Photo By Cpl. Scott L. Tomaszycki | Sgt. Joyce Ramirez was the president of Cherry Point’s Single Marine Program for the...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. -- More than 480 volunteers were recognized during a catered dinner at Miller’s Landing, April 19, for volunteer efforts aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point throughout 2010.
“The people in this room represent more than 17 organizations, nine squadrons, the adopt-a-school programs and more than 50,000 hours,” said Col. Philip J. Zimmerman, the air station commanding officer. “(Volunteering) epitomizes the American way, and it is an honor to be up here to recognize your efforts on a daily basis over the past year.”
Estimates state that if the volunteers and programs were paid for, it would cost the Cherry Point community more than a million dollars just to pay the volunteers their hourly wages. However, the real value goes beyond money.
“The value is community support and community involvement,” said Alesha Burkeen, the Family Team Building program director for MCCS. “It’s about building community bonds and taking care of one another.”
Volunteer organizations included the American Red Cross, Boy Scouts Troop 82, Cherry Point’s Young Marines, Cub Scouts Pack 460, Girl Scouts of Rainbow, and more military and civilian organizations. The volunteers contributed to the Cherry Point community in several ways, such as the Red Cross working with the Navy in the Naval Health Clinic and the Young Marines educating children in Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or DARE.
According to the volunteers, they play an important role aboard Cherry Point.
“If there weren’t any volunteers, I think it would put a really big hurt on Cherry Point,” said Linda Eldredge, the chairwoman of Red Cross volunteers aboard Cherry Point. “Without volunteers, it makes it harder for organizations to accomplish their purpose.”
In further recognition of Cherry Point volunteers, the Single Marine Program recognized its members who contributed to Single Marine Program volunteer opportunities.
It held a pizza party at Cunningham’s April 20 and awarded Sgt. Joyce Ramirez a plaque for her performance as the president of the Single Marine Program for the past two years.
“Volunteering means a lot to me,” said Ramirez, an assistant warehouse chief for Marine Aircraft Group 14. “I’m a big family person, and I’m away from my family for all these years. It helped me cope. I’m still volunteering even though I’m not the president anymore. I think that for you to be in the Marine Corps and volunteer is the greatest thing in the world.”
| Date Taken: | 04.19.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 05.05.2011 14:52 |
| Story ID: | 69918 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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