Kimberly Coverly, 15, of Loma Vista 4-H in Ventura has been honored for her exemplary volunteer service with a President’s Volunteer Service Award.
The award, which recognizes Americans of all ages who have volunteered significant amounts of their time to serve their communities and their country, was presented by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program on behalf of President Obama.
Kimberly participated in the Spirit of Community program this year as a representative of Ventura County 4-H in Ventura, where she is a member. Kimberly earned her award from the work she has done through Trick Or Treat So Others Can Eat (TOTSOCE); a program of collecting food rather than candy at Halloween. The food is then donated to Food Share to help feed the 38,000 monthly clients of Food Share in Ventura County.
Kimberly has become very involved in the TOTSOCE program. Kimberly began her participation in TOTSOCE when she was 2, Trick-or-Treating with her mom and a little red wagon. Now 15, Kimberly coordinates & registers participants as well as maintains an Excel spreadsheet to track the food collected.
"Kimberly's President’s Volunteer Service Award is well deserved! Her work on ‘Trick Or Treat So Others Can Eat,’ as well as on other leadership and community service activities within her 4-H club and the community help so many. We are truly proud of her!" said Susan Gloeckler, 4-H Program Supervisor, Ventura County and CA Coordinator – Junior Master Gardener Program.
Sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), the Prudential Spirit of Community Awards program recognizes young people across America for outstanding community service activities. More than 275,000 young people across America have been considered for these awards since the program began in 1995.
“The recipients of these awards vividly demonstrate that young people across America are making remarkable contributions to the health and vitality of their communities,” said John R. Strangfeld, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial. “They truly deserve all of the praise and encouragement we can give them.”
“The young people recognized by the Spirit of Community Awards demonstrate an enormous capacity for giving and reaching out to those in need,” said Gerald N. Tirozzi, executive director of the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “NASSP is proud to honor them as they are wonderful examples of the high caliber of young people in our nation’s schools today.”
Program applications were distributed last September through all public and private middle level and high schools, Girl Scout councils, county 4-H organizations, American Red Cross chapters, YMCAs, and affiliates of HandsOn Network. After Local Honorees were named, state-level judges selected State Honorees, Distinguished Finalists and Certificate of Excellence recipients. Volunteer activities were judged on criteria such as personal initiative, creativity, effort, impact, and personal growth.