[Mayor's Volunteer Appreciation Awards on April 24, 2024. ]
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EVERYONE TAKE THEIR SEAT.FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR COMING, UM, HOME.
I ALWAYS SAY THAT BECAUSE CITY HALL IS YOUR HOME.
AND WHAT BETTER DAY TO CELEBRATE COMING HOME THAN TO CELEBRATE THESE AMAZING VOLUNTEERS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN THESE SEATS.
ALRIGHT, I WANT TO INTRODUCE MYSELF TO SOME AND REINTRODUCE MYSELF TO OTHERS.
I'M THE DIVISION MANAGER FOR THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT.
IT IS MY PLEASURE TO HAVE THIS AMAZING PROGRAM WITHIN MY DIVISION.
UM, AND THIS WOULD NOT HAVE, HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE AMAZING GENTLEMAN AND TEAM THAT I HAVE THAT HAS EXECUTED THIS, UM, PROGRAM.
SO I WANT TO FIRST GIVE THANKS TO MR. ROMAN AGUILAR.
HE PAID ME TO SAY THAT, BUT TRULY ROMAN'S A GODSEND.
HE, HE HAS MADE ALL THESE AMAZING CONNECTIONS WITH SO MANY PEOPLE.
AND SO, UH, LIKE I SAID, THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT ROMAN.
UH, SECONDLY, I WANNA INTRODUCE MY TEAM, MR. RACHEL GUTIERREZ, RIGHT THERE, THESE AMAZING INTERNS.
I HAVE SOME, WE HAVE INTERNS HERE THAT ARE VOLUNTEERING AS WELL.
UH, THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
UM, AND WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE'RE GONNA GET ON TO THE FUN, RIGHT? AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME MS. ANDREA UP, UH, FROM VOLUNTEER HOUSTON, OUR AMAZING COMMUNITY PARTNER FOR A FEW WORDS.
YOU KNOW, PAUL ALWAYS MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE A PRINCESS.
YOU KNOW, I AM SO HONORED TO BE HERE WITH ALL OF YOU WHO HAVE GIVEN THE MOST PRECIOUS GIFT, AND THAT IS THE GIFT OF YOUR TIME.
IT IS JUST AMAZING TO MEET SO MANY OF YOU.
SOME OF YOU, I'VE ONLY SEEN YOUR NAME AND NOW I GET TO SEE YOU IN PERSON.
UM, I WANNA THANK, YOU'RE GONNA HEAR ME, EVERYBODY THANKING ROMAN AGUILAR
UM, MAYOR WHITMEYER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO BE PART OF THIS CELEBRATION IN 2024.
AND PAUL, I'M NOT LEAVING YOU OUT.
VOLUNTEER HOUSTON IS CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY OF HOUSTON.
AND HOW DO WE PROVIDE THAT SERVICE? HOW MANY OF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH VOLUNTEER HOUSTON? HOW MANY OF YOU ARE IN THE PORTAL? YES.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AND SO, WHEN YOU SERVE, YOUR HOURS ARE CALCULATED IN THE PORTAL.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THAT EFFORT, BECAUSE WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS, THERE IS MUCH GOOD WORK THAT DOES NOT GET ACCOMPLISHED.
SO IT IS SO IMPORTANT, THE WORK THAT YOU DO.
SOME OF YOU HAVE SERVED IN ONE ORGANIZATION, OTHERS OF YOU HAVE SERVED IN MANY, BUT ALL OF YOUR SERVICE, ALL OF THE TIME THAT YOU HAVE SHARED IS SO IMMENSELY VALUABLE.
AND I THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CALLING THE ROLE OF ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE BEING RECOGNIZED TODAY.
GOOD MORNING AND THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE TODAY.
I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF INTERFAITH MINISTRIES, AND WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST VOLUNTEER HOUSTON.
