An Angel Gets Her Wings!

2010 Presidential Citizens Medal Winners

Dr. Roberta Diaz Brinton (Los Angeles, Calif.): Dr. Brinton volunteers as Director of the USC Science, Technology, and Research (STAR) program, which provides S. Central LA high school students with an integrated science education pipeline that includes education, hands on research, mentoring and summer jobs.

Dr. Daisy Brooks (Chicago, Ill.): Dr. Brooks founded Daisy's Resource and Development Center, which helps pregnant girls 12-21, providing education and vocational training.

Betty Chinn (Eureka, Calif.): Ms. Chinn came to the US after fleeing Communist persecution that left her mute; in the US she found her voice and a life where, for over twenty years, she has provided food and clothing to the needy twice a day.

Cynthia Church (Wilmington, Del.): A *** cancer survivor, Ms. Church founded Sisters on a Mission, which assists women of color who have *** cancer.

Mary K. Hoodhood (Grand Rapids, Mich.): Ms. Hoodhood engages in a variety of volunteer activities, including founding Kids’ Food Baskets, which provides brown bag dinners to elementary school children living in poverty.

Kimberly McGuiness (Cave Spring, Ga.): Ms. McGuiness is an advocate on behalf of deaf children in Georgia.

Jorge Muñoz (New York City, N.Y.): Mr. Muñoz is a naturalized citizen who drives a school bus by day and at night serves food to the homeless from his truck.

Lisa Nigro (Chicago, Ill.): Ms. Nigro founded Inspiration Café, a restaurant for the homeless, which has grown into an organization that provides holistic services to help the homeless.

MaryAnn Phillips (Star Valley Ranch, Wyo.): Ms. Phillips volunteers in Germany with Soldiers’ Angels, a non-profit that provides support to soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam (Shaftsbury, Vt.): Ms. Putnam founded the Student Conservation Association, which places volunteers in conservation service positions around the US and in several foreign countries.

Susan Retik (Needham, Mass.): After the death of her husband on September 11th, Ms. Retik founded Beyond the 11th, which helps Afghani widows and their children.

Myrtle Faye Rumph (Inglewood, Calif.): Following the drive-by shooting death of her son, Ms. Rumph founded a youth center to provide a safe haven and intervention programs for South Central LA youth.

George Weiss, Jr. (Marine, Minn.): Mr. Weiss founded the Fort Snelling Memorial Rifle Squad, which performs final military honors for deceased veterans (over 55,000 to-date).

The 2010 Citizens Medal will recognize citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs. Specifically, nominees must be individuals who fulfill the following criteria:

Who have a demonstrated commitment to service in their own community or in communities farther from home. Someone who has engaged in activities that have had an impact in their local community, on a community or communities elsewhere in the United States or on fellow citizens living or stationed around the world.

Who have helped their country or their fellow citizens through one or more extraordinary acts. Individuals who have demonstrated notable skill and grace, selflessly placed themselves in harm’s way, taken unusual risks or steps to protect others, made extraordinary efforts to further a national goal, or otherwise conducted themselves admirably when faced with unusually challenging circumstances.

Whose service relates to a long-term or persistent problem. Individuals who have made efforts to combat stubbornly persistent problems that impact entire communities, for example those who have taken innovative steps to address hunger, homelessness, the dropout crisis, lack of access to health care, and other issues that plague too many Americans.

Whose service has had a sustained impact on others’ lives and provided inspiration for others to serve. The ideal nominee for a Citizens Medal is a person whose work has had a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of others.
 

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