Forming partnerships in community service: during a two-days service conference, VFW and Ladies Auxiliary members learned the importance of partnering with other organizations

VFW Magazine, August, 2002 by Janie Blankenship, Shannon Hanson

Conference Awards

ALLEGRA GUARINO
Voice of Democracy
$25,000 Scholarship

PETER NICHOLAS, III
Youth Essay
$10,000
U.S.Savings Bond

MATTHEW
VANDENBERG
Eagle Scout Award
Collected 150 units of
blood for local hospitals
$5,000 scholarship

JAMES SELF, JR.
Youth Hero Award
Saved a drowning woman
$2,000
U.S. Savings Bond

J. EDGAR HOOVER AWARD
Corporal Steve Spadafora
Police Officer
South Bend, Ind.
Prevented a woman from committing suicide
and rescued an infant from a kidnapper

VFW FIREFIGHTER AWARD
Marry Franklin Brown
Bainbridge (Ga.) Fire Department
Saved a drowning baby

VFW EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN
AWARD
Maria T. Selders, EMT
Keyser (W. Va.) EMS
Saved the life of a logging trucker and
resuscitated a 2-year-old child

OUTSTANDING POST SPECIAL PROJECT
Roland A. Selph, Post 1839 Commander
Shirley Turman, Auxiliary President
Cleveland, Texas
Helped needy families at Christmas

OUTSTANDING VA HEALTH CARE EMPLOYEE
OF THE YEAR
Dr. Satish Sharma
Chief of Specialty and Acute Inpatient Care
Providence VA Medical Center
Providence, R.I.

OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE
PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
Nona (Jenny) Roach
Recreation Service Director
and Volunteer Coordinator
Georgia War Veterans Home
Milledgeville, Ga.

VFW HEALTH CARE VOLUNTEER
OF THE YEAR
Francis Ginther
Post 210, Lakeville, Minn.
28-year volunteer for
Minnesota Veterans Home
2002 Voice of Democracy Winners

Listed below are the Voice of Democracy winners who were honored at
this year's Community Service Conference. The annual competition
climaxes when winners from all 54 Departments receive a national
scholarship and a trip to the conference in Crystal City, Va.

Top prize in the competition went to Allegra Guarino, sponsored by
Post 8645 and its Ladies Auxiliary of New Paltz, N.Y. She is shown
receiving a $25,000 scholarship award, center, from VFW
Commander-in-Chief James Goldsmith and Ladies Auxiliary National
President Diana Stout. National scholarships awarded totaled
$141,500.

