2 Local Volunteers Get President’s Service Awards

Twenty individuals and groups--including two people from Orange County--who have shown exemplary volunteerism were presented Friday with the 1996 President’s Service Award by First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The award bestowed by the Points of Light Foundation and the Corporation for National Service is the highest honor given by President Clinton for volunteer service. This year’s winners were selected from about 3,200 nominations received nationwide.

Francisco “Frank” J. Garcia Sr. of Anaheim was honored for serving free Thanksgiving meals to the needy every year. Last year, he served 15,000 people.

Phillip J. Stevens of Newport Beach received an award for his work organizing the Walking Shield American Indian Society in 1987. The group seeks to improve living conditions on two Sioux reservations in South Dakota.

On behalf of the president, Mrs. Clinton presented each honoree with an engraved sterling silver medallion and a certificate signed by the president.

Since the President’s Awards program began, 286 awards have been presented to individuals, grass-roots organizations, labor unions and major corporations for their exemplary commitment to community service. This year, nominations were received in four areas: education, public safety, the environment and human needs.

The Points of Light Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization established in May 1990 to boost volunteer community service. The foundation works with volunteer centers, businesses, nonprofit organizations and the media to promote volunteer service.

The Corporation for National Service was established in 1993 to engage Americans in community-based service. It supports a range of national and community service programs, providing opportunities for participants to serve full time and part time, with or without pay, as individuals or a part of a team.