FORT CARSON, Colo. – Fort Carson celebrated 555 volunteers April 9, 2024, for amassing nearly 60,000 hours of service in 2023, saving the installation about $1.7 million.
The annual recognition ceremony held at the William “Bill” Reed Special Events Center honored the hard work of volunteers supporting Soldiers and Families across the Mountain Post, to include Evans Army Community Hospital, Army Community Service and the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation.
Maj. Gen. David Doyle, commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, emphasized the important role volunteers play on the installation.
“At Fort Carson, we have great organizations that are serviced by fantastic Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and, most importantly, volunteers,” said Doyle. “These are the type of people we need, not just at Fort Carson and Colorado Springs, but across our country.”
In all, there were 195 awards presented at the ceremony.
Marcia “Dianne” Griffith was inducted into the Steadfast and Loyal Volunteer Hall of Fame, becoming the seventh to receive this honor that requires being named Volunteer of the Year three consecutive times.
There were five Youth Volunteers of the Year who completed a minimum of 100 hours.
They are: Nathan Valle, 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade; Mary Angelique Abrenica, Army Community Service, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation; Cailynn Torres, Evans Army Community Hospital; and Danielle Corona and Olivia Fulfer, American Red Cross.
Donna Swanson was named Volunteer of the Year for her service at Warrior’s Warehouse where she donated 1,531 hours.
Sam Leathes and Heather Maze received the President’s Gold Award for volunteering over 500 hours.
Griffith and retired Col. Clara Huff were awarded the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award for volunteering over 4,000 hours of service.
Cynthia Brisby, program manager for Fort Carson Army Volunteer Corps, said that volunteers on the installation go above and beyond by taking time out of their schedule to make Fort Carson the “Best Hometown in the Army.”
“They come in on weekends, they come in on nights; all different times to basically show us that they want to be a part and to make these events better,” said Brisby.
Capt. Audrey Arroyo, Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit clinical nurse officer in charge, received the Department of the Army Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal for her volunteer work at Evans Army Community Hospital where she helped coordinate events.
“I grew up in a missionary home in southern Mexico, so it comes from my upbringing,” said Arroyo. “Seeing how my parents have given their entire lives to service since I was a kid, that’s just been a natural part of life for me.”
Arroyo said she was grateful to her leadership for their support and giving her the bandwidth to volunteer.
“Because of them, I’m able to do a lot of what I do,” said Arroyo.
To learn more about the Army Volunteer Corps at Fort Carson, visit https://carson.armymwr.com/programs/army-volunteer-corps.
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