Oregon Nurse Honored for 4,000 Hours of International Voluntary Service

Washington, DC -- Medical Teams International, a leading faith-based aid organization, recognized nearly 400 volunteers with the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) at an international volunteer reception near Portland, Oregon on March 1st.

Jack Hawkins, director of the Office of Volunteers for Prosperity at the U.S. Agency for International Development, presented the President’s Call to Service Award to Marie Davis for 4000 hours of service to help people in need in Uganda, Afghanistan and Iraq service.

“Volunteers like Ms. Davis inspire their fellow Americans with selfless dedication and commitment to helping others around the world,“ said Mr. Hawkins.

Ms. Davis, an emergency room nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Salem, has served on 40 teams with Medical Teams International. She first began volunteering with the relief organization in 1985.

“Marie is representative of the thousands of highly skilled professionals who serve on medical, dental and work teams,” said Bas Vanderzalm, president of Medical Teams International. “Our volunteers are making long term impacts for positive change, providing both development and emergency medical services. We’re grateful for her incredible commitment to serving others year after year.”

Addressing the attendees, Hawkins shared a message from President George W. Bush that marked the event. In the message the President conveyed his heartfelt congratulations for the work of Medical Team International's volunteers and noted how “the great strength of our country is found in the hearts and souls of the American people.”

Ms. Davis of Dallas, Oregon was one of nearly 400 volunteers from all over the U.S. who received an award. In addition there were 13 Gold PVSA recipients, 49 Silver PVSA recipients, and 287 volunteers received the Bronze PVSA. The preceding three levels of the award vary by hours of service completed within a 12-month period. (See www.presidentialserviceawards.gov).

Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals earned the prestigious award for service in more than 100 countries throughout Africa, East Asia, Eurasia, Latin America and North America. The recipients of the award provided healthcare services as well as training in medical procedures, community health and development, and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.

As the U.S. Government’s coordinator of President Bush’s Volunteers for Prosperity initiative, the VfP Office promotes the international voluntary service of American professionals in support of the Nation’s global health and prosperity agenda. The initiative was established to complement the Peace Corps, which requires a longer term commitment of two full years overseas. Service through VfP is more flexible, ranging from a week to months, or even a year and beyond. Volunteers work under the direction of VfP partners. In 2006, VfP partners deployed nearly 21,000 doctors, nurses, teachers, business persons and others.

Since 1979, Medical Teams International, a nonprofit relief agency located near Portland, Oregon has shipped more than $1 billion in supplies and served 35 million people worldwide.  More than 1,650 volunteer teams have traveled to communities affected by hurricanes, floods, conflict and poverty.  For more information, please visit the www.medicalteams.org or call toll-free (800) 959-4325.

Volunteers for Prosperity was established by Executive Order in September 2003.  VfP works with leading U.S. non-profits and companies to deploy highly skilled American professionals in volunteer opportunities that support the global health and prosperity goals of the U.S. Government.  VfP is part of the USA Freedom Corps, the White House’s coordinating council on volunteerism.  The VfP Office at the U.S Agency for International Development serves as the initiative’s interagency coordinator.  For more information, please visit www.volunteersforprosperity.gov. 

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