Service Above Self. Helping Others. Philanthropic Endeavors. Altruism. Doing Good Deeds. Giving More of Ourselves. Pro Bono Publico.

"My wife and I deliver Meals on Wheels one day a week," writes Gary KARSHNICK. "I also drive a courtesy cart at Holmes Regional Hospital here in Melbourne, FL, transporting patients and visitors. Diane is a su­pervisor of volunteers at the Cardio-Vascular ICU working three days a week. And I volunteer my helicopter--it's a 1962 Brantly 13213 that I re­built and refurbished--to return rehabilitated wild birds and animals to their natural habitat for the Florida Wildlife Rescue Service, and have of­fered my services to all the local police departments."

Jim PEEL volunteers in the Civil Air Patrol as a Certified Flight Instruc­tor, Check Pilot and Mission Pilot in Cessnas near Dover, DE and teaches cadets aerospace subjects, collects donations for the Salvation Army

"I rang the bell five days a week during Christmas," and wife, Joan (re­tired teacher and mother of five), volunteers at the local Pregnancy Help Center and serves meals to the poor at the Salvation Army kitchen. Syd GURLEY told me "Ann and I volunteer at the Jupiter (FL) Medical Center two half-days a week--she works in the Wellness Center, and I as dis­patcher and driver for the hospital's free van service."

Bill HALES wife, Joan, had an early onset of Alzheimer's, and after her death in 1998 he became a director and board member of the chapter that serves nine counties in western New York. Now chairman of their Public Policy Committee, he's reactivated their policy thrust which had lain dormant for years, and is extremely active in the New York State Chap­ters Coalition which lobbies for improvement in quality-of-life issues for those with the disease, as well as those who are their caregivers. Averag­ing 20 unpaid hours a week, Bill's traveled to D.C. for several national events, participated in numerous special lobbying and fund-raising ac­tivities, and his passion is "to provide support to those who are struck with this terrible disease, and to those who provide care."

Dick SEXTON spends 40 unpaid hours a week as a Court Appointed Special Advocate in El Paso County for children, handling custody dis­putes as well as abuse and neglect cases, and also volunteers at the D.A.'s Office as an advocate for victims of domestic violence. Dick and Sally both "volunteer at the Xeriscape Demonstration Garden in Colorado Springs--the garden is designed to show people how they can use less water and still have a beautiful garden by using water wise' techniques and appropriate plant selection," while Sally also volunteers at the Acad­emy Thrift Shop two days a week.

Dave SWEIGART sings in the Church Choir and Horseshoe Bay Men's Chorus, Lions Club, Property Owners Association, reads to preschoolers and helps with after-school programs at the Marble Falls, TX Library; he and wife, Camille, work as Senior Adult Sunday School Teachers and for Precepts Bible Study, while Camille volunteers at the Library, is vice presi­dent of the Burnet County Republican Women, and member of the Phil­anthropic Educational Organization (PEO) promoting young women's education both here and abroad while operating a university in Missouri. (Note: Faith ADAMSON is also active with PEO, since Derry "stays busy with 7+2 grandchildren locally and working for Lockheed."). Neighbors to Dave in Marble Falls, Sid NEWCOMB is with Buckner Community Ser­vices as counselor to single parents with troubled teens and translates for those who are Hispanic; Sid's also an Academy Liaison Officer meet­ing with Academy and AFROTC hopefuls to help with their application process and administers the Physical Aptitude Test. (Remember the kneel­ing basketball throw and the 300-yard shuttle run?)

Gary and Sylvia SHEETS sing in the Baptist Church Celebration Choir of 425 voices and participate in the Dallas Christmas Festival; Gary's a Deacon and they teach a class of third graders in their Bible Fellowship; both also mentor at their neighborhood elementary school, Sylvia men­tors two young single women, and they lead a Bible Prophecy Study Group. And in Arlington, TX, Denis and Liz HANEY perform lecture chores at their church two-three times a month.

Mentor Bob FISCHER: "I've been active in the Big Brother Program for over four years with John, 15, who is from a single parent and never had any contact with his father. He recently made the 9"' grade Honor Roll! We have done a lot together (flying, fishing, sailing, football, baseball, spectators at some minor and major league baseball games, golf, home projects, lots of homework, and even changing a tire!). I was selected Big Brother of the Year for Bucks County and Pennsylvania in 2001. It is 'hands on' all the way and really does make a huge difference in the kids' lives."

Ben FURUTA teaches "computer classes in a community center, mainly for older folks, and I am also serving on a board of directors for a retire­ment home for ministers, along with some other church work. My wife, Hideko, volunteers at an assisted living center." Bob HEIGES "volunteers a lot of time helping non-profit organizations with computer problems and developing online sites, most recently a church in Gilroy, CA."

Karl JONES says "I donate my time to tutoring six hours a week in Col­lege and Pre-Calculus Algebra at the local college--Oskaloosa-Walton Community College (FL); I'm also active as a Lay Minister assisting the priest in communion services, funerals and baptisms at St. Simon's Epis­copal Church in Ft. Walton Beach, and with helping-the-needy type projects--providing clothing at Christmas, supplies for battered or dis­placed persons, and flowers for the altar." Dean VIKAN: president of Ro­tary, president of Community Club, president of Polk County Heritage Center, board member on First Care Hospital Foundation and TRIAD. Charley THOMPSON sings in a barbershop quartet as a nonprofit sup­porting charity and sings for nursing home residents.

"Brenda and I 'give' by taking cancer patients to treatments and ar­ranging job interviews/composing resumes for high school graduates," writes CT DOUGLASS III. "And, I serve on the Architectural Control Com­mittee for our community." Walt FUTCH is treasurer of their art associa­tion and operates a retail art gallery, on the Community Concert Asso­ciation and their Patron Chairperson, Advisory Board for Library Foun­dation, and wife, Marti, is treasurer for Friends of the Library. Earl VAN INWEGEN is Flight Captain of the San Diego Daedalians, member of the La Jolla Community Council (attempting to block the building of a condo complex nearby), and works with an L.A. writer on a history of the Viet­nam War. George LUCK conducts safety lectures, assists in aviation sym­posiums and gives corrective action sessions as a volunteer in Seattle's FAA Flight Standards Office.

Volunteerism. Good people doing nice things for others. To be contin­ued..