United Through Reading Celebrates National Volunteer Week April 21 – 27
April 24, 2013
April 21–27, 2013 is National Volunteer Week, when organizations across the country honor and recognize the people who dedicate themselves to accomplishing extraordinary things through service. Volunteers are the core of United Through Reading’s ability to promote and deliver our programs, and we are thrilled to celebrate those individuals who help make our program possible!
Supporting our mission, over 850 volunteers gave of their time to promote literacy and maintain the connection between physically separated service members and children they love in 2012. Nearly 25,000 volunteer hours were spent making almost 50,000 DVD recordings and directly reaching nearly 220,000 service members and their loved ones. Our regional volunteers and homefront coordinators attended briefings, gave speeches, conducted training, and provided many other means of support to ensure that our programs were well promoted and well run.
This year we would like to spotlight the following:
Jen Patrick
Jen was introduced to United Through Reading as a recipient of a video during her husband’s deployment in 2006. In 2011, Jen, a reading specialist and military mom, found volunteering for United Through Reading to be a perfect fit. “I think the biggest benefit of my time is knowing that through our work, military kids can stay connected to their deployed family member – that makes every effort to spread the word and gain support well worth the time.”
Ursula Morales
Ursula has been a United Through Reading volunteer for two years and is the Library Technician – Program Coordinator for the Lifelong Learning Library at the USMC Base at 29 Palms. Ursula is great with the Marines who come in for recordings, and works through the Family Readiness Officers to arrange filming opportunities for units preparing to deploy. Through her efforts, many Marines and Sailors have been able to make recordings prior to deploying.
HM1 J. Kleve
HM1 Kleve has been the United Through Reading representative at a forward deployed location for about six months and loves it. When asked why, HM1 Kleve responded, “It allows me to meet new folks on the base, help others connect with their children, and share the love of reading.”
SPC Kyle Gallagher
SPC Gallagher has been working with the United Through Reading program in a forward deployed location as a volunteer since November 2012. He says, “It brings me joy knowing I get to be a part of something that unites family and loved ones. This program provides a ray of sunlight in such a dark place.”
Chaplain Thomas Bingol
After serving as a volunteer for United Through Reading for three years, Chaplain Bingol says, “As a Chaplain, I often get to see the ‘unvarnished’ emotions of our Sailors. Whether reading “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas'” for a son or daughter because they are deployed over the holidays, or the young Sailor or officer who is expecting their first child and reading children’s stories in hopes that their unborn children will hear their voice and participate more fully in their pregnancy during deployment, is ‘AWESOME!’ I have seen a ‘salty’ old Senior Chief, put on a Dr. Seuss ‘Cat in the Hat’ – hat and red bow tie and book in hand say to a group of shipmates (who couldn’t remember ever seeing him smile), “What? Have you got a problem with this?””
Laura Hunt
Laura has been a Regional Volunteer Coordinator for United Through Reading for five years. While stationed at Fort Bragg she facilitated resource tables for family deployment fairs and gave command briefings on the benefits of the program. In the last two years she has helped develop a quality driven United Through Reading booklist for parents and family members to share with their children. Laura says, “As a former teacher, I have a love of reading and enjoy sharing it with families through the United Through Reading website. Over the past few years I have heard from many Fort Bragg families on the success they have had staying connected during deployment because of United Through Reading. Their success is what drives me to continue volunteering.”
MA1 (SW/AW) Steve Pabon
MA1 Pabon was introduced to United Through Reading during his deployment on USS Carl Vinson from December 2010 – June 2011 and has been an active volunteer for over a year. In that time, he’s been an invaluable spokesperson at predeployment briefs, resource fairs and family readiness briefings. MA1 Pabon said, “I volunteer because I know the hardship our sailors go through when they are deployed for I have been in their shoes. I take any opportunity I get to educate our sailors on how they can benefit from UTR and their families as well.”
Carol Raiter
Carol is the Founding Chair of the Storybook Ball, United Through Reading’s annual black tie gala and fundraiser. She has provided inspiration, vision and guidance for the event, now in its fifth year. Carol’s boundless energy and dedication to United Through Reading have helped to create a significant source of revenue for the organization, and a beautiful opportunity to celebrate our donors, our volunteers, and the families we serve.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for United Through Reading (UTR) there are many ways you can help.
- Become a Regional Volunteer and spread the message about our program within your community
- Hold a Virtual Book Drive to collect money to provide books to our participants
- Introduce UTR to your command and become an Active Duty Coordinator
- Help your command’s UTR program at home by becoming a Homefront Coordinator
- Volunteer at your local USO and help our service members make memories for the children they love