2002 Voice of Democracy Winners

                         SPONSORING
                           POST/
WINNER                   AUXILIARY           LOCATION

Allegra Guarino             8645       New Paltz, New York
Jason Hibner                9582       Vandalia, Ohio
Christopher Hernandez      10614       Kaiserslautern, Germany
Laura Nellums                401       Albuquerque, New Mexico
Aubrey Seibert              1324       Oregon City, Oregon
Natali Hamblin              7885       Ekalaka, Montana
Kenneth Butcher              629       Fairmont, West Virginia
Scott Detrow                2903       Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Amy Schilling               3214       Miller, South Dakota
Jessica Gerlach             3633       Maquoketa, Iowa
Joseph Smith                2872       Athens, Georgia
Eric Nguyen                 7069       Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania
Allison Myers               4340       Brandon, Florida
Tala Burnison               5289       Pawnee City, Nebraska
Emily Abdoler               1894       Clinton, Missouri
Christopher Stapleton       2485       Angeles City, Philippines
Daniel Bruggemeyer          3848       Henderson, Nevada
Matthew Vandenberg          4588       Bossier City, Louisiana
Marilyn Nguyen              6502       Bradley, Illinois
Rebecca Specht              1881       Cheyenne, Wyoming
Amanda Hoffman              1133       Goodland, Kansas
Kahli Ries                 10884       Mayville, Michigan
Lacey Adcock                9365       Wasilla, Alaska
Kristin Hall                7467       Hendersonville, North Carolina
Leah Cunningham             5849       East Lyme, Connecticut
Sahar Zuberi                5785       Kennewick, Washington
Allison Goodman             9524       Seiling, Oklahoma
Clarissa Anderson           3968       Winchester, New Hampshire
Theresa Montano             5241       Cortez, Colorado
Gary Matthew Ezovski        6342       North Smithfield, Rhode Island
Ryan Jackson               10326       El Paso, Texas
Michael Ahillen             1733       Knoxville, Tennessee
Marcy Twete                  756       Devils Lake, North Dakota
Sharyn Cosby                3189       Mexico City, Mexico
Maisel Caliva               1572       Waipahu, Hawaii
Mark Hanin                   735       Pocatello, Idaho
John Herd                   1845       Simpsonville, South Carolina
Christina Reidy             7410       Bellmawr, New Jersey
Marjorie Creen              7267       Lindstrom, Minnesota
Mary Coleman Bostick        3016       Selma, Alabama
Ginger Ashley               2242       Paragould, Arkansas
Andrea Loeffler             8451       Chelsea, Vermont
Juliet Lamb                 9917       Brewster, Massachusetts
Elizabeth Buckner           9760       Berryville, Virginia
Meghan Pasricha             2863       Richardson Park, Delaware
Alison Boess                1433       Glendale, Arizona
Mallery Waters              1832       Jeffersonville, Indiana
Anthony Glime               5118       Easton, Maryland
Jeanna Woodward            11553       Addison, Maine
Justice Ojo                 1123       Vallejo, California
Benjamin Hampton            4075       Frankfort, Kentucky
Lisette Bonilla             9755       Washington, D.C.
Devin Dotson                6112       Belmont, Mississippi
Amber Gunter                7442       West Valley City, Utah

WINNER                            NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP

Allegra Guarino          1st Place T.C. Selman Memorial
Jason Hibner             2nd Place Charles Kuralt Memorial
Christopher Hernandez    3rd Place VFW
Laura Nellums            4th Place LeRoy Moorhead Memorial
Aubrey Seibert           5th Place VFW
Natali Hamblin           6th Place Floyd County VFW Post 3281, New
                           Albany, Indiana
Kenneth Butcher          7th Place Rehoboth Beach Post 7447 and
                           Auxiliary Dept. of Delaware
Scott Detrow             8th Place Dept. of Minnesota William F. Halsey
                           Memorial
Amy Schilling            9th Place Dept. of New York and Auxiliary,
                           Rev. Albert G. Salmon Memorial
Jessica Gerlach          10th Place Dept. of Indiana and Auxiliary
Joseph Smith             Joseph O. Hansen Memorial
Eric Nguyen              Daniel Sean Wallace Memorial
Allison Myers            Troy and Sandy Rothbart Memorial
Tala Burnison            Jesse A. Lewis Memorial
Emily Abdoler            Silver Spring Memorial Post 2562
Christopher Stapleton    $1,000 Francis Tallman Memorial and $1,000
                           Robert A. Stock Memorial
Daniel Bruggemeyer       $1,000 Walter and Doris Marshall Memorial and
                           $1,000 Southern Conference
Matthew Vandenberg       $1,000 Mr. and Mrs. James H. Black and $1,000
                           Jane Young Memorial
Marilyn Nguyen           $1,000 Dept. of Alabama and $1,000 Dept. of
                           Georgia James H. "Sloppy" Floyd Memorial
Rebecca Specht           Dept. of New Hampshire Dan & Jean Loud
                           Memorial
Amanda Hoffman           Dept. of Illinois and Auxiliary
Kahli Ries               Dept. of Missouri and Auxiliary
Lacey Adcock             Dept. of New Mexico and Auxiliary
Kristin Hall             Dept. of Massachusetts Edward A. Nardi
Leah Cunningham          Dept. of Colorado and Auxiliary
Sahar Zuberi             Dept. of Georgia R.D. "Bulldog" Smith, Jr.
Allison Goodman          Dept. of Ohio Chester J. Koch Memorial
Clarissa Anderson        Dept. of Connecticut and Auxiliary
Theresa Montano          Stephen and Elsie Riordan Memorial
Gary Matthew Ezovski     Larry W. Rivers
Ryan Jackson             Dept. of Illinois Scott Post 4183
Michael Ahillen          All American Post 284
Marcy Twete              Dept. of California and Auxiliary
Sharyn Cosby             Bernard J. Michels, Post 9610 and Auxiliary
Maisel Caliva            Juanita Crowe, Dept. of Tennessee
Mark Hanin               Cramer/Harrell
John Herd                Ervin and Lorraine Rothenbuhler
Christina Reidy          Fridley VFW Post 363 and its Ladies Auxiliary
Marjorie Creen           Dept. of Michigan and Auxiliary
Mary Coleman Bostick     Dept. of Wyoming and Auxiliary
Ginger Ashley            Dept. of Kentucky and Auxiliary
Andrea Loeffler          Dept. of Arizona and Ladies Auxiliary Harry A.
                           Kosht Memorial
Juliet Lamb              Dept. of New Jersey Howard E. Vander Clute
                           Memorial
Elizabeth Buckner        Roy Chandler VFW Post 762 and Ladies Auxiliary
Meghan Pasricha          Arthur W. Jones VFW Post 7564 and Auxiliary
Alison Boess             Dept. of Pennsylvania Joseph L. Vicites
                           Memorial
Mallery Waters           Dept. of Maine "to Remember the U.S.S. Maine"
Anthony Glime            Gilbert N. Nelson Post 1326 and Auxiliary,
                           Bismarck, N.D.
Jeanna Woodward          Dept. of Kansas and Auxiliary Robert R.
                           Whipple Memorial
Justice Ojo              Dept. of Nevada and Auxiliary
Benjamin Hampton         Dept. of Florida John M. "Jack" Carney
Lisette Bonilla          Dept. of Hawaii and Auxiliary
Devin Dotson             Dept. of Idaho and Auxiliary
Amber Gunter             Dept. of Mississippi and Auxiliary Bernard
                           McClelland Memorial

