Volunteer of the Year - Second Quarter Nominees

 

Lt. Col. Don Henry - Europe USO Volunteer of the Quarter

 

While U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Don Henry is a regular volunteer at the USO Warrior Center in Germany, his efforts in helping the center are anything but regular! He provides professional, courteous and dedicated service that exceeds what is expected of a volunteer.

An extremely dependable team member, Lt. Col. Henry volunteers for a 12-hour shift at the USO every weekend, in spite of a very busy active-duty military career, often working long hours and traveling. When he is not busy visiting with wounded service members, he is organizing the storage room or thinking of new ways to improve the operational efficiency of the USO center. Recently, he created a streamlined method for tracking food, drink, hygiene and comfort items at the center. To better serve service members, he also created a list of all amenities offered to patients. His work has enabled the center to run more efficiently.

Known for his thoughtfulness, selflessness and commitment to the USO mission, Lt. Col. Henry fills in wherever needed and is extremely reliable. He greets every person with a warm welcome, and brings his pleasant demeanor to the center every time he volunteers. Congratulations to Lt. Col. Don Henry on being USO Europe’s Volunteer of the Quarter!

 

Sara Valence - United States USO Volunteer of the Quarter

 

For the past two and a half years, Sara Valence has impacted the lives of service members and her fellow volunteers. A shift leader at the USO El Paso center, Sara has recruited her family members to be volunteers at special events, deployments, redeployments and wherever else they are needed.

Perhaps the biggest impact Sara has had at USO El Paso has been with the USO Mobile program. Sara has repeatedly stepped in for the canteen staff who rely on her dedication. Sara has volunteered to drive the vehicle more than 1,100 miles from Mississippi back to El Paso. Not long after that, she drove the canteen across Texas to support Hurricane Ike relief efforts in Houston. Sara operated the canteen for more than a month, despite having with no running water or access to electricity.

Thanks to Sara’s hard work and dedication, USO El Paso has grown its programs to serve more and more troops and their families. As a mother of two service members, Sara cares for the troops with the same commitment and attentiveness she knows other USO volunteers and staff devote to her sons. She is an inspiration to everyone around her and an excellent pick for the Stateside Volunteer of the Quarter!

 

Spc. Chris Olsen - Southwest Asia USO Volunteer of the Quarter

 

U.S. Army Specialist Chris Olsen has volunteered at USO Camp Buehring, Kuwait, for more than five months. Always a team player, Spc. Olsen has been dedicated to keeping the center organized and running smoothly since day one. He’s always willing to assist the staff, whether it means he’s running the front desk or helping with a program.

In October, the USO Camp Buehring center hosted a haunted house for the troops. Spc. Olsen spent six hours after work helping the staff with decorations and getting the center re-organized, and then showed up the next day to volunteer again! His efforts saved the staff lots of time and enabled them to provide even more support to the troops stationed at Camp Buehring.

When USO Camp Buehring opened in November, Spc. Olsen took on the task of making labels and signs for the TVs, furniture and equipment. He even brought in his own books to stock the center’s bookshelf. He now spends all of his days off working at the USO. The staff at USO Camp Buehring is extremely grateful for Spc. Olsen’s positive attitude, great work ethic, good judgment and trustworthiness. He has become part of the USO family and we are proud to name him Southwest Asia’s Volunteer of the Quarter.

 

Gabriel de los Santos - Pacific Region USO Volunteer of the Quarter

 

Gabriel de los Santos is committed to making USO Yokosuka the best USO center in the Pacific region. He is the go-to guy for special events and everyday help at the center. Whether handing out cookies to more than 40,000 people on a cold winter day, carrying boxes or fixing broken chairs, Gabe is truly dependable. The center staff always count on him to get the job done.

Open for less than a year, USO Yokosuka has greatly benefited from having Gabe around. He volunteers at least once a week, despite the responsibilities of a wife who is often away, two young sons and college. Gabe is always quick to welcome visitors to the center, offering advice to those new to the area.

Gabe’s smile and gentle nature are infectious, and he has set the standard for all volunteers with his warm and enthusiastic disposition. He constantly gives 100 percent to in all of his volunteer efforts with the USO, always making sure service members and their families are taken care of and treated well. Gabe richly deserves to be Pacific’s Volunteer of the Quarter.