By Mark Young, SouthFloridaReporter.com Managing Editor, Oct. 6, 2015 – President Barack Obama and the Corporation for National and Community Service have awarded Teddy Floyd of Vero Beach, Florida, with a gold President’s Volunteer Service Award, a national honor offered in recognition of volunteer service.
Nominated for his long standing commitment to the community, Floyd currently serves as a Deputy Sheriff and Crime Prevention Practitioner with the Indian River Sheriff’s Office, where he has served his entire 25 year career in law enforcement. The award is a prestigious national honor given by the President of the United States. It honors individuals who have demonstrated a sustained commitment to volunteer service over the course of a year or lifetime.
Floyd has a long history of public service and has clocked several thousand hours of volunteer service on behalf of numerous organizations, including: Every Dream Has a Price, Habitat for Humanity, Shop with a Cop, Healthy Families-IRC, Teddy Claus for Rosewood Elementary, Treasure Coast Stampede of Vero Beach, the American Cancer Society, the United Way, March of Dimes, and the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranches.
In recognition of his community service, Floyd received a letter of commendation from President Obama. “Your volunteer service demonstrates the kind of commitment to your community that moves America a step closer to its great promise,” the letter said. Furthermore, “A change is brought about because ordinary people do extraordinary things.”
“Today’s award recipients have a long history of volunteerism and have dedicated several thousand hours of community service within Indian River County and on the Treasure Coast,” stated Vero Beach Mayor Dick Winger, in presenting the Presidential Volunteer Service Award to Floyd. “I’m proud to be part of this moment and especially proud of the volunteers who have made service to the community a central part of their lives.”
The President’s Volunteer Service Award was created in 2002 by the USA Freedom Corps. In devising such an award, every American was called upon to make a lifelong commitment to volunteer service. The award itself specifically recognizes individuals and families who have answered that call.
President George W. Bush created the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation in 2003 to help recognize the valuable contributions volunteers are making to our nation. The original council was chaired by two-time Super Bowl champion Darrell Green with former U.S. Senators Robert Dole and John Glenn served as honorary co-chairs. The Council included leaders from government, business, media, entertainment, education, and nonprofit, volunteer service and community organizations.
The President’s Volunteer Service Award is now an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service and is administered by Points of Light. With a shared mission of inspiring more to answer the call to service, the award is available on an annual basis to individuals, groups and families who have met or exceeded requirements for volunteer service and have demonstrated exemplary citizenship through volunteering.
“For me, volunteerism and giving back to the community in which I call home is important,” Floyd told South Florida Reporter. “It’s not about recognition, but providing for those less fortunate. Nonetheless, I’m proud to be recognized by President Obama for that commitment.”
The gold-level President’s Volunteer Service Award is the second highest award for volunteer service that an individual can aspire to achieve. Recipients of this prestigious award are role models for all Americans. Each volunteer hour contributed makes a difference in improving the quality of life for others while also encouraging others to volunteer. Through their commitment, Americans are brought closer together as families, as communities and as a nation.
