American professionals affiliated with Volunteers for Prosperity received the highest honors of the President's Volunteer Service Awards in a ceremony in Washington May 18, 2004: Recipients of the Presidential Call to Service Award



American professionals affiliated with Volunteers for Prosperity received the highest honors of the President's Volunteer Service Awards in a ceremony in Washington May 18, 2004: Recipients of the Presidential Call to Service Award

Volunteers Honored, New Funding and Management Mechanism Launched

Recipients of the Presidential Call to Service Award

Picture of Damon Symanski, a dairy farmer from Pulaski, Wisconsin

Representing President Bush, USAID Administrator Natsios presented the Presidential Call to Service Award to 11 individuals involved in Volunteers for Prosperity. Each of these donated more than 4,000 hours over their lifetimes in support of international economic growth. Pictured here is Damon Symanski, a dairy farmer from Pulaski, Wisconsin. Mr. Symanski has served in 64 assignments totaling more than 8,500 unpaid hours in Poland, Russia, and elsewhere in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. He volunteered through the organization ACDI/VOCA. Other award recipients include:

* Citizens Development Corps - Don Marshall
* International Executive Service Corps - Susan Slomback and Edward L. Tucker
* Winrock International - John Marenic
* Partners of the Americas - Sherin Bowen
* Financial Services Volunteer Corps - John Douglas
* MBA Enterprise Corps - Frank Bafaro, John Walter, William Sycalik and Ian O'Brien

When this story was prepared, here was the front page of PCOL magazine:

This Month's Issue: August 2004 Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny? Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts." In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development.

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