Travelers Aid Society and Wayne County Airport Authority Honor Detroit Metro Airport Ambassadors with President’s Volunteer Service Award

Award is a prestigious national honor for volunteer service

DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Travelers Aid Society of Metropolitan Detroit (TASMD) and Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA) have presented 27 Airport Ambassador Volunteers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) with the President’s Volunteer Service Award--a national honor offered in recognition of volunteer service.

“We are especially proud of our volunteers who have generously given their time and talent to assist the more than 30 million passengers who transit DTW each year.”

Established in 2003, the Award is available on an annual basis to individuals, groups and families who have met or exceeded specific requirements for volunteer service and have demonstrated exemplary citizenship through volunteering. TASMD and WCAA are two of thousands of organizations that have joined forces to deliver the President’s Volunteer Service Award on behalf of the President to honor the volunteers who strengthen our nation.

“We are extremely proud to recognize our most outstanding volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award,” said Jim Kelly, TASMD CEO. “Travelers Aid Airport Ambassador Volunteers are role models in our community, donating their time, energy and talent to bring us closer together as neighbors and a Nation. The Award is our way of thanking these volunteers and inspiring everyone in our community to make volunteering a central part of their lives.”

Travelers Aid has a long history of partnership with DTW airport to provide volunteer-based assistance to airport customers. Identifiable by their distinctive red vests, Detroit Metro’s Airport Ambassador Volunteers can be found throughout the Airport providing information to assist travelers along their journey to, from or through Metro Detroit. More than 50 Airport Ambassador Volunteers have performed nearly 7,000 hours of community service so far in 2010 alone. Airport Ambassador Volunteers provide a wide variety of services and information ranging from a point in the right direction to connecting stranded and separated travelers with their companions.

“America’s volunteers work to make our communities safer and stronger. The Airport Authority, in partnership with Travelers Aid Society of Metro Detroit, is proud to be aligned with this prestigious volunteer award,” said WCAA Interim CEO Genelle M. Allen. “We are especially proud of our volunteers who have generously given their time and talent to assist the more than 30 million passengers who transit DTW each year.”

The Award is officially issued by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. The Council is chaired by two-time Super Bowl Champion Darrell Green, with former U.S. Senators Bob Dole and John Glenn as honorary co-chairs, and comprises leaders in government, media, entertainment, business, education, nonprofits and volunteer service organizations, and community volunteering.

To be eligible to receive this Award, a Certifying Organization must record and verify that an honoree has completed specific service hour requirements varying by age. The Certifying Organization may then deliver the award to the honoree on behalf of the President’s Council.

For more information about becoming an Airport Ambassador Volunteer at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, contact Fran Wood, Airport Volunteer Supervisor, at [phone] or visit www.travelersaiddetroit.org.

For more information about how to qualify for the President’s Volunteer Service Award and to find out how to identify additional volunteer opportunities, visit www.PresidentialServiceAwards.gov or call [phone].

NB: A complete list of Airport Ambassador Volunteer honorees and their hometowns follows.

TRAVELERS AID SOCIETY OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT | WAYNE COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY
DETROIT METROPOLITAN AIRPORT AMBASSADOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM
2010 PRESIDENT’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD RECIPIENTS
(For service completed Jan-Aug., 2010)
HONOREE	HOMETOWN
Valdene Bennett	White Lake
Tom Beyersdorf	Northville
Bob FitzGerald	Westland
Russ Haines	Canton
Wes Henrikson	Northville
Charlotte Hoskins	Romulus
Patrick King	Grass Lake
Elizabeth Kircos	Rochester Hills
Thomas Koscielny	Belleville
Milton Lanier	Detroit
Dana McWilliams	Brownstown
Ben Miller	Northville
Flora Murray	Livonia
Chuck Myers	Farmington Hills
Carol Oakley	Trenton
Vicki Owens	Trenton
Dee Phillips	Wyandotte
Kathleen Rankin	Riverview
Lou Reibling	Northville
Michael Roesch	Farmington Hills
Lyle Rosteck	Chelsea
Ken Russell	Brownstown
Joe Scafero	Livonia
Joyce Shoup	Riverview
Dianna Surowiec	Redford
Sharon Waske	Dearborn
Nicholas Yoneda	Canton