and five finalists of Golden Rule awards were announced. Winners in the adult, education and group categories received an engraved crystal flame and a $1,000 contribution for their nonprofit organization. A youth individual received a $500 contribution and a $500 scholarship for post-secondary education.

Winning the adult category was Edythe Davis of Family Resource Center. The education winner was Loreen Gladish of Central Junior High School. Group winner was Court Appointed Special Advocates. And winner in the youth division was Lillian Dean of Girl Scouts of Otahki Council.

Five finalists were also recognized for their volunteer efforts and received a $250 contribution to their volunteer organization. Finalists were Carmen Love of Stoddard County Cancer Support Group and David Grant of SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence, adult; Kim Weller of Rolling Readers USA, education; Blood Services Committee of American Red Cross, group; and Rebecca Mattes of St. Vincent de Paul Christian Service Committee, youth.

This is the 13th year the Area Wide United Way has recognized outstanding volunteers in our community, but the collaboration with the JCPenney program has allowed the recognition to expand into contributions for nonprofit organizations.

JCPenney sponsors Golden Rule Award Programs in more than 200 markets across the country. Winners at the local level automatically become eligible for the National Golden Rule Awards, which are presented in the fall. The National adult, group and education winners receive a $10,000 contribution to their organization and the youth winner receives a $5,000 scholarship and a $5,000 contribution.

"We are proud to join hands and work with the United Way to recognize volunteers locally and across the nation," Fisher said.

"The people we honored today are highly motivated, unselfish workers," said Kathy Denton, assistant director of the Area Wide United Way. "This visibility and recognition lets other people see what some of our great needs are and gets them involved in community service."

Davis, winner of the adult category, has been instrumental in the establishment of the Family Resource Center where she has worked to draft bylaws for the board, obtain 501(c)(3) status, lobby for state funding and evaluate sites for the new center. She is responsible for setting up the center's charitable gift treasury and overseeing all financial activities assigned to the board.

In addition she has volunteered with the Area Wide United Way, Bollinger County Caring Council, St. Francis Medical Center and her church. She was nominated by Mary Spell from St. Francis Medical Center.

At age 70-plus, Gladish, winner of the education category, volunteers much of her time at Central Junior High School, where she initiated a weekly service for ninth-grade students reading below grade level. Through Gladish's ability to listen to the student's reading, model appropriate reading skills and take time to interact, the students improved their reading scores and enhanced their self-esteem. Gladish also volunteers at Southeast Missouri State University and at local hospitals. She was nominated by Sherry Ford of Central Junior High School.

Court Appointed Special Advocates won the group and organization award. CASA volunteers are sworn officers of the court who represent children on child protection orders or children referred through the juvenile office.

CASA volunteers work to ensure the abuse and neglect children suffered at home doesn't continue as abuse and neglect at the hands of the system. There are 29 CASA volunteers who have received the 30 hours of extensive training.

Volunteers are assigned one case and are responsible for representing the children in a factual manner. Volunteers are required to stay on a case until permanence is established. CASA was nominated by Winnie Seabaugh.

Youth winner was Dean, a senior at Central High School, where she is an A student and received the Outstanding Community Service Award in 1999. She has been a Girl Scout since age 5 and received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor given in Girl Scouting.

She served on the Vision 2000 Community Board and Flag Committee, has served Thanksgiving dinner at the Salvation Army the past six years, participated in beautification projects for her school, church and community and volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. She was nominated by Denise Stewart of Girl Scouts of Otahki Council.

Other nominees in the adult category were Robert Cox, Jean Devore, Larry Essner, Chad Faris, Felicia Fox, Carolyn Goodin, Jerry Hampton, Cynthia Hruby, Sam Johnson, Gary Klym, Ida Krauss, Steve LeGrand, Gilbert Leimer, Alberta Loos, Joel Montgomery, Eloise Moore, Pat Moore, Charla Myers, Pete Poe, Harry Rediger, Pat Renner, Desma Reno, Wade Rogers, Loretta Schneider, Dortha Strack, Traci Taylor, Jim Watkins and Rosemary Whittard.

Other nominees in the education category were Judy Hill, Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils and Sue Stuart.

Other nominees in the group and organization category were APPLE Paperwork Service; Bootheel Healthy Start Regional Consortium, Delta Delta Delta, Jackson Ministerial Alliance, Gladys and James Mosley, Retired Senior Volunteer Program, St. Vincent's Christian Service Committee and Vision 2000.

Other nominees in the youth category were Joseph Campbell, Samantha Kluesner and Rebecca Mattes.