AS ANDREA MENTIONED, IT'S 50 YEARS STRONG, AND THAT MEANS THAT VOLUNTEERISM IN THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN STRONG FOR MANY DECADES.
AND WE BELIEVE THAT SERVICE IS THE CONNECTOR IN OUR COMMUNITY.
UH, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT VOLUNTEERING A COUPLE OF HOURS, BUT
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IT'S ABOUT THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU GAIN OF OUR CITY AND OUR CITY'S NEEDS WHEN YOU GO OUT TO VOLUNTEER.AND OUR, UM, MISSION FOR INTERFAITH MINISTRIES IS ABOUT DIALOGUE, COLLABORATION, AND SERVICE.
AND WE BELIEVE THE BEST DIALOGUE AND COLLABORATION CAN HAPPEN WHEN WE SERVE TOGETHER.
IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, OF DIFFERENT AGES.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE'RE GLAD TO HONOR A FEW OF THESE GREAT VOLUNTEERS.
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE HOSTING THE POINTS OF LIGHT GLOBAL CONFERENCE.
AS YOU MAY RECALL, POINTS OF LIGHT WAS CREATED TO, UH, TO, UH, EXPRESS THE IDEA THAT MANY OF OUR COUNTRY'S PROBLEMS COULD BE ADDRESSED BY A THOUSAND POINTS OF LIGHT ALL OVER, UH, THE COUNTRY AND PRESIDENT GEORGE HW BUSH COINED THAT TERM.
BUT, UH, WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT LEADERS IN VOLUNTEERISM THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BE CONVERGING ON HOUSTON THROUGH OUR GREAT AIRPORTS.
I MUST ADD, UH, FOR A CONFERENCE JUNE 10TH THROUGH 14TH.
IF YOU HAVEN'T REGISTERED OR LOOKED AT THAT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER PARTICIPATING.
BUT TODAY, I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEARTS.
UH, EVERYBODY CAN BE GREAT BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN SERVE IS WHAT MARTIN LUTHER KING ONCE SAID.
AND TODAY, WE'RE CELEBRATING THAT GREATNESS IN THIS ROOM AND THROUGHOUT OUR COMMUNITY.
MY NAME IS ROMAN AGUILAR AND I AM THE CHIEF SERVICE OFFICER FOR THE CITY'S VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES PROGRAM.
THANK YOU FOR ALL THOSE KIND WORDS, PAUL.
THIS WEEK IS NATIONAL VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK, AND TODAY WE GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPACT THAT VOLUNTEERS HAVE HERE IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
BUT BEFORE WE PRESENT THOSE AWARDS, I GET, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO INTRODUCE THE NEWLY CONFIRMED DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND WHEN I SAY NEWLY CONFIRMED, I MEAN AS OF 9:00 AM THIS MORNING,
UM, IT'S GREAT BEING HERE AGAIN.
I SPOKE TO YOU GUYS LAST YEAR.
UM, LUCKILY IT'S JUST ME SPEAKING.
I DON'T HAVE TO, UM, PROCEED A GREAT ORATOR.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO'S VOLUNTEERED.
IT TAKES ALL OF US TO HELP OUR COMMUNITIES BECOME THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE NEED THEM TO BE, TO BE VIABLE, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE, TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO DO THAT ALL ON OUR OWN.
SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE SERVICE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE DONE TO ASSIST US IN THAT GOAL.
I WANT TO THANK PAUL AND ROMAN FOR ALL THE WORK THEY'VE DONE TO KEEP THIS PROGRAM GOING.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW, WE'VE HAD VOLUNTEER INITIATIVES FOR 20 YEARS.
WHO KNEW, WHO KNEW THAT IT'S BEEN AROUND 20 YEARS.
WE WANNA THANK, UM, VOLUNTEER HOUSTON FOR THEIR GREAT PARTNERSHIP AND THE WAY WE'RE ABLE TO WORK TOGETHER.
NO ONE'S WORKING AGAINST EACH OTHER, BUT WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER.
