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For Immediate Release
February 23, 2006 |
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U.S. Representative Christopher Shays
Honored by Voices for
National Service
in Recognition of His Leadership of National Service
U.S. Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT)
was presented with the National Service Lifetime Leadership
Award by the Voices for National Service coalition, for helping
to build a culture of citizenship, service and responsibility
within America through support of citizen service programs.
He received the award at Voices for AmeriCorps, an annual
event that brings hundreds of citizens from across the nation
to Washington, D.C. to tell stories of lives touched and communities
transformed by AmeriCorps members. Voices for National Service,
the host of Voices for AmeriCorps, is a coalition of more
than 100 service organizations that provide direct services
to communities in need, helping thousands of Americans every
day.
Representative Shays was commended “for life-long dedication
to citizen service and for outstanding leadership in advancing
national service as a civic commitment and legislative priority.”
Presenting the award to the congressman was Yazmin Khan, a
native of Norwalk, CT, and a second year AmeriCorps member
with City Year Washington, D.C.
In addition to thanking Representative Shays for his support,
the occasion also highlighted the hard work and lasting impact
of the more than 500,000 Americans who have served on the
domestic frontlines through AmeriCorps since the federal program
started in 1993.
Currently the national service community is playing a key
role in the recovery and relief efforts in the Gulf Coast,
joining local, state and federal agencies to provide emergency
assistance and long-term relief to those affected by Hurricane
Katrina. More than 12,000 national service participants have
provided humanitarian assistance to the storm’s victims,
including the 1,100 members of the National Civilian Community
Corps (NCCC) and 700 AmeriCorps members who have been deployed
to the region to perform a variety of critically needed services.
Representative Shays has been a leader for national service,
helping to build an infrastructure that enables national service
programs to partner with local and federal relief programs
and respond to critical community needs. National service
programs are needed now more than ever, not only to care for
evacuees and rebuild cities, but also to make society more
resilient in preparing for and preventing future crises.
For more information about the Voices for National Service
and its 115 member organizations and their collective effort
to share the power of, and opportunities for, citizens in service
to America, please to go www.voicesforservice.org.
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