In celebration of Presidents’ Day, the Long Island Volunteer Center hosted a President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) ceremony at the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island in Garden City in late February. High school students received Gold Awards for their volunteer efforts at nonprofit organizations including Charlene Lin of Great Neck High School. As certifying officer for PVSA, Long Island Volunteer Center Board Chair Patricia Force emceed the event. A featured speaker was Francesca Yellico, executive director of The Bridge to Life, who talked passionately about the important role of volunteers in expanding the capacity of nonprofits organizations.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is the most prestigious volunteer award associated with the White House. In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too. The students earned the Gold Award, the highest award, because they donated the required number of hours. Each received a gold pin, an engraved certificate and a congratulatory letter from U.S. President Joseph Biden. U.S. Representative Kathleen Rice also provided engraved certificates for the students.
Lin is a current high school sophomore from Great Neck. In the past two years, she volunteered and assisted in over 25 non-profits, 15 of those being international youth nonprofits. She is actively involved in many different community service clubs in her school. Helping to organize different fundraising events, she has raised over $800 for those in need. She launched a passion project two years ago with the goal to help empower youth globally, and has been able to impact over 3,500 youth across 8 countries. She has also inspired youths globally to volunteer and start passion projects to help their community.
Lin is also passionate about business and is the mentorship coordinator for the Girls for Business nonprofit that helps match high school girls interested in business to college students majoring in business-related fields. She is involved in the Academic Outreach Club, helping to tutor middle school students and helping to pair students with tutors globally through the nonprofit UPchieve. She helps the Midnight Run Club helping with bake sales to raise funds to buy items for the homeless breakfast runs. She volunteers with the Community Action Club to help raise funds, and also with the Key Club, a national community service club.
Leading by example, Lin used her time and talents to help build community, advance the human condition, and expand the reach and impact of the nonprofits she served.
—Submitted by the
Long Island Volunteer Center
