Tampa Bay's Volunteer Heroes to be Recognized with Volunteer Service Award

The spirit of volunteerism runs deep in the United States and the Bay Area is no different. End Quote

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (1888PressRelease) March 16, 2015 - In celebration of National Volunteer Week (April 12 - 18, 2015), several hundred Tampa Bay volunteers will be honored for their service to the community at the historic Fort Harrison, the religious retreat of the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization.

The event will take place on April 15 and is part of the nation-wide celebration for volunteerism. National Volunteer Week was established in 1974 and supported by federal, state and local leaders as well as grass roots organizations around the country.

"National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change - discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to make a difference," states the Points of Light Foundation's website. The Foundation has been active in supporting and promoting this week since 1990.

Tampa Bay honorees at the April event will be presented with a President's Volunteer Service Award, including a letter from the US President and a special pin.

"These are every-day heroes," said Pat Harney, the Director of Public Affairs for the Church of Scientology and the organizer of the event, "they are ordinary people who quietly accomplish extraordinary things. We, as a society, don't thank them enough, and it is great that this week gives us an opportunity to do so."

Ms. Harney also sites statistics in the US, including the fact that 25% of Americans volunteer, more than 50% of Americans gave to charities last year, and more than 60% of Americans do 'informal volunteering' - helping a neighbor, babysitting for a friend or even feeding a pet while its owner is on vacation.

"In the Way to Happiness, L. Ron Hubbard, wrote 'As they guard the street, counsel the children, take the temperatures, put out the first and speak good sense in quiet voices, one is apt to overlook the fact that people of good will are the ones that keep the world going and Man alive upon this Earth.' And we will be honoring those from our community who demonstrate that." concluded Ms. Harney.

For more information about the event, or to nominate a volunteer for the President's Volunteer Service Award, please contact Pat Harney at (727) 467-6860.

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