Older Volunteers Honored by MetLife Foundation and the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging

WASHINGTON, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) announced the recipients of the 2008 MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards. The program, now in its sixth year, honors the exemplary contributions of older volunteers and promotes volunteering among older adults nationwide. The award-winning volunteers, all over the age of 50, were in Washington today to attend a ceremony in their honor.

"Engagement of individuals of all ages is vital to the health of communities," said Sibyl Jacobson, president of MetLife Foundation. "We are pleased to join n4a in honoring 25 older volunteers who are building healthy communities and demonstrating the difference one person can make in the lives of others."

The honorees were nominated in one of three categories by the volunteer programs they serve: Community Champion awards recognize those who use their time and talent to make their community a better place to live; Mentor awards honor older volunteers whose energies are devoted to working with young people and their families; and Team Spirit awards pay tribute to older volunteers who assist other older adults. Selections were made by members of the Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards Blue Ribbon Panel and Advisory Board.

The top award recipient in each category is recognized as a Gold Honoree. This year's Gold Honorees are:

Nolene Breen, 82, of Boise, Idaho earned top recognition in the Community Champion category for spearheading the Guardian Monitoring Program in conjunction with the Court Judge in Ada County. For 13 years, Nolene has been volunteering her time to protect people living under legal appointment through diligent compliance checks. Nolene acts as the eyes and ears of the court, monitoring people living with an appointed guardian. The Ada County Guardian Monitoring Program nominated Nolene for the award.

Frank Bittick, 75, of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho earned top recognition in the Mentor category for his involvement with the Teen Aid Project, a program that provides at-risk youth with the support they need to improve their grades and graduate from high school. Frank's 40 years as an educator provides him with the necessary experience to work with tutors, motivate students, and also, get parents involved. Frank has been involved with the program since 2000, and was nominated by the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of North Idaho.

Andrea King, 95, of Seattle, Washington earned top recognition in the Team Spirit category for her 39 years of volunteer service in the Foss Home and Village Community. Andrea has accumulated over 22,000 hours of volunteer service by helping elderly residents connect with their community in many ways. Andrea does everything from decorating walls during the holidays and doing alterations for residents to filing paperwork and organizing fund raisers. The Foss Home & Village nominated Andrea for this award.

Sandy Markwood, CEO of n4a, added, "Older adults have a wealth of life and work experience and we are fortunate that they are choosing to share their knowledge with others in the community. These individuals are doing remarkable things, and we are grateful that MetLife Foundation has made it possible to recognize their inspirational work at a national level."

All of the honorees will receive engraved gifts, and the organizations that host the volunteers will receive monetary awards.

National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) is the leading voice on aging issues for Area Agencies on Aging across the country and a champion for Title VI -- Native American aging programs in our nation's capital. For more information about n4a, visit http://www.n4a.org.

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife in 1976 to carry on its longstanding tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants support health, education, civic and cultural programs throughout the United States. For more information about the Foundation, visit http://www.metlife.org.

In addition to the Gold Honorees, 22 individuals were chosen as the Silver Honorees for their outstanding volunteer contributions.

2008 MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Award -- Silver Honor Recipients

Community Champion Category

James Weblemoe, HELP of Ojai -- Ojai, CA; Walter Turner, Retired Seniors Volunteer Program -- Tampa, FL; Beatrice States, Peak Center Senior Environment Corps -- Hatfield, PA; Edith Law, Alzheimer's Association -- Lynchburg, VA; Margaret Joan Nash, KNOX County RSVP -- Vincennes, IN; George Charette, Medical Engineering Volunteers of Florida -- Venice, FL; Fran Doll, Grandparents Against Sex Predators -- Akron., OH; Fred Knueppel, Independence First -- Milwaukee, WI

    Mentor Category
    Claudia Cannon, Sarasota County Master Gardener Program -- Sarasota, FL

Team Spirit Category

Elden Johnson, State Health Insurance Program -- Hallock, MN; Dennis Cairns, Senior Resource Association -- Vero Beach, FL; Harold Pabst, Care Connection Minor Repairs Program -- Saint Augustine, FL; Elizabeth E. Toland, Meals on Wheels Central Maryland -- Baltimore, MD; John VanWestenburg, Little Brothers Volunteer Program -- Chassell, MI; Sam Inouye, Asian Community Center Rides Transportation Services -- Sacramento, CA; Julie Bennett, We Are Family Senior Outreach Network -- Washington, D.C.; Yvonne McCullough, Winter Growth Volunteer Program -- Rockville, MD; Linda West, Michigan's Coordinated Access to Food For the Elderly -- Lansing, MI; Stan Cohen, Southern Maine Agency on Aging Senior Medical Patrol -- Bridgton, ME; Barbara Schmidt, Deaf Hospice Education & Volunteer Project -- Coon Rapids, MN; Ralph E. Livingstone, Senior Legal Hotline -- Carmichael, CA; Dorothy Mawhorr, The Good Shepherd Home -- Mansfield, OH

Contact: Lisa Cohen, 310.395.2544

               lisa@lisacohen.org