HandsOn Texarkana lauds three Volunteers of the Year

Georgia McFaul
Georgia McFaul

HandsOn Texarkana recently recognized local volunteers for their contributions to the community.

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AP

Security personnel inspect the site of a car bomb that targeted the French embassy wounding two French guards and causing extensive material damage in Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, April 23, 2013. An explosives-laden car was detonated just outside the embassy building in Tripoli's upscale al-Andalus neighborhood, officials said. (AP Photo/Abdul Majeed Forjani)

Georgia McFaul was recognized as the Adult Volunteer of the Year for her work at Domestic Violence Prevention Inc., where she volunteers as a receptionist two days a week. She's been volunteering with the organization for four years.

"I'm totally humbled. I was shocked to death," McFaul said of receiving the honor. "It means more than I can express in words."

McFaul worked at Texarkana College for 42 years as a counselor and has always loved helping people. She said that's why volunteering at DVP is a good fit for her.

"I enjoy working with people. I feel led to do that," McFaul said.

Domestic Violence Prevention officials nominated her for the honor.

"Mrs. McFaul sees the fear, pain, and bruising of our clients on a repeated basis and never loses her sense of compassion. She makes each person who we serve feel comfortable and ensures each one leaves our office in a better situation than when they first walked in. Her dedication, attendance and willingness is unmatched by any volunteer to have ever given time with DVP," an official wrote.

McFaul also volunteers at the Miller County Courthouse, Miller County Farmers' Market, Master Gardeners, Blue Bonnet Garden Club, Liberty-Eylau Primary School and Eylau United Methodist Church.

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money manners money kid won't leave ADG illustration by Ron Wolfe

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/BOBBY AMPEZZAN — 4/16/13 — Jeff Nichols, Jacob Lofland of Yell County, Tye Sheridan and state film commissioner Christopher Crane at the Little Rock premiere of Nichols' Mud at the Rave.

Alex Markham and Shelby Dunphy-Day were co-winners for Youth Volunteer of the Year.

Markham led the Capstone project through his AP English Class at Texas High. The class chooses one nonprofit to volunteer at, raise money for and support. This year's class chose DVP. Under Markham's leadership, the class raised enough money to complete their project, and he raised more money than the rest of his classmates.

Dunphy-Day has volunteered at a variety of organizations, including the Texarkana Animal Care and Adoption Center, Randy Sams' Outreach Shelter, Harvest Texarkana and Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council. She also volunteers with P.R.I.D.E., a program led by the Texarkana, Ark., Police Department, and after school as a peer leader. In January, Shelby organized and led the Six Leg Fun Run and 5K, which benefited the animal shelter.

Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman and Texarkana, Ark., Mayor Ruth Penney-Bell were co-recipients of the Marie Benson Award for their efforts to serve the community.

Recognizing volunteers is important for the mission of HandsOn Texarkana, which matches volunteers with the organizations that need them.

"The recognition does help them to see how important they are to the agency and know that they're valued," said Kathey Graves, HandsOn executive director. "And it encourages other people to volunteer."

Without volunteers, nonprofit agencies would find it much harder to complete their missions.

"The value of it is enormous. The national corporate volunteer sector values a volunteer's time at about $30 an hour. If it's a board member, they value that time at $100 an hour. Agencies would not ever be able to afford the work to replace the volunteer," Graves said. "The expertise volunteers bring to the organization is very valuable."

 

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