The Virginia Community Healthcare Association recently named Denise Bland Volunteer of the Year for her work with the Eastern Shore Rural Health System, Inc. Denise's efforts helped to expand primary care to eight locations offering a wide range of services including primary medical care, dental care, behavioral health services, pharmacy assistance services, pediatrics, and a robust school dental program.   She has served Eastern Shore Rural Health as board president for 17 years through June 25, 2019. When Eastern Shore Rural Health first began in 1976, the organization’s focus was to make primary care more accessible to people living on...

Debbie Brubaker, a Franklin County beef and dairy farmer, has been honored with the 2019 Agriculture Advocate Award by the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization and the National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. The award recognizes Brubaker’s dedication to advancing agricultural literacy in her community for more than 10 years. In partnership with the Franklin County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, Brubaker has provided information about agriculture to an estimated 60,000 children. Over the years, Brubaker expanded a one-day dairy event at her children’s school to include 20 learning stations that teach students about topics like milking...

Zoie Sickey is a first-generation college graduate and a second-year Virginia College Advising Corps adviser at Salem High School. She studied biomedical engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University and plans to pursue a career in higher education after she completes her service with VCAC. Zoie reflects, “I was fortunate to have a wonderful academic adviser during my time as an undergraduate student, and when I was in the process of job searching, he inspired me to consider advising as a possible career. Because of his suggestion, I came across the posting to become a college adviser with VCAC and have loved...

AmeriCorps member Claudia Ramirez Cuéllar currently serves at Aspire Afterschool Learning as the Parent Coordinator in the AmeriCorps Learning Links program. In her role, Claudia connects with the parents of Aspire students to share student progress, successes, and challenges. She greets parents as they pick up their students and communicates regularly through phone calls and text messages. She also organizes monthly talks for parents on relevant topics, such as how to read report cards, how parent-teacher conferences work, keeping children safe on the internet, and advice surrounding mental health for the parents and children. As a result of her proactive...

AmeriCorps State Member of the Year (Robert E. Wone Award for Exemplary Service) Deenia Carico, Carroll County Public Schools Lift Up AmeriCorps, Hillsville Following a lifetime of service in teaching, Deenia continued her passion for education by joining AmeriCorps where she serves by tutoring at Oakland Elementary in Galax. In her fourth year of service, Deenia has a strong collaborative relationship with the teachers at her school and has successfully trained three new AmeriCorps members. She is also passionate about serving her community -- not only taking each of the National Days of Service to heart, but also active in...

Congratulations to RRMM Architects of Chesapeake - winner of the 2018 Governor's Volunteerism and Community Service Award for Outstanding Corporation! RRMM Architects are known for designing and building innovative public buildings and schools in the Chesapeake area, and they have shown that they are just as concerned with what is going on inside the schools as the gleaming new structures they build. Throughout the year, volunteers from RRMM Architects, led by CEO/president Duane Harver, donate countless hours to Virginia Beach City Public Schools. One of the ways they work to utilize their talents and skills is to include students in the planning...