/
RRMM Architects
RRMM Architects
20231003_131618

Doug Mueller

Story of Service: Doug Mueller

Congratulations to Doug Mueller, one of the many dedicated Virginia volunteers who was nominated for the 2023 Serve Virginia Honor Roll, which spotlights the volunteers that serve their communities in a variety of ways, promoting quality of life and creating a lasting impact for others across the Commonwealth! In early 2020, when Doug began volunteering at the Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve near Portsmouth, Virginia, he had retired from a job in the U.S. government and was mourning the death of his 95-year-old father just months earlier. Doug recalls, "Dad was standing by my side when I enlisted in the U.S....
Emma Jean Rush

Emma Jean Rush

Story of Service: Emma Jean Rush

Emma Jean Rush graduated from the University of Virginia with a master’s in public health. After college, she accepted an AmeriCorps VISTA opportunity with MENTOR Virginia as a Marketing and Communications Coordinator, hoping to reach more mentors and mentees, allowing mentoring programs in Virginia to continue to grow and foster development. At the beginning, Emma had no idea how significant her impact would be on MENTOR Virginia, but through her dedication, commitment, and ethical values, she helped the organization advance its mission of fostering quality mentoring relationships that empower, elevate, and encourage young people. Her work continues to impact MENTOR...
RICKETTSFRAN10131--C-CAP Director Fran Ricketts 10/24/2013 MATT ARMSTRONG PHOTO

Lori Schmiege & Huey Gordon

Story of Service: Lori Schmiege & Huey Gordon

National Service Alumni of the Year Huey Gordon & Lorie Schmiege, CARITAS, Richmond Both AmeriCorps Alums with CARITAS, the dynamic duo of Lori Schmiege and Huey Gordon manage the CARITAS Furniture Bank operations. Lori, who served from 2010-2011, and Huey, who served from 2011-2012, both react with empathy and a resolve to “get things done,” attitudes they developed as members. They are also both willing and happy to coach and mentor other AmeriCorps members and ultimately show these members how to be excellent employees when they move on to the workforce. Since joining CARITAS staff, they have mentored 40 AmeriCorps members...
karen5

Karen Minter

Story of Service: Karen Minter

Karen Minter’s passion for education has been the guiding force behind her extraordinary volunteer contributions to the Deltaville Maritime Museum. As a former teacher, she has always been deeply committed to inspiring young minds, and since 2014, she has brought that same enthusiasm to the museum's Children’s Programs. Her teaching background fuels her mission to create engaging activities that captivate and educate visitors of all ages, fostering a lifelong love for maritime history and exploration. Her love for the museum, the staff, and its visitors keeps her coming back each year. Karen doesn’t just organize events—she pours her heart into...
Dakota

Dakota Tappen

Story of Service: Dakota Tappen

Dakota Tappen is an AmeriCorps member serving with Recovery Corps in Virginia. In this role, she is entering her third service term at Roads To Recovery in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she currently serves as a Women’s Peer Recovery Navigator. "I like to describe my role as a cheerleader in many ways," she says. "I walk alongside my peers and watch them conquer their insecurities and mark off their goals as they achieve them. I support peers in their recovery, employment, mental health, and relationships goals." She recalls, "I found the Recovery Corps listing on Indeed and decided to apply. I...
MV

Mackenzie Vuotto

Story of Service: Mackenzie Vuotto

In her time as an early educator, Mackenzie Vuotto began to see the pivotal impact that service and volunteerism can have on young people and families. "An important part of educating young children is informing them about who is in their community, and how their 'community heroes' (like firefighters, doctors, or mail deliverers) help them every day," says Mackenzie. "I realized it was also important to educate children, from a young age, about ways they can help others so we had multiple food and supplies drives in my preschool classroom throughout the year!" Mackenzie is now serving as an AmeriCorps...

What’s Your Volunteer Personality?

Pair your passion with purpose. Take our Volunteer Personality Quiz and find out which volunteer direction is best for you.