Posts Tagged ‘President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation’

Spread the Volunteer Love for National Volunteer Week

Monday, March 5th, 2012

This year’s National Volunteer Week is April 15 through April 21! It’s a week dedicated to recognizing and honoring the amazing work of volunteers throughout the nation. Whether you’re serving your local school, nursing home, community organization, or mentoring someone, the service volunteers provide is PRICELESS, ha ha no pun intended! But in all seriousness, we are so thankful for the great service of volunteers and want offer you 4 ways to honor volunteers during National Volunteer Week or year-around.

  1. The Daily Point of Light Award: The Daily Point of Light Award was established by former President George H. W. Bush to engage individuals, families, businesses and groups to solve community problems through voluntary service. Recognize an individual or group that is inspiring change through voluntary action by submitting a nomination for the Daily Point of Light Award. If selected, your nominee will join an esteemed group of volunteers recognized on the Points of Light blog for their leadership and voluntary service, and receive a certificate signed by President George H. W. Bush and Points of Light Institute CEO Michelle Nunn honoring their achievement!
  2. Recognize a Point of Light on the Pointsoflight.org Tribute Wall: The Points of Light tribute wall provides you with access to an online community dedicated to recognizing volunteers. Whether you’re shouting out George H.W. Bush or posting a video or simply writing kind words about how a volunteer has inspired you or changed your life, the tribute wall is a way to point out the Points of Light in your life and/or your community.
  3. The President’s Volunteer Service Award: Established in 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation created the President’s Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.
  4. Celebrate people who went the Extra Mile: If you’re visiting the Washington, DC area or just surfing the exciting highways of the world wide web, visit the Extra Mile national monument. This new national monument in the heart of Washington, D.C. is a testament to the tradition, spirit and culture of service in America. From founders of major service organizations to civil rights leadersExtra Mile, the monument tells the story of people who have gone the “extra mile” to help others realize a better America. Comprised of a series of bronze medallions, it will form a one-mile walking path just blocks from the White House.

No matter what you do to recognize volunteers, make sure they know that their services help to improve your life or spark a light of volunteerism and inspiration in their community. Comment and tell us how you plan to honor your volunteers during National Volunteer Week and beyond!

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The President Wants to Recognize You for Your Great Work!

Wednesday, February 22nd, 2012

For more than two decades, Points of Light honors and encourages organizations throughout the nation to celebrate National Volunteer Week, providing visibility, thematic focus and resources to enable them to commemorate this signature week of volunteer recognition,. National Volunteer Week is April 15-21, 2012.

During National Volunteer Week, we at Points of Light and HandsOn Network encourage people to recognize the outstanding impact of volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Created by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, the President’s Volunteer Service Award program is a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. 

Recognizing and honoring volunteers sets a standard for service, encourages a sustained commitment to civic participation, and inspires others to make service a central part of their lives. The President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals, families, and groups that have achieved a certain standard – measured by the number of hours of service over a 12-month period or cumulative hours earned over the course of a lifetime.

To date, the President’s Council has partnered with more than 80 leadership organizations and more than 28,000 certifying organizations to bestow more than 1.5 million awards to the Nation’s deserving volunteers.

Depending on which award package is ordered, award recipients can receive: An official President’s Volunteer Service Award lapel pin, a personalized certificate of achievement or a congratulatory letter from the President of the United States.

Any individual, family, or group can receive Presidential recognition for volunteer hours earned over a 12-month period or over the course of a lifetime at home or abroad. The following are the eligibility requirements for each age group: Kids, age 5-14, young adults, individuals age 15-25, and adults age 26 and up.

Criterion for the bronze presidential award include the completion of  50-74 service hours for kids, 100 to 174 hours for Young Adults, 100 to 249 hours for adults, and 200 to 499 hours for families and groups.

Criterion for the silver presidential award include the completion of 75 to 99 hours for Kids, 175 to 249 hours for Young Adults, 250 to 499 hours for adults, and 500 to 999 hours for families and groups.

Criterion for the gold presidential award include the completion of 100 hours or more for kids, 250 hours or more for young adults, 500 hours or more for adults, and 1000 hours or more for families and groups.

Additionally, volunteers of all ages with 4,000 or more service hours over a lifetime can receive the President’s Call to service award.

We hope that during National Volunteer Week and throughout the year, you choose to recognize and honor volunteers with the Presidential service award for their amazing service and impact on their communities.

 

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