Saluting Global Volunteers With a Strong Passion For Service in 2019 (Part 2)

Congratulations and thank you to another group of unique individuals who during the fiscal year 2019, reached their “milestones in service. In this second post in a series of four throughout November (the month of “giving thanks”), we recognize Alumni Volunteers who completed eight, nine, or ten service programs with Global Volunteers.

We Salute each and every one of you!

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Jeanne “Gina” Dianda joined her first service program with Global Volunteers in 2007 in Italy. Since then, she has served on nine more teams: five programs in Italy, three in India, and once in Cuba and Vietnam.

Kathy Dedrick first joined a Global Volunteers service program in July of 2007 in India, a country that won her heart, and to which she returned on another eight programs. To date, she has joined Global Volunteers ten times total, including the inaugural team to Nepal. Learn more about her journeys in service here.

Ann Goldstein’s first experience with Global Volunteers was in the Cook Islands in July 2007, and she returned two years later. Ann has now completed ten service programs across the globe. Learn how Ann taught swimming lessons in St. Lucia here. She also served twice in Greece and St. Lucia as well as once in Poland, China, Italy and Ecuador.

Mary Braunagel-Brown chose a team to Mexico in March 2008 as her first service program with Global Volunteers. To date, she has served on ten programs: eight times in China and once in Vietnam and Mexico.

Silver Hjellen’s first program with Global Volunteers was in April 1997 in China. Since then, she has served on nine other programs worldwide: Costa Rica, Poland, India, Vietnam, Ireland, Ghana, Greece, Nepal, and New Mexico in the USA.

Lynn Adams served for the first time with Global Volunteers in July 2010 in Poland. Since then, every summer, Lynn has returned to Poland to teach. She has now completed ten programs in Poland.

Kenita Gibbins chose a team to Poland in May 2003 as her first service program with Global Volunteers. To date, she has served on ten service programs worldwide: eight in Poland, and once in Cuba and St. Lucia.

“If you want to touch the past, touch a rock.  If you want to touch the present, touch a flower. If you want to touch the future, touch a life.”

~ Author unknown

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Sonja Knudsen joined her first service program with Global Volunteers in 2009 in Tanzania. Since then, Sonja has served nine other times: Romania four times, Tanzania three times, and once each in India, Vietnam and the Cook Islands.

Bill Laubenstein’s first experience with Global Volunteers was in Tanzania in October 2007. To date, Bill has served on ten service programs across the globe. Learn how he found his calling with Global Volunteers, here. Bill’s service programs: Vietnam twice, Tanzania, Ecuador, India, South Africa, Greece, Cook Islands, Italy, and West Virginia.

Mary Mastin has been serving with Global Volunteers since November 2010, when she joined a team in Tanzania. Since then, she served on four Mexico programs and two in Portugal as well as teams in China, Greece, Vietnam, and Cuba.

Michael Rodriguez began his China service “habit” with Global Volunteers in September 2004. To date, Michael has returned to teach conversational English eight more times in China, and once in Vietnam.

Janet Rodriguez has a passion for Asia, serving for the first time in China, 2004. To date, Janet has completed a total of ten service programs with Global Volunteers: Nine times in China and once in Vietnam.

Dr. Mindy Lull’s first experience with Global Volunteers was in Montana in July 2014. Since then, Mindy has either served as a team member or led students teams as a Volunteer Team Leader on nine other occasions. She is also an active member of the Board of Directors for Global Volunteers. Mindy’s programs: Montana seven times, Tanzania twice, and once in Peru.

Louise Mollick first served with Global Volunteers in Cuba in November 2015. After that, she served as either a team member or as a Volunteer Team Leader on ten service programs worldwide: four more times in Cuba, twice in Tanzania, and also in India, Vietnam, and Montana.

Joe Virgona joined Global Volunteers in China in November 2010. To date, he has completed nine other service programs across the globe: Mexico four times, Portugal twice, and once each in China, Greece, Cuba, and Vietnam.

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” 

~ William Shakespeare

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Ann Finlay has been serving with Global Volunteers since March 2006, when she joined a team serving in Italy. Since then, Ann has served on eight other service programs across the globe:
Twice in both Italy and Tanzania and once in Hungary, Greece, and Romania.

Leon Ablon has a love for China. It was in China in October 2007 where his adventure in service began. Since then, Leon has served another eight times, all in China:
China nine times.

Vicky Hoagland joined her first service program with Global Volunteers in 2002, serving in Romania. Since then, Vicky has served on eight other service programs across the globe:
Twice in India, and once in Romania, Vietnam, Brazil, Ecuador, Cuba, St. Lucia, and Italy.

Scott Curry’s first service program was in July 2014, when he joined a team in Montana. Since then, Scott has served on seven other service programs with Global Volunteers:
Twice in the Cook Islands, once in St. Lucia, and the USA – In Montana five times.

Claire Kirchen first served with Global Volunteers in Italy, September 2007. To date, Claire has participated in eight service programs across the globe:
In Portugal twice, and once in Italy, Vietnam, Cook Islands, Greece, St. Lucia, and Tanzania.

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Donn Rance first served with Global Volunteers in Portugal in September 2013. To date, Donn has served on a total of nine service programs worldwide: Portugal six times, Peru twice, and once in Cuba.

Dan Woods‘ love of service in Italy began back in June 1997. Since then, Dan has returned to Italy to join teams on seven other occasions.

Evette Morrow first served with Global Volunteers in March 2011 in Ecuador. She added another seven service programs to her roster either as a team member or as a Volunteer Team Leader in Peru, Tanzania, Vietnam, India, Cuba, West Virginia, and Montana.

Mary Sotir first joined a Global Volunteers service program in February 2011 in Mexico. To date, Mary has completed nine service programs across the globe: Mexico five times, Cuba twice, and Peru and Costa Rica each once.

Julie Scott’s first service program with Global Volunteers was in July 1993 in Poland. Since then, Julie has served on seven other programs: Romania, Ecuador, and South Dakota, once, and four times in Montana.

We are incredibly grateful and proud of you – valued team members and the most inspiring and influential ambassadors for Global Volunteers. We thank you for the dedication, love, knowledge, and compassion you have shown our community partners worldwide.

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Are you a Global Volunteers Alumnus? Did you know that while waiting to serve again in the field, there are still ways you can help us spread the word about our programs and outcomes?

• Join our Facebook Alumni group and follow us on our Facebook page.
• Share your Global Volunteers’ experiences with friends and family via social media.
• Become a Global Volunteers “blogger” and write about your adventures in service.

For more information contact mbjorklund@globalvolunteers.org