WHETHER IT'S THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHETHER IT'S AIRPORT, WHETHER IT'S PARKS, WE'RE ALL HERE FOR THE SAME GOAL.
AND THAT'S TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE VIABLE, SAFE, AND HAVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WE ALL WANT AND DESERVE TO LIVE IN.
SO I JUST WANT TO SAY FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU HAVE COMMITTED TO, THAT YOU HAVE, UM, COMPLETED AND THAT YOU WILL DO IN THE FUTURE.
UM, AND AS ROMAN SAID, UM, AS FAR AS INTRODUCING ME, AS FAR AS SERVICE, AS FAR AS GETTING THE JOB DONE, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF INTRODUCING OUR NEW MAYOR.
ALRIGHT, UM, MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, WHO'S ALSO COMMITTED TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND, AND US WORKING TOGETHER AS, LIKE I SAID, DEPARTMENTS, COMMUNITIES, UM, NONPROFITS, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA TAKE US ALL TO GET IT DONE.
AND SO IF ANYBODY EXEM EXEMPLIFIES THAT, IT'S MAYOR JOHN WHITMEYER, DIRECTOR, DIRECTOR SIMS, THAT HAS, THAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.
AND IT'S, UH, ATTRIBUTE TO HIS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION FOR THE CITIZENS OF HOUSTON HAVING COME, COME UP THROUGH THE RANKS OF, UH, THAT DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE.
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HERE A BETTER MAYOR THAN THE ONE THAT WALKED IN HERE TODAY, BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE WITNESSING HERE, AND I REALLY MEAN THAT, UH, IN FACT, I'M LISTENING TO THE REMARKS THAT OCCURRED TO ME, JACK, IF YOU'RE A CITY EMPLOYEE BECAUSE OF THE LONG HOURS YOU WORK AND THE LOW COMPENSATION, YOU'RE A VOLUNTEERYOU KNOW, YOU JUST, YOU JUST START THINKING THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T GET THE RECOGNITION THAT SOME WILL GET THIS MORNING.
BUT THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS, THE SANITATION WORKERS, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE HEALTH, I COULD GO ON AND ON AS I REVIEWED THE DEPARTMENT.
AND I'VE BEEN HERE THE DEPARTMENTS FOR A LITTLE OVER THREE MONTHS NOW, NOT QUITE THREE MONTHS.
AND I SEE THE CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE IN THIS GREAT CITY, CERTAINLY FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
I RAN FOR MAYOR BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES.
AND SO, AS I GET BRIEF BRIEFINGS FROM THE DEPARTMENTS AND I SEE THAT PARKS IS SO DEDICATED TO OUR GREEN SPACES, BUT MR. ALLEN TELLS ME HE'S GOTTA SHUTTLE HIS WORKERS OUT BECAUSE HE HAS A SHORTAGE OF VEHICLES.
AND THEN I DO TALK TO SANITATION AND, AND THEY'RE WORKING 18 HOUR DAYS AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE.
THE MORALE IS UP, THE DEDICATION IS UP SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR.
I DROVE IN MY DRIVEWAY THE OTHER DAY AT SIX 30 AND MY NEIGHBORS CAME OVER AND STARTED HIGH FIVING ME BECAUSE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A COUPLE YEARS, WE HAD OUR RECYCLING AND OUR GARBAGE PICKED UP IN THE SAME DAY ON TIME.
AND THAT'S QUITE FRANKLY, THE VOLUNTEERISM THAT WE'RE RECOGNIZING TODAY.
WHEN YOU DECIDE TO BE A PUBLIC SERVANT, YOU'RE VOLUNTEER IN YOUR LIFE AND YOUR FAMILY'S LIFE.
YOU KNOW, MR. SIMS HAD HIS FAMILY WITH HIM THIS MORNING, AND I COMMENTED, THANK YOU FOR LOANING YOUR LOVED ONE TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND ANYONE WORKING FOR THE CITY OR OTHER LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT OR IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
YOU SEE, I BELIEVE ALL OF US ARE PUBLIC SERVICE, WHETHER YOU'RE EVER ON THE BALLOT OR NOT.
I BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL MY SPIRIT, EVERYONE THAT I'M MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH RIGHT NOW.
YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU'RE PUBLIC SERVANTS.
AND YOUR CHALLENGE IS WHEREVER YOU CAN INFLUENCE OTHERS' LIVES, AT CHURCH, AT SCHOOL, IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, IN YOUR EMPLOYMENT, YOU'RE A PUBLIC SERVANT.
AND I TRULY BELIEVE SOMEDAY YOU'RE GONNA BE JUDGED.
EACH ONE OF US THAT I'M LOOKING AT, YOU'RE GONNA BE JUDGED.
WHAT DID YOU DO WITH YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE? AND I WANT EVERYONE IN HERE TO HAVE A GOOD REPORT.
WE'RE GONNA HONOR SOME VOLUNTEERS TODAY THAT HAVE OUTSTANDING REPORTS.
SO WHAT SHOULD WE DO TODAY? HOW SHOULD WE LEAVE HERE WITH THE ATTITUDE OF BEING FIRED UP FOR PUBLIC SERVICE IS REALIZE THAT TODAY WE'RE REATING OURSELVES.
I GREW UP IN A BAPTIST CHURCH.
YOU KNOW, YOU WANNA REDEDICATE YOUR LIFE.
YOU COME DOWN TO THE FRONT
AND HOWEVER YOU WANNA REDEDICATE YOUR FAITH, I WANT YOU TO REDEDICATE YOURSELF TO PUBLIC SERVICE AND VOLUNTEERISM TODAY.
WE'RE GONNA ALL LEAVE HERE BETTER WHEN WE WITNESS THESE STORIES.
AND THERE'S SOME THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY CHALLENGES.
THE HOMELESS ISSUE, HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AFFORDABILITY.
WE CAN ALL BE PUBLIC SERVANTS AND VOLUNTEERISM.
SO THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING ME.
MS. SHALLOW, YOU SAID THANK YOU ARE THANKING ME AND THE CITY FOR ALLOWING YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERFAITH.
THERES I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO PARTICIPATE 'CAUSE I'M READY TO GO TO WORK.
THANK YOU, MS. WE GONNA BY MS. HALL.
MS. HALL, YOU GOT ME FIRED UP.
NOW I GOT
YOU'RE GONNA PRESENT FIRST? YES, MA'AM.
EDITH, CAN YOU BRING UP THAT PILE THAT I JUST PUT ON THE FLOOR? YOU YOU NEED ME? YES.
YOU KNOW,
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I HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF CERTIFICATES AND THEREFORE LOTS AND A BIG PILE.DID WE RECOGNIZE CHURCH? NO, WE DIDN'T.
DO WE WANT TO DO THAT BEFORE WE GET NO, I'M JUST TALKING ABOUT COUNCIL OF VICE MAYOR PROM.
PECK, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND? THERE'S A, THERE'S A PUBLIC SERVANT AND A VOLUNTEER.
I'M SORRY, I JUST, I LOOKED OUT THERE.
I RIGHT NOW THIS IS OUR HOUSE, MR. MAY.
YEAH, NO, IT'S A PEOPLE'S HOUSE.
WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE, AWARD RECIPIENTS AND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENT.
AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON HAS, UH, DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS IS ALSO PRESENTING A SPECIAL RECOGNITION TO EACH OF THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS.
THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD IS THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT A CIVILIAN CAN CAN RECEIVE, AND IT IS BASED ON THEIR CERTIFIED HOURS OF SERVICE.
UH, VOLUNTEER HOUSTON IS A CER IS THE CERTIFYING AGENCY HERE IN HOUSTON, AND WE ARE PROUD TO BE PART OF THAT PROGRAM.
