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Speaking of Service - Words from members who received a 2008 Volunteer Excellence Award.
by Donna Mulder
 "I have been involved in community service all of my life, and I very much enjoy helping other people. Thrivent Financial lets me do that."
Bill Manth
Hometown: North Tonawanda, New York
Church: St. Paul Lutheran, North Tonawanda
Award Category: Adults-Singles, Couples, Empty-Nesters
Bill serves as vice president of the Niagara Falls Chapter of Thrivent Financial and is active in his church and community. Among other activities, he helped raise more than $10,000 for Mercy Flight and served as a volunteer firefighter for Gratwick Hose Fire Company for more than 40 years. He currently serves as deputy director of the emergency management and response team for North Tonawanda, which is part job but primarily volunteer.
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 "Thrivent Financial has given us opportunities to go and make a difference. I don't know of any other group that makes things like this possible for people."
Marie Waltermire
Hometown: Rockwood, Pennsylvania
Church: Messiah Lutheran, Centerville, Pennsylvania
Award Category: Retired
Marie's work with the Somerset County Chapter and her involvement with the Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity® program demonstrate her passion for caring. Whether she's building homes in Biloxi, Mississippi, Costa Rica or Mexico; coordinating a potato planting and harvest for local food banks or serving in numerous ways at her church, Marie is an inspiration to those who work alongside her.
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 "We all can wait for the most convenient time to serve others, but until you actually do it, you won't realize the difference you can make."
Matt Wilhelm
Hometown: Manchester, New Hampshire
Church: Holy Trinity Lutheran, Newington, New Hampshire
Award Category: Youth/Young Adult
Matt is passionate about getting youth involved in projects. He was an avid participant in and volunteer recruiter for a Thrivent Builds project in Vermont, and he worked with his New Hampshire Chapter and City Year New Hampshire on a project uniting more than 2,000 volunteers in the U.S. and South Africa. He founded Concert Corps, teaches Sunday school and hosts social gatherings and trips.
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 "If we can't volunteer as a family, we don't. When you involve kids in volunteering, they feel part of it and want to make a difference, too."
The Bartels: Donald, Cheryl, Sondra, Donny, Dena and Mary
Hometown: North Branch, Michigan
Church: New Life in Christ Lutheran, North Branch
Award Category: Families With Children
As members of the Lapeer County Chapter, the Bartels are committed to giving back. Each of the children strives to volunteer 100 hours a year for church and community efforts. Their activities include assembling more than 6,000 school-supply kits, walking to raise funds for shunt research, helping at Vacation Bible School and providing keepsakes for patients at Children's Hospital in Detroit. Parents Donald and Cheryl also help their church and community in many ways.
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 Additional Award Recipients
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans financial representatives and corporate employees contribute to their local communities through a variety of volunteer activities. Four financial representatives and four corporate employees have been recognized this year with Volunteer Excellence Awards.
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