These nine leaders, better known as the Fire Unit Team Leaders, have worked tirelessly and demonstrated strong commitment and leadership not only to the communities that they have served, but also to the young people that they led along the way. They are highly deserving of the 2013 Service Impact Award specifically in the area of disaster services.
F1 Lalita Russ - Led her team in the aftermath of 2012 Hurricane Sandy in New York. They performed assessments and gutted homes all over the New York area.
F2 Christine Amoresano - Led her team in the continued support of 2011 victims of Bastrop, Texas fires in collaboration with the Bastrop County Long-term Recovery Group to provide support for people that had been impacted by the fires.
F3 Susan Aronoff - Led her team in flood mitigation efforts in the Colorado Springs area where communities had been impacted by the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire in collaboration with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP).
F4 Fei Chen - Led his team on the fire line during the 2013 Black Forest fire to save homes and lives in collaboration with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and its numerous volunteer firefighters. His team had also been working on fire mitigation within El Paso County prior to being deployed to the Black Forest Fire.
F5 Chris Hudson - Led his team in the aftermath of 2012 Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey where they mucked and gutted homes. He has also just been deployed to Oklahoma City to continue supporting communities impacted by the 2013 spring tornadoes.
F6 CA Gresham - Led her team in the aftermath of 2012 Hurricane Sandy in New York. They performed assessments and gutted homes all over the New York area.
F7 Arthur Knapp - Led his team in community outreach and flood mitigation efforts in the Colorado Springs area where communities were impacted by the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire in collaboration with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte. He also led a team in fire mitigation efforts at the Shaw Nature Preserve in Missouri. Most recently, his team responded after the Manitou Springs, CO flooding caused by the Waldo Canyon burn scar.
Fire UDA Omid Amini and Fire STL Carol Schneider - Supported all of these Team Leaders while they were in the field by making sure they had the resources and support needed to complete their assignments.
F2 Christine Amoresano - Led her team in the continued support of 2011 victims of Bastrop, Texas fires in collaboration with the Bastrop County Long-term Recovery Group to provide support for people that had been impacted by the fires.
F3 Susan Aronoff - Led her team in flood mitigation efforts in the Colorado Springs area where communities had been impacted by the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire in collaboration with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte (CUSP).
F4 Fei Chen - Led his team on the fire line during the 2013 Black Forest fire to save homes and lives in collaboration with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office and its numerous volunteer firefighters. His team had also been working on fire mitigation within El Paso County prior to being deployed to the Black Forest Fire.
F5 Chris Hudson - Led his team in the aftermath of 2012 Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey where they mucked and gutted homes. He has also just been deployed to Oklahoma City to continue supporting communities impacted by the 2013 spring tornadoes.
F6 CA Gresham - Led her team in the aftermath of 2012 Hurricane Sandy in New York. They performed assessments and gutted homes all over the New York area.
F7 Arthur Knapp - Led his team in community outreach and flood mitigation efforts in the Colorado Springs area where communities were impacted by the 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire in collaboration with the Coalition for the Upper South Platte. He also led a team in fire mitigation efforts at the Shaw Nature Preserve in Missouri. Most recently, his team responded after the Manitou Springs, CO flooding caused by the Waldo Canyon burn scar.
Fire UDA Omid Amini and Fire STL Carol Schneider - Supported all of these Team Leaders while they were in the field by making sure they had the resources and support needed to complete their assignments.
Other projects led by these amazing individuals during their year of service:
LALITA RUSS:
Building homes in Oklahoma City with Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity
Youth/Teen development in Center, Colorado with Center Consolidated School District
Youth/Teen development in Denver, Colorado with Denver Green School
Youth/Teen development in Tulsa, Oklahoma with New Hope Camps
CHRISTINE AMORESANO:
Youth/Teen support with Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock
Tax preparation for individuals needing assistance filing taxes in Wichita Falls, Texas with North Texas Area United Way
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Colorado with Volunteer Outdoor Colorado
SUSAN ARONOFF:
Environmental/Conservation efforts in San Antonio, Texas with Land Heritage Institute
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Gilpin County, Colorado with Golden Gate Canyon State Park
FEI CHEN:
Youth/Teen development in Farmington, New Mexico with the Boys & Girls Club
CHRIS HUDSON
Youth/Teen development in Denver, CO with the Boettcher Boys & Girls Club
Environmental/Conservation efforts with Houston Park & Recreation in Texas
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Needville, Texas with Brazos Bend State Park
CA GRESHAM
Youth/Teen development with the Brazoria Boys and Girls Club in South Texas
Environmental/Conseration efforts in Colorado with the Rocky Mountain Field Institute
Environmental/Conservation efforts near Willcox, Arizona with the National Parks Service
ARTHUR KNAPP
Tax preparation for individuals needing assistance filing taxes in Denver, CO with Denver Asset Building Coalition
Environmental/Conservation efforts at White Oak and Daisy State Park in Arkansas
CAROL SCHNEIDER
Youth/Teen development in Eudora, Arkansas at the J. Austin White Cultural Center
Environmental/Conservation efforts with Bureau of Land Management in Canon City, Colorado
OMID AMINI
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Ferncliff, Arkansas
Environmental/Conservation efforts with the City of Howe, OK
Building homes in Oklahoma City with Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity
Youth/Teen development in Center, Colorado with Center Consolidated School District
Youth/Teen development in Denver, Colorado with Denver Green School
Youth/Teen development in Tulsa, Oklahoma with New Hope Camps
CHRISTINE AMORESANO:
Youth/Teen support with Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock
Tax preparation for individuals needing assistance filing taxes in Wichita Falls, Texas with North Texas Area United Way
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Colorado with Volunteer Outdoor Colorado
SUSAN ARONOFF:
Environmental/Conservation efforts in San Antonio, Texas with Land Heritage Institute
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Gilpin County, Colorado with Golden Gate Canyon State Park
FEI CHEN:
Youth/Teen development in Farmington, New Mexico with the Boys & Girls Club
CHRIS HUDSON
Youth/Teen development in Denver, CO with the Boettcher Boys & Girls Club
Environmental/Conservation efforts with Houston Park & Recreation in Texas
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Needville, Texas with Brazos Bend State Park
CA GRESHAM
Youth/Teen development with the Brazoria Boys and Girls Club in South Texas
Environmental/Conseration efforts in Colorado with the Rocky Mountain Field Institute
Environmental/Conservation efforts near Willcox, Arizona with the National Parks Service
ARTHUR KNAPP
Tax preparation for individuals needing assistance filing taxes in Denver, CO with Denver Asset Building Coalition
Environmental/Conservation efforts at White Oak and Daisy State Park in Arkansas
CAROL SCHNEIDER
Youth/Teen development in Eudora, Arkansas at the J. Austin White Cultural Center
Environmental/Conservation efforts with Bureau of Land Management in Canon City, Colorado
OMID AMINI
Environmental/Conservation efforts in Ferncliff, Arkansas
Environmental/Conservation efforts with the City of Howe, OK