WHAT WAY WE TURNING? WHICH WAY ARE WE TURNING? GO THERE.
ANGEL FUENTES, YOU LOOK FAMILIAR.
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CONGRATULATIONS.JOSEPH, CONGRATULATIONS AT VAR DAVID WHEN, CONGRATULATIONS.
THAT IS THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THE PERSON THAT WE HONOR TODAY AS ONE OF THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT RECIPIENTS OF THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD.
SAMIR, ARE WE MAN, HE IS GETTING IT DONE.
ISN'T HE NOT WASTING WOMAN MAN,
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AS EVERYONE GOES BACK TO THEIR SEATS, I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO LEAVE THIS ROOM TO SAY THAT US MEN DON'T VOLUNTEERSEE, THAT'S WHY WE COULDN'T DO THE HONEY DO LIST.
'CAUSE I WAS OUT VOLUNTEERING.
NO, IT'S GOOD TO SEE REPRESENTATION OF MEN VOLUNTEERING AND I DO MEAN THAT SINCERELY.
'CAUSE MOST EVENTS WE GO TO, IT, IT, YOU DON'T SEE A LOT OF MEN SOMETIMES.
SO THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR SERVICE NOT TO DILUTE ANYTHING THAT THE WOMEN UP HERE DID.
IT IS JUST, IT JUST AMAZED ME TO SEE SO MANY MEN WHO HAVE VOLUNTEERED.
SO GET THE WORD OUT TO SAY THAT MEN CAN VOLUNTEER TOO.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE THE TIME AND THE WILL.
SO NOW WE'RE GONNA PRESENT THE CITY OF HOUSTON VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST HONOR MR. LARRY MEYERS.
LARRY HAS VOLUNTEERED OVER 140 HOURS WITH HPD, GREATER HOUSTON POLICE, UM, ARCHIVES, THE ACTIVITIES, I'M SORRY, ACTIVITIES LEAGUES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
NEXT UP WE HAVE, UM, JESSICA PAYNE.
JESSICA HAS VOLUNTEERED, UM, WITH CHP, UH, WITH PAL RIGHT SINCE 2021 AND SHE HAS PROVIDED OVER 105 UM, HOURS OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS.
NEXT UP WE HAVE SERGIO INFANTE.
SERGIO ASSISTS PERMANENT RESIDENTS WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS FOR NATURALIZATION.
YOU CAN COME, WE CAN SHAKE YOUR HAND.
BETH, WHERE ARE YOU? COME ON DOWN.
LIL BETH ASSISTS PERMANENT RESIDENTS WITH THEIR APPLICATION FOR RESIDENCY AS WELL.
I'M SURE THOSE APPLICANTS DO AS WELL.
LARA ALSO ASSISTED WITH THE NATURALIZATION AND PERMANENT RESIDENCE EFFORT.
ALEX HAS VOLUNTEERED WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR DISABILITIES SINCE 2018.
ALEX HAS VOLUNTEERED OVER 500 HOURS OF SERVICE FOR MOPD.
BRIAN HAS OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEER HOURS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS WITH A A RA PARK HOUSTON PROGRAM.
RON HAS VOLUNTEERED OVER 300 HOURS OF SERVICE TO THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROGRAMS, INCLUDING HOUSTON POLICE, HOUSTON PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT AMONG OTHERS.
NEXT UP WE HAVE LUIS THORN AND SHOTGUN.
LOUISE HAVE VOLUNTEERED WITH THE HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM PET THERAPY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM FOR EIGHT YEARS.
LUIS IS A, UH, THE TEAM LEAD AND MENTOR FOR NEW PET THERAPY VOLUNTEERS.
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GREG AND ABBY HAVE VOLUNTEERED WITH HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM PET THERAPY VOLUNTEER PROGRAM AS WELL.MS. DAVIS HAS 225 HOURS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS WITH THE HOUSTON VOLUNTEER AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AT OUR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
MS. SUSAN BARROW HAS 200 SERVICE HOURS FOR THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM AT OUR HOUSTON AIRPORT SYSTEM.
