The Foster Grandparent program at Copper Lake & Lincoln Hills School, grant-funded by the National Service Senior Corp and sponsored by Wisconsin Department of Corrections, received a national award from Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.
The Foster Grandparents were each honored last week at an informal ceremony at Lincoln Hills School, Irma, by Superintendent John Ourada, Deputy Superintendent Wendy Peterson, Unit Manager and Foster Grandparent Program Advisory Council Member Lori McAllister, along with Donna Nash, Volunteer Coordinator and Foster Grandparent Supervisor. Each Foster Grandparent was presented with their own duplicate POL certificate. Cream puffs made by the LHS bakery were served with coffee at the celebration. In honor of this award, LHS/CLS will be covering the registration costs for each Foster Grandparent who chooses to attend the upcoming Conference celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Foster Grandparent Program in the state of Wisconsin. This conference will be held in May 2015 during Senior Corps week at the Concourse Hotel in Madison, where over 270 Foster Grandparents from around the state will gather.
Originating out of the White House during George H.W. Bush’s presidency, the Daily Point of Light Award celebrates the power of volunteers to spark change and improve the world through community service. Since 1989, more than 5,000 honorees have been recognized with the Daily Point of Light Award.
The Foster Grandparent Program at Copper Hills and Lincoln Hills Schools received Daily Point of Light Award #5298, acknowledging the success of volunteers with teaching a Title I reading program and providing other educational support for at-risk youth. Created in 1973, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Foster Grandparent Program currently includes 17 volunteers, ages 55 years and older, working with at-risk youth and collectively serving more than 960,000 hours.
As a Daily Point of Light Award honoree, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections will receive a special commemorative certificate produced by Points of Light and signed by former president Bush.