Local Volunteer to Receive Honors from Board of Supervisors

(Mission Viejo) – Zachary Mikelson of Mission Viejo is one of 40 honorees who will be honored April 21 by the Orange County Board of Supervisors for their outstanding volunteer achievements in 2005.

More than 25,400 volunteers contributed one million hours of service valued at $23 million in avoided costs for County government in 2005. The Board of Supervisors will pay tribute to these achievements at the tenth annual Countywide volunteer recognition ceremony on Friday, April 21.
The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the Board Hearing Room of the Hall of Administration (HOA), 10 Civic Center Plaza in Santa Ana. A reception will precede the ceremony at 7:45 a.m.

“We are extremely fortunate to have dedicated volunteers who are willing to give so selflessly of their time in order to serve our community,” said County Executive Officer Thomas G. Mauk. “They are a vital resource in improving County services and programs.”
Each of forty honorees has made a valuable contribution that tells a distinct story about their experience including Zachary Mikelson who highlights the volunteer spirit.

A recent graduate from the University of California, Irvine, Zachary joined the Health Promotion Division, Bioterrorism Preparedness Program as a health education intern in July 2005 and has contributed more than 225 volunteer hours working on the Special Populations Needs Assessment for emergency planning. Zachary’s enthusiasm and dedication to the project were evident in his work and the fact that he extended his internship beyond the required timeframe.

According to Zachary, “Sometimes the volunteer experience is worth more than the pay when it comes to personal and professional development. I know that my time with the County has benefited my coworkers, our community and myself.”
Photo opportunities will immediately follow the event. More information on the County’s volunteer recognition ceremony, directions to the HOA and parking instructions are available online at http://www.ocgov.com/hr/volunteer/volunteerrecognition06.asp. You may access County agencies and departments online at www.ocgov.com.

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