WE HAVE MISS SHIRLEY HIGHTOWER THIS HOUSE.
IS IT PICTURE TIME BEFORE THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
DO WE STAY BACK HERE? YEAH, BACK UP.
SO OUR NEXT GENERATION AWARDS, WE'LL GO TO MICHAEL HAMAD.
MICHAEL IS THE CHAIR OF THE MAYOR'S YOUTH COUNCIL.
HE HAS VOLUNTEERED OVER A HUNDRED HOURS FOR CITY OF HOUSTON EVENTS.
GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY, HPD TRUNK OR TREAT STOCKINGS FOR SENIORS.
UM, MICHAEL HAS BEEN THE CHAIR FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN.
MIKE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE, MAN.
HAVE ANOTHER YOUNG PERSON WE'RE HONORING, UM, JULIANA PERES.
SHE HAS OVER A HUNDRED VOLUNTEER SERVICE HOURS.
SHE HAS VOLUNTEERED WITH THE OFFICE OF DON, OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS FOR THEIR CITIZENSHIP.
I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT'S A GREAT SERVICE.
THAT IS AN OFFICE OF TWO WHOLE FTES.
SO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WE CAN GET FROM THAT DIVISION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.
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ONE MORE FOR US.SO WE'RE GONNA DO THE MAYOR'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARDS.
AM I CORRECT? THE FIRST ONE GOES TO WASTE MANAGEMENT.
WASTE MANAGEMENT HAS PROVIDED OVER 250 VOLUNTEER HOURS TO THE FOLLOWING CITY OF HOUSTON EVENTS.
MAYORS BACK TO SCHOOL, RESTORING HISTOR, I MEAN RESTORING, RESTORING HERITAGE, BLACK HISTORY MONTH, HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY CLEANUP.
NEXT UP, HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
A HELPING HAND WAS ESTABLISHED BY JUAN SAVALA AT HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
THEY HAVE VOLUNTEERED OVER 200 HOURS AT EARTH DAY EVENTS, BLOCK WALKS, GLOBAL YOUTH SERVICE DAY MLK, DAY OF SERVICE AND RESTORING HERITAGE CEMETERY CLEANUP.
CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES.
CAREER AND RECOVERY RESOURCES, I'M GONNA SPEAK PERSONALLY AND FROM THE HEART.
THIS GROUP HAS CAME ONTO THE SCENE GUYS AND HAVE BEEN SO INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US CLEAN LOTS NEXT TO SCHOOLS.
SENIOR CITIZENS, VETERANS WIDOW AND WIDOWER VETERANS, UM, NEAR PARTS.
YOU HAVE CHANGED THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF SO MANY COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LIVED NEXT TO, THERE WAS A LOT THIS WEEK UP IN CASHMERE ACROSS FROM FLEMING WHERE THE HOMEOWNER OR THE PROPERTY OWNER HAD THE WEEDS ALL THE WAY ON THE SIDEWALKS.
KIDS, KIDS COULDN'T EVEN GO TO SCHOOL.
THEY DID THAT LOT IN TWO DAYS.
SO I REALLY WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO.
HEB HAS HAS DONATED YEAR ROUND TOWARDS OUR VOLUNTEER INITIATIVE EVENTS, SO WE REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THEY DO FOR US.
MOST OF OUR VOLUNTEER EVENTS COULDN'T BE PULLED OFF WITHOUT THE HOUSTON TOOL BANK.
SO I WANNA REALLY THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND COORDINATING WITH US ON OUR VOLUNTEER EVENTS.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, BOAT PEOPLE.
THEY PROVIDE OVER 150 HOURS FOR DON OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS BY PROVIDING CONSULTATION FOR POTENTIAL CITIZENS.
