GRAFENWOEHR, Germany — They help keep our schools, clinics and mission-essential operations running. And they do it on their own time, with an openness to make a difference and shape change into action. Well over 400 volunteers served the Grafenwoehr and Vilseck communities in the last year. They logged 9,842 days of work, a contribution which would amount to $1,615,735.59 of paid labor time.
On Wednesday, May 10, the garrison recognized these community members as leaders and vital contributors at a ceremony at the Netzaberg Chapel.
Volunteer coordinator Porché Leonard and Army Community Service staff organized the event, but the annual ceremony drew people from all walks of government service and organizations — big and small — that rely heavily on volunteer support.
“We really are an all-volunteer Army,” said Annette Evans, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria deputy to the garrison commander. Members of our communities here are “offering some gift of themselves regardless of the uniform they wear.”
Volunteers here don’t fit into one mold, Evans added. They’re family members, active-duty Soldiers, retirees, youths, civilians and local nationals. And they support services from resilient-building USO and Red Cross events to fundamental garrison programs at the housing office and emergency management.
“We can attach a dollar amount,” said Evans, referring to the incredible financial value the volunteer force provided the community in just twelve months. “But your efforts are priceless.”
From March 1, 2016 to Feb. 28, 2017, Grafenwoehr and Vilseck’s 407 registered volunteers recorded 78,736 hours of labor, roughly 10,000 days or 38 years of committed service.
Photos of the event are available on the U.S. Army Garrison Flickr page.
The volunteer program at USAG Bavaria, which spans all five of the garrison’s communities — Garmisch, Grafenwoehr, Hohenfels, Vilseck and the rotational units in the training areas — remains in the bedrock of community operations.
The Army Volunteer Corps, managed by Army Community Service, is a program which people use to find volunteer opportunities, log service hours and receive support and guidance.
Want to join the volunteer force here at USAG Bavaria? Learn how at 5 steps to become a volunteer at USAG Bavaria.
Volunteer of the Year Winners | |
Category | Winner |
Active Duty Military Member | 1st Lt. Christopher Brown |
Family Member | Elisabeth K. Stone |
Civilian | Meagan Elam |
Host Nation | Norbert Fiedler |
1,000 Plus Volunteer Hours | ||
Lorenna Browning | Tatjana Brady | Ahen Campillo |
Michelle Cardoza | Kim-Nathalie Estrada Angeles | Michiyo Hannaford |
Melissa Sample | Elisabeth Stone | Wendy Trackey |
Christy Whitaker | Erin Wiegers |
700 Plus Volunteer Hours | ||
Claudia Cortes | Jaclyn Pennoyer | Preston Portee |
Constanze Waterbury |
250 Plus Volunteer Hours | ||
Irina Ajaero | Rebecca Avergas | Teresa Bartlett |
Chelsea Battle | Bobby Benn | Anna Berry |
David Breeden | Anni Brunner | Walter Brunner |
Leeann Butcher | Rebecca Cameron | Donald Cannon |
Nataliya Clark | Rabia Coombs | Kamili Edwards |
Staci Ellett | Justina Emmanuel | John Fabry |
Norbert Fiedler | Kelsey Fleegel | Cindy Fragoso |
Sherleana Fuentes | Melody Gersper | Lothar Gogolka |
Darion Heenan | Meghan Huff | Madison Irving |
Misrah Johnson | Birgit Joyce | James Joyce |
Olivia Julian | Traci Kaintz | Sonya Kelly |
Evette Kesler | Monika Kneidl | Richard Kneidl |
Kathryn Koziol | Jasmine Lee | Helga Lettau |
Christina Lindner | Kurt Loh | Cecilia Mariaca |
Jan Meert | Julie Montero | Lenka Morgan |
Kayla Nunn | Jasmin Owsley | Jannifer Pasquale |
Richard Pierce | Aryanna Pope | Maureen Ragle |
Guenter Rammelmeier | Melissa Robinson | Suzanne Robinson |
Natalia Rodriguez | Briana Saul | Nancy Schamburek |
Monika Schoen | Werner Schoen | Annmarie Schultz |
Megan Scribner | April Shirley | Kelsea Spence |
Kurt Spohr | Robin Stouffer | Terrell Summers |
Sarah Theres | Elizabeth Thometz | Robert Thompson |
Victoria Thompson | Stormie Tippit | Stephanie Utter |
Robin Vinci | Rainer Waldmann | Benjamin Weber |
Harald Weber | Tanja White | Ken Worm |
Johanna Yeoman | Manuela Zeller-Meyer | Sara Ziegler |