The Long Island Volunteer Center recently hosted a President’s Volunteer Service Award ceremony at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island, 38 Old Country Road, Garden City. Three high school students received Gold Awards for their volunteer efforts at nonprofit organizations: Charlene Lin of Great Neck High School, Evan Ng of Bayside High School, and Valerie Ng of Bronx High School of Science.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is the most prestigious volunteer award associated with the White House. The students have earned the Gold Award, the highest award, because they donated the required number of hours. Each received a gold pin, an engraved certificate and a congratulatory letter from the U.S. President Joseph Biden. U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice also provided engraved certificates for the students.
As certifying officer for PVSA, LIVC Board Chair Patricia Force of Rocky Point kicked-off the event. A featured speaker was Francesca Yellico of Ronkonkoma, Executive Director of The Bridge to Life, who supervised Evan and Valerie Ng.
Now, more than ever, it is time for Long Island to reinvest in its future. According to the AmeriCorps’ Volunteering in America report, New York ranked 48th in the nation for volunteer participation rates. Leading by example, these students used their time and talents to help build community, advance the human condition, and expand the reach and impact of the nonprofits they served.
