Canine Companions Volunteers Awarded President’s Volunteer Service Award 

Emblem of The President's Volunteer Service Award featuring a bald eagle with outstretched wings, holding an olive branch and arrows, and a shield with red, white, and blue stripes and stars, encircled by the text 'THE PRESIDENT'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD.'More than two dozen Canine Companions volunteers from across the country have been awarded the prestigious President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) for their outstanding volunteer work in 2024.  
 
President’s Volunteer Service Award is led by AmeriCorps ** and managed in partnership with Points of Light**. The award was created in 2003 by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation and has continued since then under every administration.   

All Canine Companions volunteers who met the criteria were invited to apply for the award, and as a Certifying Organization, Canine Companions volunteer program verifies and certifies volunteers who’ve met the requirements to receive a PVSA** within a specified 12-month period. 
 
There are three award levels – gold, silver and bronze – based on the total number of volunteer hours. Each award recipient receives an official President’s Volunteer Service Award pin and/or a personalized certificate of achievement, per their preference.  
 
The PVSA award recipients are as follows: 

GOLD AWARD

  • Jacqueline Cheshire: 4,625 hours
  • Laura Toelle: 4,598 hours
  • Leslie Neely: 4,478 hours
  • Sherie Bors-Koefoed: 4,258 hours
  • Renee Whalen: 4,032 hours
  • Emily Arnow*: 2,250 hours
  • Rachel Reid*: 2,250 hours
  • Jill Canfield: 2,014 hours
  • Elizabeth Knight: 1,283 hours
  • Sue Guzman: 1,150 hours
  • Neha Chand*: 1,125 hours
  • Audrey Hulsey*: 950 hours
  • Emily Norrell*: 950 hours
  • Cheryl Theall: 950 hours
  • Mya Juber*: 900 hours
  • Faith Sanders*: 900 hours
  • Annelies Ransome: 800 hours
  • Mitchell Ransome*: 800 hours
  • Linda Stefanini: 708 hours
  • Emma Robinson*: 440 hours
  • Cheyanne Woole*: 440 hours

SILVER AWARD

  • Kallie Young*: 950 hours
  • Aleeta Lehtinen: 422 hours
  • Victoria Junkins: 415 hours
  • Diana Adams: 348 hours
  • Alanna Flax-Clark: 285 hours

BRONZE AWARD

  • Sharon Harrington: 542 hours
  • Michael Mantell: 343 hours
  • Teresa Mills: 237 hours

Congratulations to all recipients of the PVSA award, and Canine Companions is grateful for their dedication, contribution and support to further the mission of providing greater independence to people with disabilities. To read more about the award criteria and application process, please click here to visit the PVSA page.

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