(Vineland – May 24) – At a recent Volunteer of the Year Appreciation Dinner and 22nd Anniversary Celebration, Cumberland County Habitat for Humanity (CCHFH) named three Volunteers of the Year and one Corporate Volunteer of the Year for 2011. Ogren Construction of Vineland was named CCHFH’s 2011 Corporate Volunteer of the Year. Joan Newkirk of Stow Creek, Dr. Marvin Goldsmith of Vineland, and Anthony Santini of Vineland were all named CCHFH’s 2011 Volunteers of the Year.
Arthur J. Ogren, Inc. has been providing the Mid-Atlantic region with a wide variety of contracting services including general construction, pre-engineered steel building and desing/build capabilites since 1960. Ogren never has a shortage of support for their community. Their roster of skilled builders is always ready to help CCHFH, and over the last several build projects they have donated the equiptment as well as skill and time of their project manager and master builders to help families in need build safe, quality homes.
Joan Newkirk in an Intake Supervisor with DYFS and has dedicated the last fourteen years to helping others in her capacity there. Further, she has committed nearly every free Saturday and many evenings to working on the habitat jobsite on Plum Street.
Dr. Marvin Goldsmith has been a Professor of Physics for over 28 years. He served as the U.S. Council General in Hong Kong and Istanbul, and is currently a nuclear consultant for the State Department. He too spends a large part of his free Saturdays and evenings working on Habitat homes. “Doc,” as he is affectionately known, comes not only with plenty elbow grease, but a vast collection of tools that he is always most generously allowing CCHFH to use. Most of which, make any given project go ten times faster along with his expertise in everything from foundations to roofs.
Anthony Santini is a fourth grader at John C. Milanesi Elementry School in Buena. Anthony may be small, but the good will in his heart to help others, and level of carpentry skill he has in his pint size hands are all far beyond his tender years. At age ten, he is quite literally one of the most experienced and knowledgeable builders most have ever seen. He often begs his father to go to the work site and volunteer because he can’t wait to help. He keeps the volunteer spirit bright and everyone laughing on site.
Corporate and Volunteer of the Year recipients are carefully selected by CCHFH’s board of directors each year. Throughout the year, board members examine those who have contributed an exceptional amount of volunteer hours including time, skill, and materials. The 2011 honorees have all exceeding the average expectations of this honor, and have gone above and beyond to serve the families of Cumberland County.
CCHFH is a non-profit, local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International building affordable homes for ownership in the Cumberland County area. Habitat works through locally run affiliates throughout the US and the world building or restoring simple, decent housing with the help of donations and volunteers. Local affiliates select qualified families to become homeowners; homeowners pay off their house through sweat equity and no-interest mortgages, which go towards building future homes. For more information about how you help, please call: 856-563-0292 or visit the 528 Plum Street work site in Vineland every Saturday from 7am to 2pm.
Via CCHFH
