Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society Hawaii honors volunteers ...

Capt. Jeffrey James, commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, presents the 2012 Volunteer of the Year award to Meredith Gaston during an award luncheon held at the Hale Koa Hotel Waikiki Ballroom on Jan. 22.

Story and photo by MC2 Nardel Gervacio

Navy Region Hawaii Public Affairs

HONOLULU, Hawaii ? The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) Hawaii hosted the 17th Annual Volunteer of the Year luncheon at the Hale Koa Hotel, Waikiki Ballroom, on Jan. 22.

As a volunteer organization, the NMCRS relies on the dedication, efforts and commitment of its volunteers. The luncheon was held to honor the staff and volunteers of the NMCRS.

?This event is a great opportunity to recognize our volunteers from Pearl Harbor and Kaneohe offices for their outstanding work that they do as volunteers for this society,? said Paul H. Belanger, director of Pearl Harbor NMCRS. He praised the volunteers who attended the luncheon for all of the outstanding work they have done this past year.

The awards luncheon recognizes volunteers who exemplify Hawaii?s spirit of aloha and who embody the ideals of the NMCRS.

?Even though we are honoring four volunteers, they all represent the efforts of all our volunteers because it?s a team effort. No one can do it alone,? said Belanger. ?It?s these volunteers that work together to provide ? excellent service for our service members.?

Belanger introduced Rear Adm. Frank Ponds, commander of Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, who spoke about NMCRS and its volunteers.

?Thanks a lot for all you do. It?s amazing when you walk into an organization and see all the smiling faces. It makes you feel the warmth and that you?re wanted,? said Ponds.

?This year is special. It?s special because you emphasize service and self-sacrifice, and I think the Navy and Marine Corps Society epitomizes that. When you give your time and hours in your day to help someone out, that?s priceless,? Ponds said.

Two awards were presented this year for the volunteers who went above and beyond, personally making a difference in the lives of many service members.

Meredith Gaston received the award as the 2012 Pearl Harbor NMCRS Volunteer of the Year, devoting 1,500 hours as a NMCRS volunteer and providing excellent service as a caseworker.

Rayna Glucksman, who was honored as the 2012 Kaneohe NMCRS Volunteer of the Year, gave more than 760 hours of service in assiszting approximately 150 Marines and Sailors since November 2010.

?The event was nicely done. This is my first time I?ve been to a volunteer award event for the relief society. It was also nice to get the two offices together. We work separately but we have the same mission,? said Gluckman of Stamford, Conn., assigned to NMCRS Kaneohe. ?Receiving the volunteer award was a surprise. I don?t think I do any more than the other volunteers because every volunteer does their job well and they go above and beyond,? she said. The Pearl Harbor Kokua Award was also given to two volunteers who presented a positive impact in helping service members in need. This year?s award was presented to Heidi Krukowski of Pearl Harbor NMCRS, who donated more than 1,300 hours to the society, and Cedric Fonville of Kaneohe NMCRS, who assisted in the operations of the NMCRS Thrift Shop at Pearl Harbor before joining the Kaneohe office in June 2012 and taking on the responsibilities as both client services assistance and a level II caseworker.

?We can never give back enough for our volunteers for they have chosen to invest themselves personally and professionally, not just in the society,? said Marine Maj. Gen. (ret.) Carl B. Jensen, executive vice president, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS).

?They invested themselves in our Marines and our Sailors and their families. How can we give them too much. We can?t thank them enough, and this event we had this afternoon is just a small way we can pay them back our respects,? Jensen said.

The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society is a private, nonprofit, volunteer, service organization designed to provide financial, educational and other assistance to active duty and retired members of the naval services of the United States, eligible family members and survivors when in need.

Founded in 1904, the society established its first service center at the Washington Navy Yard with a staff of 19 volunteers helping widows and orphans. It is sponsored by the Department of the Navy. Today there are more than 250 service offices ashore and afloat. Volunteers are still the mainstay of the society?s workforce.

Source: http://www.hookelenews.com/navy-marine-corps-relief-society-hawaii-honors-volunteers/

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