President George W. Bush presented the President’s Volunteer Service Award to Ranee and Peter Selufsky of Gerrardstown, West Virginia in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on May 26, 2005. The ceremony, part of a White House celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, was also attended by President Yudhoyono of Indonesia.

Ranee Selufsky and her husband Peter were shocked when the most destructive tsunami in the last century hit Southeast Asia. Two weeks later, the Selufskys, both nurses from the Winchester Medical Center in Winchester, Virginia, answered the call to volunteer when Project HOPE put out a request for medical volunteers to serve on the U.S. Navy’s hospital ship, the USNS Mercy. They joined Project Hope's two-month humanitarian aid mission to Banda Aceh, Indonesia. This collaboration between the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Navy and Project HOPE involved 200 healthcare professionals from across the U.S in support of Operation Unified Assistance.

While aboard the Mercy, the Selufskys provided thousands of Indonesians with access to desperately needed medical care. In total, the medical volunteers evaluated and treated more than 9,200 patients and performed 17,000 medical procedures in the aftermath of the tsunamis. On the heels of the humanitarian aid mission, another tragedy struck the region when, an earthquake off the coast of Indonesia brought further destruction to an already devastated Nias Island. Once again Project HOPE set out to coordinate a quick aid response. The Selufskys and 48 additional volunteers joined a repeat mission aboard the Mercy. Throughout the month of April 2004, Project HOPE volunteers treated more than 3,000 patients.

The President's Volunteer Service Award was created at the President’s direction by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation and administered by the Corporation for National & Community Service. The Award is available to youth ages 14 and under who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service; to individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours; and to families or groups who have completed 200 or more hours. For more information about the Award, please visit www.presidentialserviceawards.gov.

Visit www.usafreedomcorps.gov or call 1-877-USA-CORPS to find an existing volunteer service opportunity in your area or to find more information about service programs, including national service programs such as the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and Citizen Corps. USA Freedom Corps is also highlighting youth volunteer service. Visit www.usafreedomcorpskids.gov for games and ideas designed to show how America's youth are making a difference.

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