VOLUNTEER AWARD RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED

Some days David Grant doesn't feel too well, but he gets up and heads to work and to his volunteer duties anyway.

"I won't feel any better sitting home," said Grant.

On days when Grant is feeling fine, watch out. He's a fund-raising gang-buster, says MaryAnn Gudermuth, who nominated him for an Ameritech/Area Wide United Way Volunteer Award.

Grant is one of four recipients of the award: Three individuals and one organization were selected.

Grant was honored in the 26-to-59 age category. Melanie Rudolph, a junior at Southeast Missouri State University, was honored in the under-25 age group. Ila Niswonger, a volunteer at the Jackson Senior Center, was honored in the over-60 category, and the Community Caring Council was honored as the volunteer organization. It was represented by Shelba Branscum.

Grant donated more than 800 hours of his time carrying responsibilities as a member of the Board of Directors of the SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence Inc. His volunteerism is unique because of his own disability, a result of a form of brain cancer that affected him at birth. Gudermuth said Grant's own disability enables him to sense the needs of other people with varying degrees of disability.

He is credited with starting a Parent Support Group for Adult Children with Disabilities. He wanted other young people with disabilities to have the same opportunities he did as a result of the encouragement and guidance of his parents.

Rudolph is pursuing a college degree in health management and health promotion at Southeast, but has gone above and beyond typical student activities.

She spent more than 300 hours in 1995 encouraging people to take charge of their health through programs and events for organizations including the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Hospital and Southeast Missouri Hospital. He is active in the SEMO Student Chapter of the Association for Worksite Health Promotion.

Rudolph is also a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority. The sorority, along with Americorps and First Presbyterian Church in Cape Girardeau worked together to clean up the Cape Civic Center.

The "Make a Difference Day" project coordinated by Rudolph was a local winner in a contest sponsored by USA Weekend and the Southeast Missourian.

The majority of volunteer hours Niswonger spends are as chairman of volunteers for the Jackson Senior Center. She schedules other volunteers to work at the center, but she pitches in too.

In 1995 she spent over 2,500 hours helping. She serves meals and works with a telephone reassurance program; volunteers at the Jackson Food Pantry and the Salvation Army; and helps cook meals at the Jackson American Legion. She also works with the American Red Cross at blood drives and volunteers at the Assembly of God Church charity office.

The Community Caring Council was recognized as a volunteer grass-roots organization. Its purpose is to promote coordination and collaboration between social services providers, the business community, churches and schools to help families and individuals become self-reliant, responsible and resourceful. Community Caring Council is a model program for the state and the nation.

Nominees were introduced and recognized for their contributions by Donna Hanschen of Ameritech, who is vice chairman of the Area Wide United Way. Dawn DeBlaze of Ameritech in St. Louis shared her personal volunteer experience with multiple sclerosis in the St. Louis area.

Harry Rediger of JCPenney, a board member of the Area Wide United Way, issued a challenge to the volunteers who were nominated and honored. "I challenge all of you to do some recruiting of others to follow in your footsteps," he said.