WINNER                     AMOUNT

Allegra Guarino           $25,000
Jason Hibner              $16,000
Christopher Hernandez     $10,000
Laura Nellums              $7,000
Aubrey Seibert             $5,000
Natali Hamblin             $5,000
Kenneth Butcher            $5,000
Scott Detrow               $4,000
Amy Schilling              $3,500
Jessica Gerlach            $3,000
Joseph Smith               $3,000
Eric Nguyen                $2,500
Allison Myers              $2,500
Tala Burnison              $2,000
Emily Abdoler              $2,000
Christopher Stapleton      $2,000
Daniel Bruggemeyer         $2,000
Matthew Vandenberg         $2,000
Marilyn Nguyen             $2,000
Rebecca Specht             $1,500
Amanda Hoffman             $1,500
Kahli Ries                 $1,500
Lacey Adcock               $1,500
Kristin Hall               $1,500
Leah Cunningham            $1,500
Sahar Zuberi               $1,000
Allison Goodman            $1,000
Clarissa Anderson          $1,000
Theresa Montano            $1,000
Gary Matthew Ezovski       $1,000
Ryan Jackson               $1,000
Michael Ahillen            $1,000
Marcy Twete                $1,000
Sharyn Cosby               $1,000
Maisel Caliva              $1,000
Mark Hanin                 $1,000
John Herd                  $1,000
Christina Reidy            $1,000
Marjorie Creen             $1,000
Mary Coleman Bostick       $1,000
Ginger Ashley              $1,000
Andrea Loeffler            $1,000
Juliet Lamb                $1,000
Elizabeth Buckner          $1,000
Meghan Pasricha            $1,000
Alison Boess               $1,000
Mallery Waters             $1,000
Anthony Glime              $1,000
Jeanna Woodward            $1,000
Justice Ojo                $1,000
Benjamin Hampton           $1,000
Lisette Bonilla            $1,000
Devin Dotson               $1,000
Amber Gunter               $1,000