Gina Lovett Lewis has recently been named to the Governor's Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism. Gina serves as the Director of the Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program and has been with the program for six years. She considers her position as “an opportunity to connect generations in a way that encourages, recognizes and supports both the children and senior citizens we serve”.  Her career in the private sector as a marketing and public relations specialist provided numerous rewards, but she explained that those times pale in comparison to the immense satisfaction she feels knowing that she is making a difference in our communities. “The senior citizens, teachers, administrators, children and families I come in contact with have touched my life in ways that I could have never experienced in the corporate world”.  She has served numerous organizations focused on assisting children and families in need and witnessed the impact volunteering offers both the volunteer and those receiving assistance.  “I believe we should never turn away from an opportunity to help someone in need. The volunteers’ depth of commitment and outcome of their devotion is truly necessary to make our nation stronger and to prepare the next generation for the challenges facing our communities” she said. The Peninsula Foster Grandparent Program in particular has provided opportunities to see first-hand how caring for others is truly a gift. Ms Lewis commented that “when an 80 year old volunteer says ‘the children love us to death….no, they love us to life’ , or a 90+ year-old volunteer goes to work every day with excitement and joy, or when a child continues to refer to “grandma” even many years later, these are the things that fill me with emotion and gratitude”. Ms. Lewis is a native Virginian and graduate of Hampton University.