Photo By Staff Sgt. Matthew Cooley | Lt. Col. Paula Lodi, 15th Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade commander...... read more read more
HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas – The 15th Special Troops Battalion, 15th Sustainment Brigade, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) recognized volunteer of the year nominees at an informal ceremony at Lt. Col. Paula Lodi's house, the battalion's commander, March 26.
The ceremony also served to recognize the unit's Adopt a School and Adopt a Unit partners while bringing together the representatives of organizations that were a part of or considering joining the Adopt a Unit program.
"We don't have enough opportunity to interact with and thank our community partners so we wanted to combine our volunteer recognition with an appreciation event for our community partners," Lodi said.
Volunteer of the year nominees are submitted by companies to battalions, which in turn pick the best ones and submit those to brigade. Brigades do the same and so forth up to III Corps.
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company nomination was MacKenzie Vance, 11, Lodi's daughter. Vance's volunteer work included singing at local nursing homes with her school's choir and volunteering over 120 hours through the Animal Lovers Club where she organized fundraisers and other supportive projects. She even asked for money to donate to the animal shelter for her birthday instead of presents.
Vance was also the battalions youth nomination.
"Later this month she will be recognized as the III Corps and Fort Hood youth volunteer of the year," Lodi said proudly.
Kimberly Walker was A Company's nominee. Walker was the company's Family Readiness Group leader.
"You have helped me out tremendously in the couple of FRG meetings we've had and you've come up with some fantastic ideas of how to help the Soldiers," Capt. Adrian Robinson, A Co's commander said to Walker at the ceremony.
15th Financial Management Company's nominee was Amy McMurchie. McMurchie had an estimated 250 hours of volunteer work as the company's FRG leader, 100 hours as a Nolanville Elementary School "room mother," 100 hours as the assistant coach to the Harker Heights Mosquitoes Pee-Wee kickball team, and 150 hours as the event coordinator for her daughter's Harker Heights Brownie Troop.
"She's the type of person who doesn't think that she should be recognized for anything. She just does what she does just because it needs to be done," Maj. Terrie Basiley, 15th FMC's commander said.
"That Energizer bunny ... this is her."
McMurchie was also the 15th SB's spouse nomination.
Spc. Maria Gooding was 157th Quartermaster Company's nominee. She volunteered at a local homeless shelter, regularly watched children for single mothers, and donated furniture to fellow Soldiers in need.
"She's one of the best Soldiers in my company," Capt. Amanda Camarano, 157th QM's commander said.
"Usually when Soldiers get off work they're like, 'Yay, I'm free! But she goes and does a lot more than that."
Staff Sgt. Kathryn Williams was 289th Quartermaster Company's nominee. She volunteered her time in planning, raising funds, and otherwise helping the company's FRG as well as volunteering at the Christian House of Prayer as a prayer request operator for one hour weekly.
Master Sgt. Cynthia Sewell was 565th Quartermaster Company's nominee. She volunteered an estimated 400 hours to the FRG as treasurer and another 250 hours in support of the FRG. She also spent time volunteering on the CARE team, Santa's Workshop, and Killeen's wreath laying ceremony for veterans.
Sewell was also the brigade's nomination to III Corp for Soldier volunteer of the year.
Lodi also showed the unit's appreciate to Clarke Elementary School on Fort Hood, the unit's Adopt a School partner, by giving a school representative a Wagonmaster print. 15th STB Soldiers volunteer more than 125 hours monthly at the school.
"The Soldiers get as much out of going to that school as I think the kids do," Lodi explained.
Sonny Jaramillo, the Adopt a Unit liaison also spoke to the group.
"What Adopt a Unit is in my mind is getting those folks that don't know you that well to get to know you better, and by getting to know you better we let you know that we support what you're doing," Jaramillo said.
| Date Taken: | 03.26.2009 |
| Date Posted: | 03.31.2009 17:24 |
| Story ID: | 31830 |
| Location: | HARKER HEIGHTS, US |
| Web Views: | 236 |
| Downloads: | 140 |
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