Events and Activities : Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame seeks nominations

The State of Iowa announces the release of nomination materials for the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame, which is the most prestigious state-level honor volunteers can receive. The people selected are those who have forever changed their community, the state, the nation, or the world with their volunteer service and action.

"It's not at all surprising to me that Iowa is ranked second in the nation for its state volunteerism rate," said Adam Lounsbury, executive director of the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service. "We know Iowans have a strong ethic and history of serving others. We ask the public to assist us in identifying the people who so richly deserve special recognition for their efforts and the impact they have made."

Nominations must be received by Jan. 7 and can be submitted in one of several categories: individual, organization/nonprofit, group, family, business/corporation, or national service (AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, Learn & Serve). Details and nomination materials can be downloaded at: http://volunteeriowa.org/downloads/2011-halloffame.pdf.

Since the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame was established in 1989, 130 names have been added to plaques on permanent display in the State Historical Museum. A special ceremony will be held in the Capitol on February 22 to honor the 2011 inductees. Following are just a few examples of the types of activities past honorees have been involved with:

· Founding a Share-a-Toy program almost 50 years ago, to provide toys to families in need at Christmas time.

· Assisting area Hispanic families by providing interpretation services and transportation, help find housing, legal help and much more.

· Establishing a special ball park, complete with mentors, to assist disabled youth in Central Iowa play baseball just like any other youth.

· Sharing the story of a dramatically transformed life to inspire and motivate others to serve as mentors and creating programs that expand mentoring and raise awareness of youth homelessness.

· Serving for more than 30 years as a tireless advocate for those suffering from mental illness by sharing experiences to provide education, support, and advocacy on behalf of people and their families affected by these illnesses.

· Beginning a project at age 11 with a simple desire to collect and distribute personal items to children in peril in Central Iowa. The project went on to become a nationally recognized nonprofit organization that provides services to thousands of children worldwide.

The Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame is coordinated by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and the Governor's Office. For more information, e-mail icvs@iowa.gov or call 1.800.308.5987.

Please visit the IDED website to review this release:http://www.iowalifechanging.com/Documents/documents.aspx?id=3

If you have questions, please e-mail icvs@iowa.gov.