JMU Big Brothers Big Sisters Earns Gov.’S Award
Chapter Receives 2015 Volunteerism Honor
Posted: May 2, 2015
By ELAINA SAUBER
Daily News-Record
HARRISONBURG — The Big Brothers Big Sisters of James Madison University was the recognized educational institution for the 2015 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards.
Partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County, the JMU branch serves as the local organization’s leadership body, with more than 500 students who annually serve as volunteer mentors, committing a minimum of 28,000 volunteer hours each year with local children, according to a press release from BBBS of Harrisonburg-Rockingham County.
“We’re so fortunate to have such strong support from the JMU population, and felt they were perfect candidates for the award,” BBBS Executive Director Sue Totty said in a phone interview Friday. The Harrisonburg-Rockingham branch nominated the JMU group for the award.
In recent years, heavy involvement from the JMU branch of BBBS has served an average of 700 children annually — nearly double the number of children served by BBBS agencies in similar-sized communities across the U.S., the release states.
According to Cara Hopson, communications specialist for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham branch, at least 70 percent of the organization’s mentors are JMU students.
Each mentor is required to make a three-semester commitment to spending time with a child each week.
The Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards are aimed to spotlight the “outstanding efforts individual and organization volunteers make on behalf of citizens throughout the commonwealth,” according to a press release from Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s office.
The awards have recognized exceptional volunteer service for the last two decades. Eight individuals and organizations were honored this year.
Contact Elaina Sauber at 574-6278 or [email protected]
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