SHIIP Volunteers Recognized by Governor Culver
Posted on 12/01/2010
The Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) of Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center received a Governor’s Volunteer Award from Governor Chet Culver during a special recognition ceremony held on July 22, 2010, in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
The Governor’s Volunteer Awards (GVA) program was created in 1982, with inaugural awards presented in 1983. The program has grown from a small program only available to state agencies to its present function of providing all Iowa nonprofit, charitable, and government organizations with an easy and effective way to honor their volunteers with a prestigious state-level recognition award.
Volunteers may be nominated for an award in one of several categories: Individual, Group, Length of Service, or Disaster Volunteer. Nearly 800 volunteers were selected for awards in 2010.
MMSC’s SHIIP was nominated for a Group Length of Service Volunteer Award by Kris Thompson from the SHIIP office, Iowa Insurance Division, in Des Moines, Iowa.
“MMSC SHIIP counselors have provided outstanding service to our communities’ seniors for 20 years,” said Jonna Wagar, volunteer coordinator at MMSC. “MMSC is proud to offer this service and congratulate the volunteer efforts of these wonderful community leaders.”
Marshalltown Medical & Surgical Center has sponsored SHIIP, a free program, since 1990. All volunteers are trained through the Iowa Insurance Division in topics to help seniors and concerned relatives or friends receive objective advice regarding health insurance needs, including: medicare supplement insurance policies, long-term care insurance policies, and insurance and medicare claims.
“The devotion of these volunteers has helped Iowa achieve the second highest state volunteer rate in the country,” said Governor Culver. “Lt. Governor Judge, the First Lady, and I are honored to have this opportunity to personally thank this year’s award recipients for donating their time, dedication, and talent to make a tremendous difference in our state.”
The most recent “Volunteering in America” study, released June 15, details the millions of hours that volunteers in Iowa collectively contribute. The estimated annual economic impact of that service is well over $1 billion. The entire report can be viewed at www.volunteeringinamerica.gov.
The Governor’s Volunteer Award program is coordinated by the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service and the Governor’s Office. For more information, visit www.volunteeriowa.org or call 515.725.3094.
