Galatti Award Nominee Named
From AFSWiki
AFS-USA Galatti Award Nominee Named-2011
On behalf of the Volunteer Recognition, I am pleased to announce that Minna Smith of the Milwaukee Team will be our AFS-USA Galatti Nominee. Please join me in congratulating Minna.
Minna has served in many volunteer roles since returning from her AFS experience to Germany in 1965. Minna's most recent contributions have involved scholarship programs to help students realize their AFS dreams. In 2007-08 Minna led a team of volunteers to recruit minority public school students from families who did not have the economic means to pay for AFS, and to organize the Milwaukee Scholarship Initiative to provide 90% funding for these students. As a result, 12 students of diversity were able to have a summer AFS experience. The funding was organized through the AFS Foundation of Greater Milwaukee, an organization that was founded by Minna and other AFS Returnees in 1994 to help Milwaukee area students bridge the gap between the cost of an AFS program and what the family can afford. To date, over 120 Milwaukee area students have benefited from over $120,000 in AFS Foundation scholarships, and Minna has been and is still instrumental in fund-raising efforts.
Her nominator writes, “I am nominating Minna for the Galatti Award because of her dedication to mentor other volunteers to continue the work of AFS, in addition to the lifelong contributions she herself has made. At each step of the way, Minna has found, inspired and trained others to take on the work of AFS and keep it going.”
Minna’s nomination will be moved forward for consideration by the AFS International Board of Trustees. The winner(s) of the Stephen Galatti International Award for Oustanding Volunteer Service will be announced in October.
We would also like to congratulate the following volunteers who were nominated:
Margaret (Peg) Wachter, Appalachian Team
Margaret Johnson, Carolinas Team
Sue Poet, Colorado Rockies
Nancy Pietila, Greater Puget Sound
Thank you
Robin Frank Selection Committee Chair
To learn more about this award, please go to Galatti Award or visit the official website