SEE, I'M GETTING THE HANG OF IT.
AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, VOLUNTEER HOUSTON HAS HAD THE HONOR FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS OF CONNECTING INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PASSION AND PURPOSE.
SOME WHO ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS WITH AGENCIES ALL ACROSS OUR CITY SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN NEED OF THAT VITAL HUMAN HEART AND HAND OF SERVICE.
MARTIN, WHERE ARE YOU? AND IT'S MARTIN'S PLEASURE TO, TO PRESENT THESE RECOGNITIONS, UM, TO FIVE OF OUR VOLUNTEER HOUSTON SPOTLIGHT VOLUNTEERS, THEIR AGENCIES
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PUT THEM FORTH AS THEIR MOST OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS.I'M GONNA READ A BIT OF THEIR BIOS, SO I KNOW WE'RE WE'RE COMING UP ON THE END OF THE PROGRAM, BUT I HOPE YOU'LL BE PATIENT WITH ME JUST A LITTLE BIT HERE.
AUDREY ANGEL HAS SERVED 281 HOURS DURING 97 SHIFTS AND SHE WAS NOMINATED BY FREE WHEELS OF HOUSTON.
AUDREY IS A FRIENDLY, COMPASSIONATE, CON, CONSCIENTIOUS AND HARDWORKING VOLUNTEER WHO'S ALREADY ALWAYS READY TO PITCH IN AND HELP OTHERS.
WHAT THEY DO AT FREE WHEELS IS PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE VEHICLES.
AND WE KNOW THEM WELL AT INTERFAITH MINISTRIES BECAUSE THEY SERVE OUR REFUGEES AND OUR REFUGEE SERVICES PROGRAM.
THEY HAVE MOBILITY TO GO TO WORK, TO GO TO HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND, AND SO AUDREY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND A CERTIFICATE TO, UH, COMMEMORATE THE CASE.
AND AUDREY IS JOINED TODAY BY BILL MENZ.
WHO IS BILL, WHERE ARE YOU? OH, THERE HE IS.
BILL MENZ, WHO LEADS FREEWHEELS HOUSTON NEXT IS MR. BRA BLANCO, WHO HAS SERVED OVER 200 HOURS WITH THE TOM HELP CENTER.
BRA IS LEGALLY BLIND, BUT PUTS AWAY GROCERIES, HELPS PICK OUT FOOD FOR THEIR CLIENTS AND CLEANS UP DAILY.
HE HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND HE HAS HONORED HIS COMMITMENT TO SERVE EVERY SINGLE DAY OF THOSE 200 HOURS.
MR. BRA IS AN EXCEPTIONAL PERSON, AND AGAIN, HE WAS NOMINATED BY THE TOM HELP CENTER.
NEXT WE'RE HONORING JASMINE LEE, WHO WAS NOMINATED BY PEAR, THE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE ADVANCEMENT AND IMMERSION OF REFUGEES.
SHE HAS SERVED 105 HOURS OVER THE COURSE OF TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
SHE IS CHARACTERIZED AS, AS AN EXTRAORDINARY VOLUNTEER AND AN EVEN MORE EXTRAORDINARY PERSON.
SHE IS PROVEN TO BE AN EXCEPTIONAL MENTOR AND THROUGHOUT HER TIME AT PEAR, IT HAS BECOME EVIDENT THAT SHE CONSISTENTLY MOVES THROUGH LIFE WITH EMPATHY, UNDERSTANDING, AND COMPASSION.
JASMINE LEE, NOMINATED BY RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF GREATER HOUSTON, RONALD, THANK YOU.
KAY BARNES KAY HAS SERVED 2013 46 HOURS WITH RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES.
OVER THE COURSE OF HER 13 YEAR TENURE AS A VOLUNTEER, SHE STARTED AS A PART-TIME, UH, VOLUNTEER.
PICKING UP GROCERIES BEFORE RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES REOPENED, REOPENED THEIR HOLCOMB HOUSE IN JANUARY OF 2021.
