The American Red Cross of Southeast Georgia hosted its first Youth Heroes Awards Breakfast at 8 a.m. on Friday, April 26 at Savannah State University New Student Union. Hosted during National Volunteer Week, business and community partners such as Georgia Power, Gulfstream, Colonial Oil, Wells Fargo, The Pirates' House, Paul Deen Enterprises, Seacreast Partners and Hunter Maclean personally recognized and awarded twelve middle-school students from the Coastal Empire Area and the Carolina Low Country.
Those recognized for extending their hearts and hands in volunteer work included: Sims Buttimer (St. James School), Jack Coleman (Blessed Sacrament School), Victoria Etheridge (Thomas Heyward Academy), Katherine Gilson (DeRenne Middle School), Dejiah Golden (Midway Middle School), Bradley Howard (Bryan county Middle School), Landon Jennings (Calvary Baptist School), Philip Moore (Blessed Sacrament School), Jeanette Powell (Midway Middle School), Nadira Scott (Oglethorpe Charter School), Jamiya Stokes (Midway Middle School) and Andre Williams (DeRenne Middle School).
Non-profits and churches that benefit from the special efforts of these young people include Boy Scouts, Children’s Miracle Network, Kayton-Frazier Boys & Girls Club, Low Country Down Syndrome Society, Saint Peter’s AME, Senior Citizens, Inc. School Peer Mediation and Peer Tutor Programs, THA Group Island Hospice, and many others.
Youth volunteers or “Volunteers in their Younger Years” benefit communities in several ways. A study of youth development indicates that youth volunteers are twice as likely to get better grades in school, twenty-five percent more likely to positively contribute to their family and community and twice as likely to continue their volunteer efforts as adults. Through volunteer initiatives, young people also adopt adult mentors who lead by example, serve as a source of guidance and inspire young adults to achieve their goals with confidence. In this way communities gain a generation of young people who care about where they live and who are willing to make commitments.
Volunteers make up 95% of the American Red Cross workforce nationwide and play a critical role bringing help and hope to victims of disasters. Proceeds from the Youth HEROES event will benefit the Southeast Georgia Chapter of the American Red Cross’ volunteer programs and emergency services. Partners of this event not only helped further the mission of the Red Cross, but also helped in publicly thanking the young heroes. During the breakfast, the Red Cross also honored Mr. Cliff McCurry, Seacrest Partners Vice-Chairman, for his lifelong volunteer and youth mentor achievements.
Students, parents, nominators and business men and women alike enjoyed the program of breakfast, awards and inspiring words from Cliff McCurry and WTOC's Sonny Dixon. American Red Cross has already begun planning next year's Youth HEROES Breakfast and nominations will begin at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.