Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, October 21, 1993 TAG: 9310220370
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: GREG HALE CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Voekel, a forestry environmental resource major at Virginia Tech, began to wonder how someone from a middle-class Virginia Beach home could possibly be getting ready to accept a gold medal from the governor .
It has been several months since Gov. Douglas Wilder gave Voekel one of the state's most prestigious community service awards. But Voekel remembers the feeling of being one of 58 people to receive the Governor's Award for Volunteer Excellence. She still remembers thinking: ``Why me?''
``It's wonderful to get an award and be recognized, but I don't feel worthy and that's not why I do community service," Voekel said.
Voekel was nominated by the Blacksburg chapter of the YMCA for her participation in the Eco-Cycle program on the campus of Virginia Tech as well as several other projects in Montgomery County. It had started out as a modest high school interest.
But last year, along with another student from Eco-Cycle, Voekel spent every Saturday hauling more than 500 pounds of aluminum to the recycling plant.
`` ... it was hard to stick with but I'm glad I did,'' Voekel said.
The Eco-Cycle has since been taken over by Virginia Tech administration and participation in the program has almost doubled.
The volunteer awards were established in 1984 and the first awards were handed out in 1987. Between 300 and 600 people from around the state are nominated annually. Anyone can be nominated, but the group or individual that performs the volunteer service must show that the service benefits Virginia, said E. Janet Riddick, program evaluation manager for the Virginia Department of Social Services.
``Volunteers mean a lot to citizens of the community, because government is not always able to do everything necessary,'' Riddick said.
Voekel dedicates her spring break to volunteer work, too.
For the past two years, she has gone to Ivanhoe, to help rebuild homes and community centers in the Southwestern Virginia town.
``I learned a lot about Appalachian culture and made tremendous friends,'' she said of what has become an Alternative Spring Break for many college students. ``We dug ditches, cleaned houses and just sat with community members talking about life.''
Martha Peters, YMCA Student Programs assistant director, said Voekel was the first person she nominated for the award.
``She has a real passion for issues and volunteering and she really believes in these things,'' Peters said.
Besides her involvement with the community, Voekel carries 18 hours a semester and is busy deciding on her future plans. One avenue she is exploring is the Volunteer in Service to America Program.
She would like to work on an American Indian reservation or in an inner city. She also dreams of pursuing teaching.
``I can't solve all of the world's problems, but I just want to help,'' she said. ``I don't want to give my help unless they want it.''
While Voekel's accomplishments speak for themselves, she is quick to point out that she is not ``Superwoman.''
``I volunteer for a lot of things, but because of time I am not always able to follow through,'' she admits.
She said the chance to see the things other volunteers are doing ``reaffirmed my belief in people, and helped me to see that this is the right path for me.''
Memo: ***CORRECTION***