SHE WAS IN THE FIRST GROUP OF JOYFUL EATS AND WELCOME DESK VOLUNTEERS.
SHE GENERATED LENDS HER TIME COMING TO THE HOUSE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN GET TO 2000 HOURS, UH, FOR HER OWN SHIFT AND OFTEN TAKING ON ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE WEEK.
SHE FINDS ADDITIONAL TASKS THAT SHE CAN ASSIST WITH AND REGULARLY GIVES VALUABLE FEEDBACK AND POSITIVELY IMPACTS RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE SEBASTIAN SANDERS.
SEBASTIAN WAS NOMINATED BY THE SANDERS HAND AND HE
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HAS BEEN A VOLUNTEER WITH A VOLUNTEER WITH THEM FOR SEVEN YEARS, SERVING 3000 HOURS.HE HAS DEMONSTRATED AN EXCEPTIONAL COMMITMENT TO SERVING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AS FOUNDER OF THE SANDERS HAND.
HIS TIRELESS EFFORTS TO EMPOWER AT-RISK YOUTH AND PROMOTE FINANCIAL LITERACY HAVE PROFOUNDLY IMPACTED COUNTLESS INDIVIDUALS LIVES.
THANK YOU LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN TO ALL THE RECIPIENTS, UH, FOR THE AWARDS TODAY.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IS SO APPRECIATIVE.
WE THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS, YOUR COMMITMENT, YOUR DEDICATION, UH, FOR THE CITY.
OUR OUR LAST TWO AWARDS ARE GONNA BE PRESENTED TO TWO CITY OF HOUSTON VOLUNTEER MANAGERS FOR THEIR, UM, EXTRAORDINARY PROFESSIONALISM IN VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT.
PAUL AND I BOTH HAVE WORKED WITH THESE TWO INDIVIDUALS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND WE ARE JUST SO HAPPY AND SO FULL OF JOY TO BE ABLE TO PRESENT THIS AWARD TO TWO MAGNIFICENT INDIVIDUALS.
THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF THE AWARD IS MS. ONEIKA PETERS.
SO ANIKA AND I HAVE BEEN EMAILING EACH OTHER BACK AND FORTH FOREVER FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS AND WE NEVER HAD MET UNTIL TODAY.
FINALLY, UH, THE SECOND RECIPIENT OF THE MAYOR SERVICE COORDINATION STAR AWARD IS MS. BORKA GCA ELLA FROM THE HOUSTON AIRPORTS.
LET'S GIVE ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS A BIG HAND.
I JUST WANNA SAY THEY MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN AN AWARD, BUT DIVISION MANAGER PAUL GREEN AND ROMAN AGUILAR, I GIVE THEM A BIG HAND FOR THE EVENT TODAY.
AND, AND AS ROMAN KNOWS, WITH EVERY EVENT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, I EXPECT MORE AND MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
SO, YOU KNOW, I'M EXPECTING ALL DEPARTMENTS TO BE HERE NEXT YEAR WITH SOME, IN SOME RESPECT.
UM, WE HAD A CITIZEN CALL AND SAID THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CALL ALL AROUND TO VOLUNTEER IN HOUSTON.
SO WE WANNA MAKE IT A ONE STOP SHOP WHERE THEY CAN CALL ROMAN WHO'S ALREADY COORDINATING WITH EVERYONE HERE TO GET IT DONE BECAUSE THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO CALL AROUND EVERYWHERE.
IT SHOULD BE ONE PLACE TO, TO CALL AND VOLUNTEER.
IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO VOLUNTEER, GOOD GOD, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOLUNTEER, RIGHT? SO ROMAN HAS A LOT OF WORK TO DO,
SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH FOR COMING.
ENJOY THE REFRESHMENTS IN THE BACK AND ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR ALL THE HARD WORK AND VOLUNTEER YOU DO.