AFS Announces Jerene Thomas Winner of Highest International Volunteer Commendation.

GREAT FALLS, Va. -- Jerene Thomas, of Great Falls, VA, has been selected by AFS Intercultural Programs as the winner of The Galatti Award, the most prestigious commendation an AFS Volunteer can receive. This is the second consecutive year an AFS Volunteer from the United States has received this international recognition. Established in 1983, The Galatti Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service honors AFS Volunteers whose commitment and dedication have demonstrated the spirit of grassroots community action and advanced the mission of AFS. AFS (formerly the American Field Service) is a worldwide nonprofit organization that has been leading international high school student exchange for more than 55 years.

Mrs. Thomas has been volunteering with AFS-USA for 45 years in every aspect of the organization, leading AFS efforts in the state of Virginia for the past 15 years. She has hosted many international high school exchange students while raising five of her own children, and participated in nearly every volunteer role of the organization, from chapter president to coordinator of orientation sessions for arriving and departing students.

Upon learning she was the recipient of The Galatti Award, Jerene Thomas said, "This award has special significance because I had the pleasure of working with Stephen Galatti in the early days of AFS. I am proud to continue his work for international peace and understanding and to receive the award named in his honor. I am thrilled to be chosen from among so many wonderful volunteers who believe in AFS. Being part of the lives of so many outstanding students, families, and volunteers around the world is something I continue to love."

"Stephen Galatti understood the success of AFS depended on committed volunteers, and Jerene Thomas is a shining example. She has dedicated her life to AFS and its mission of peace, asking nothing in return but the students' excitement and happiness with their exchange experience," said Alex J. Plinio, President of AFS-USA. "Jerene serves as an inspiration to her fellow volunteers and the organization."

AFS' volunteer-run programs are rooted in the vision of founder Stephen Galatti who built and transformed AFS from a volunteer ambulance service that served during both World Wars into a global network of partner organizations that today provides intercultural experiences to almost 11,000 students each year in the name of peace. Although he was the driving force of AFS, Galatti relied heavily on the corps of volunteers he developed over the years. Because of Galatti's foresight and commitment to community service, AFS today continues to value its volunteers and recognize them as the lifeblood of AFS programs.

This year, three AFS Volunteers received The Galatti Award. In addition to Mrs. Thomas, the other recipients are Di Yan of China and Traudle Sturmer of Germany.

AFS-USA works toward a more just and peaceful world by providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals, families, schools, and communities through a global volunteer partnership. For more information about AFS programs abroad, hosting an outstanding student or teacher from another country, or volunteering in your local community with AFS, please call 1-800-AFS-INFO or visit www.afs.org/usa.

For more than 55 years, AFS Intercultural Programs has been leading international high school student exchange. AFS was founded by volunteer American Field Service ambulance drivers from World Wars I and II who believed--as AFS believes today--that the way to build a more just and peaceful world begins when people from different countries meet, learn about each other, and begin to understand each other. AFS is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and is largely a volunteer-driven organization, with 8,000 U.S. volunteers and 100,000 worldwide.