The Trustees' Award for June 2001 is presented to JoAnne Ellison and her staff in the LVC Retail Shops. We recognize their appreciation of the contributions of volunteers, their inclusion of volunteers in their planning and daily operations, and their interest in improving services based on volunteer feedback. Their team of weekly and special events volunteers [thirty-five individuals who have given over 3,000 hours of service this year] are loyal and dedicated. New volunteers are partnered with experienced staff and volunteers to make their first days comfortable. Veteran volunteers, included in brainstorming and planning sessions, are pleased to have their input "count."

Volunteers are most visible, perhaps, on Valentine's Days, when they are riding elevators, hopping on shuttle buses, and finding their way to places like the Charlestown Navy Yard and Spaulding Hospital, armed with plants and large bouquets of flowers. In reality, volunteers wrap gifts, help staff the business office, assist with ordering merchandise, greet customers at the Shop entrance, and help them select flowers in the Flower Shop.

All good teams have great leaders. Congratulations, JoAnne, and congratulations to your management team.