FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
The Army Volunteer Corps recognized Fort Eustis community members for their commitment to serve during an award ceremony at Fort Eustis, April 16.
Volunteers in eight different categories took home awards, and others were recognized for their contribution to the overall Fort Eustis mission. The volunteer activities mentioned included Boy Scout troop leaders, food drive coordinators, school board representatives and more.
"Our volunteers make a difference in how we run our installation," said U.S. Army Col. William Galbraith, 733rd Mission Support Group commander. "Youth service programs, family support groups and other keystone programs would not exist without your help."
Donna Cloy, AVC coordinator, quantified the efforts made by the volunteers, most of who contribute to more than one organization.
"I make a big effort to make sure all of our volunteer hours don't go unnoticed," said Cloy. "This year, all of our contributions have paid off. The Fort Eustis community volunteered [more than] 81,000 hours, saving almost 2 million dollars for the installation."
Emily Wilson, the Fort Eustis volunteer of the year, said a lot of the volunteers don't volunteer for the numbers - they do it for their community.
"It is phenomenal to see the difference we can make in other people's lives," said Wilson. "While we learn a lot about our community and receive a lot of training we can use elsewhere, the real treat is seeing everyone's happiness. It is just so much fun to get out and interact with the people who make up our wonderful Army family."