STAB freshman Lucia Hoerr was recently honored with a gold level President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) as a result of hundreds of hours of community service dedicated to helping local children. The Gold level distinction was awarded in recognition of more than 100 hours of volunteerism in the previous twelve months.
Hoerr is the founder of Backpack Buddies, now a 501(c)3 nonprofit that began in 2010 when she was a fourth grade student at St. Anne’s-Belfield School. The organization fills new backpacks with school supplies for children who may not otherwise start the school year well-prepared. Since then she and two very dedicated helpers, Gillian Borton ’18 and Max Foulk ‘19, have worked with friends, teachers, and other volunteers to distribute more than 600 backpacks in Central Virginia.
“This upcoming summer will mark our sixth year of fundraising,” said Hoerr. “So our goal is to fill 300 backpacks by August.”
The PVSA is the country’s premier volunteer awards program. It began in 2003 as a way to honor those who engage in volunteer service. It continues today as a program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, and is administered by Points of Light, the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service.
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