Volunteers inspire at President's Volunteer Service Award breakfast

HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) a volunteer connector organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes people to volunteer and take action in 44 communities throughout the Northwest suburbs, proudly hosted a President's Volunteer Service Award breakfast at the Forest View Educational Center in Arlington Heights.

Close to 100 volunteers received the President's Volunteer Service Award from the White House. Sarah Van Huis, director of Community Engagement & Senior Corps-RSVP, HandsOn Suburban Chicago, presented the awards.

Volunteers from Northern Cook and Northern DuPage counties attended the event. These volunteers have contributed to their communities by driving seniors to scheduled appointments, sorting clothes, tutoring, crocheting, helping friends with special needs, beautifying schools and centers, providing professional skills and more.

To be eligible for the award, volunteers must have achieved the required number of hours of service over a 12-month time period. Adult volunteers at the breakfast received bronze (100-249 hours), silver (250-499 hours) and gold (500 plus hours) recognition levels. Several recipients were acknowledged with the gold level award for serving 500 plus hours in one year. An impressive group of volunteers have served with Senior Corps-RSVP since 1992.

The award recipients were asked to write down "What makes your volunteer experience meaningful?"

Nancy Wong wrote, "I have enjoyed every hour of volunteering because I have made many friends and they are almost like my second family."

Tiaa Hansson Tuntland penned, "Service to our community is one of the greatest and most fulfilling experiences of my life."

Senior Corps-RSVP volunteers have developed a lifetime of skills, talents, experience and work ethic that make them a valuable resource in their community. Senior Corps-RSVP recognizes the strength and wisdom of these older adults and places them in assignments that maximize and utilize their time and abilities.

To find out more about Senior Corps-RSVP, visit www.handsonsuburbanchicago.org/rsvp or contact HandsOn Suburban Chicago at (847) 228-1320.

For more than 40 years, HandsOn Suburban Chicago (HOSC) has been inspiring, equipping and mobilizing people to volunteer and take action that builds vibrant and prosperous communities. HOSC recruits and refers 10,000 volunteers annually to over 200 member agency nonprofits and schools and provides other support to local charitable organizations, such as consultations and trainings. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) agency and part of the national HandsOn Network, HOSC service area includes 44 core communities in the Chicago area and a population of 1.4 million residents.

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