BranchOut! obtains Gold Star Group Volunteer award from the Fairfax NCS
On April 27, 2019, representatives of the Veritas Branchout! Multicultural STEM Mentoring Program accepted the Gold Star Group volunteer award from the Fairfax Neighborhood and Community Services organization for Branchout!'s exceptional work at the James Lee Community Center for the summer of 2018.
At the event, different volunteers around the county were recognized for their service in volunteering. Award categories included Initiative, Outstanding Contribution, and Development of Community Programs. A few BranchOut! mentors went to represent BranchOut! at the ceremony.
Mentors first were given a complimentary breakfast, then listened to a couple of speakers who gave personal accounts on how volunteering shaped their lives. One speaker, Holly Seibold, who is the CEO of the organization BRAWS (Bringing Resources to Aid Women's Shelters), talked about how volunteering became such a large part of her life. "I realized that I too one day might [not have sanitary resources] ... so I created the organization to help those women in need," Seibold said.
After a brief entertainment by a tap-dance group from a local senior center, the award ceremony began. BranchOut! first was recognized in the Groups category for excellence in volunteering at the James Lee Community Center the past summer, where honorees are "recognized for demonstrating outstanding commitment to their community by contributing a significant amount of volunteer time and talents to a program, service, or facility as a group."
The Gold Star award for the Groups category was later honored to the BranchOut! program. The Gold Star honorees "are recognized for excellence in volunteer service. The programs and activities highlighted in this category demonstrate a sample of the outstanding activities that NCS volunteers have tirelessly supported over the past year."
Mentors from BranchOut! are honored to have accepted this award and resolve to serve further at the volunteer locations for this year's summer season.
For the full album of the event please visit: