5/6/2008 7:00:00 AM MCMRC earns national honor Team wins President’s Volunteer Service Award
MOHAVE COUNTY/Courtesy
Mohave County Medical Reserve Corps Kingman team leadership volunteers (kneeling in front) Joanne McLoed, (standing, from left) Dotty Pitcher, Harriet Liss, Trina Kennard, Pat McNally, Lois Landis, Teri Gray and Mohave County BioDefense and Emergency Response Volunteer Coordinator Paul Pitts celebrate the organization’s garnering of the President’s Volunteer Service Award on April 1.
The Mohave County Medical Reserve Corps received a national award for service.
Last month, the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation presented the volunteer group with the President's Volunteer Service Award for 2007.
"This award recognizes your dedication to volunteer service and signifies that you have served your community and your country with distinction," Jean Case said in a letter. "Through your volunteer efforts, you are demonstrating values that make our nation strong and you are helping to build a culture of citizenship, service and responsibility in America .... Thank you for demonstrating the best of the American spirit."
Case serves as the chair for the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. The award was established in 2003 by President George W. Bush to recognize individuals, families and groups for volunteer service.
With teams in Kingman, Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City, Mohave County BioDefense and Emergency Response Volunteer Coordinator Paul Pitts supervises the Medical Reserve Corps. Pitts said in a news release the volunteers donated 2,100 hours in 2007.
"A Washington, D.C.-based coalition of nonprofits and foundations valued each hour of MRC volunteer service to be worth $19.51," Pitts said. "At that rate, Mohave County MRC volunteers contributed $40,971 in time and services to our communities."
The volunteers, who are trained monthly, are utilized during flu clinics. They participated in the recent practice mass vaccination in Lake Havasu City.
"We prepare for emergencies and engage in countywide exercises," Pitts said. "The volunteers train for possible disease outbreaks where they may have to augment the Health Department teams."
A lot of the volunteers are retired and working people with a variety of expertise, Pitts added.
"If we ever have to activate the Strategic National Stockpile for a real medical event," he said, "we will need trained volunteers with all kinds of backgrounds."
With the national office located in the Office of the United States Surgeon General, the Medical Reserve Corps are still seeking local volunteers. For more information, contact Pitts at (928) 718-4964 or go to www.medicalreservecorps.gov.
