Media Coverage
Volunteer’s track success earns her top recognition
By Rita Frankenberry, The Virginian-Pilot - 12/22/2008
When Julie Voliva decided to raise money for an athletic track at Luxford Elementary School, she figured it would be about a $45,000 undertaking.
Then the former Luxford PTA president discovered the project wouldcost more than four times that amount. But she didn’t consider abandoning her idea for even a minute.
She just remembered the pitted and uneven ground of the school’s backyard, where students,
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The Virginia Beach Rotary Club presented its 2008 volunteer awards to Julie Voliva, left, School Volunteer of the Year, and Bill Hushin, right, City Volunteer of the Year. Club president Stuart Hale, center, made the presentations. |
parents and faculty ran each week. At the time, Voliva was one of
Luxford's running club coaches and she had stumbled several times
on the unpaved path.
“I thought, I can at least try and fill out grants,” Voliva said. “I never thought I’d actually get it.”
After two years of cold calling contractors and engi neers, Voliva raised $195,000 in donations and supplies. She earned another $5,000 after applying for a Toolbox for Education grant from Lowe’s.
Her efforts were acknowledged Dec. 4, during the Virginia Beach Rotary Club’s annual award ceremony recognizing the city and school volunteers of the year. Voliva was selected as the group’s School Volunteer of the Year.
“What she did was nothing short of a miracle,” said Tim Sullivan, assistant principal at Luxford Elementary. “We have a track the kids use every day and that the faculty uses after school. And the community uses it after school and on weekends.”
The asphalt track is 8 feet wide, 1,200 feet long, and runs the perimeter of the school’s backyard. Voliva credits Landmark Design Group with helping her get the project completed. The Virginia Beach design firm provided the land survey and site design for the project, and also helped her locate other donors to provide manpower, equipment and supplies.
Although Voliva has no construction background, Mark Strickland, the company’s vice president, said that didn’t deter her. During the summer, she was onsite every day throughout the six-week construction process. The track officially opened Oct. 29.
“She’s a firecracker and a dynamo,” Strickland said. “She’s like the Energizer bunny.”
During the award ceremony, the Virginia Beach Rotary Club also recognized the tireless efforts of Bill Hushin, the City Volunteer of the Year. Since 1998, he has logged in 6,300 hours as a volunteer docent at the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center.
Every Thursday, he can be seen conversing with up to 1,500 students, vacationers and residents. The 76-year-old retired Navy veteran fields questions about sea turtles, assists with necropsies, and teaches aquarium visitors about endangered animals.
Hushin also volunteers weekly with the aquarium’s Stranding Response Team. Over the years, he has helped rescue a number of sea turtles and harbor seals.
“He’s just very interested in a lot of things,” said Kathleen Reed, volunteer resource manager at the aquarium. “He has a very easy-going way about him and he’s excited abut the animals, and you can tell that about him.”
Rita Frankenberry, 222-5102,
rita.frankenberry@pilotonline.com
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