Nominations open for 2012 Governor's Initiative for Volunteer Excellence (GIVE) Awards
It’s time to nominate a volunteer from your community for a prestigious GIVE Award! Every year, the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service, in cooperation with the Office of the Governor, honors the accomplishments of Mississippians who have given exemplary volunteer service to their communities. These volunteers are presented with a beautiful award while their inspiring stories are shared at an event held specially for them in our capital city.
The 2012 GIVE Awards will be held on Monday, April 16, 2012. This year’s event will kick off National Volunteer Week, which will be celebrated from April 15th through the 21st, 2012.
The nomination process is easier than ever! Just complete the form and submit your nomination by email. You may also fax it to 601.432.6790, or mail it to 3825 Ridgewood Rd, Ste 601, Jackson, MS 39211. The deadline for nominations is February 15, 2012.
If you should have any questions, please contact Krista Estes This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 601.432.6306.
Mississippians Humbly Respond Whenever There is Need
Humility leads to Misrepresentation in Federal Report
When disaster strikes or a community is in need, Mississippi typically doesn't have to look any further than its own back yard.
"Service seems to be engrained into Mississippi's DNA," said Deirdra Harris Glover with the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service. "We're so open-hearted and we're quick to lend a hand and we're not afraid of getting our hands dirty."
Corporation for National and Community Service's Civic Life Report
Banquet Honors AmeriCorps Disability Inclusion Efforts
MCVS educates Mississippians and promotes volunteer opportunities by recruiting and encouraging placement of people with disabilities in national and community service programs. Over 225 national service participants have focused their service on disability inclusion outreach in Mississippi’s communities. The third annual National Service Disability Inclusion Recognition Banquet took place November 4th, honoring those participants—with and without disabilities—who are making strides in communities statewide. Honorees display a commitment to excellence in collaborative disability inclusion efforts, and their work has awakened the skills and talents of citizens who are often left behind or unnoticed.
Volunteer Program Directors Elect New Officers
The Directors of Volunteers in Agencies (DOVIA Mississippi) is a professional networking group providing volunteer managers with the tools they need to do their jobs better. DOVIA members met November 17th to elect new officers and share 2011 success stories. The 2012 DOVIA officers are:
President: Anne Grinnan, Jackson Zoo
VP for Programs: Michele Baker, Crossroads Film Festival
Secretary: Fran Baker, Born Free of Mississippi
VPs for Membership: Doris Bridgeman, Tougaloo College and Ann T. Peden, MS Museum of Natural Science
Treasurer: Dawn Jones, Catholic Charities
Ruth Hand Wilson: A Lifetime of Service
Former MCVS Executive Director Marsha Meeks Kelly reflects upon the passing of Ruth Hand Wilson.
It is with great solemnity that we announce the passing of our great friend, Ruth Hand Wilson: a MCVS Founding Board Member, paragon of civic engagement, and “mother of volunteerism in Mississippi.” She died as she lived, surrounded by her loving friends and family in Jackson.
Marsha Barbour Tribute
First Responders Honor First Lady's Commitment to Disaster Response
New National Service Leadership Changes
President Obama has announced his intent to nominate Wendy Spencer to serve as the next CEO of the Corporation for Community and National Service (CNCS). Wendy Spencer is the Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Governor's Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service, an organization that administers AmeriCorps grants throughout the state and is responsible for coordinating volunteers and donation management in times of disaster. Spencer was appointed to the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2006, and awarded the President's Call to Service Award in 2005 due to her dedication to finding innovative solutions to Florida’s community challenges. Until her nomination, she served as Chair of America’s Service Commissions (ASC).
In light of Spencer’s nomination, Paula Kaiser VanDam, Executive Director of the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), has been elected as Spencer’s replacement. VanDam will serve out the remainder of Spencer’s term that expires at the ASC Annual Meeting in June 2012, and is eligible to be elected to a full two-year term at that time.
MCVS Welcomes New Commissioners
Governor Haley Barbour recently announced new three-year appointments for the MCVS Board of Commissioners. The newly appointed Commissioners are Billy Campbell, Meridian (returning); Richard Conville, Hattiesburg; Rene Dungan, Columbia; Beth Fisher, Madison (Vice Chair – returning); Linda Gates, West Point; Perry Green, West Point (returning); Mary Stewart Hurst, Jackson; Kelsey Pettus, Jackson; Josie Shumake, Columbus; Caroline Sims, Jackson; Lee Tucker, Brandon; Maggie Wade-Dixon, Jackson; and Rodger Wilder, Gulfport.2011 MCVS Board Chair Robin Robinson and First Lady Marsha Barbour hosted a reception at the Governor’s Mansion to welcome the new Commissioners, and thank current and outgoing Commissioners for their dedication and commitment to serving our great state’s volunteers and voluntary organizations.
Senator Thad Cochran Supports Volunteerism and Service
U.S. Senator Thad Cochran, R–Miss., recently brought attention to the benefits of early childhood education and literacy by reading to preschool children as part of an AmeriCorps Jumpstart Read for the Record event on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Cochran has been a long time advocate for both literacy programs and volunteerism and service programs. Cochran serves as the Senate Republican Chair for the National Service Caucus.
“My parents were educators and I learned from them the value of a good education. Our schools in Mississippi are making progress in learning achievement, and getting children interested and involved in reading at an early age is a great advantage,” said Cochran.
Read more about education and national service in Mississippi