Volunteers from the Yongsan military community were recognized in a special ceremony at Army Community Service building, 22, Sept., here.
Col. Maria P. Eoff, garrison commander, U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, opened the ceremony praising the efforts of all the volunteers to better the community.
"First, I would like to express sincere appreciation to all those who submit themselves for the overall welfare of this Yongsan Garrison," she said. "You were the ones who stood up and took initiative to improve the quality of life of soldiers, civilians, and visitors to our community."
Zeny Bate, Area II Volunteer Coordinator, went on to discuss the efforts of the three volunteers in each taking home Volunteer of the Quarter.
"The main reason why we present these certificates is not just because they did something good but because their dedication and commitment was surely an inspiration to those around them," she said.
Recognized during the ceremony were Spc. Dave Sung, Eun Jo Kim, and Stephanie Choe.
Spc. Sung, UNC Honor Guard member led every Good Neighbor Program community service event. He made connections with social welfare groups in need, found volunteers from within his company, and translated during the events.
Eun Jo Kim, a student from the Seoul American High School, volunteered as a swim coach over the summer for swimmers from 5 to 17 year old school children. She accompanied the swim team to away meets, helped run the home meets, and stepped into marshal an event at Camp Walker when they were understaffed.
Stephanie Choe, also a student with the Seoul American High School, served as the morning coach lead and generated eight custom workouts a week for the team. She managed to balance her volunteer work with church commitments as well as employment. She made a difference in the community by fostering physical fitness, passing on knowledge, building confidence and developing leaders.
Following the ceremony, U.S. Army Garrison Command Sergeant Major Henney M. Hodgkins spoke about volunteering and the benefits it can bring to an individual.
"Volunteering allows you to connect to your community and make it a better place to live," she said. "Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network and boost your social skills that can bring a lot of fulfilling to your life."
For more information about volunteering within the Yongsan community, contact the Army Community Service at 738-5153.
Related Links:
U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan Homepage
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