West Virginia UPS Driver Earns Global Community Service Honor.Business Editors ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 12, 2004 When a flooded creek left elderly residents of Beards Fork, W.Va., in need of a quick evacuation several years ago, Tony Newkirk stepped in immediately. A 20-year Beards Fork resident and UPS feeder driver known for his ongoing service to the community, Newkirk organized a team that used off-road vehicles and wheelchairs to guide elderly residents out of town, across a train trestle and into shelter. If anything, his commitment to selfless service Selfless Service is a commonly used term to denote a service which is performed without any expectation of result or award for the person performing it. It is also sometimes used to denote a service performed with no apparent 'earthly' result, but which may accrue results in a to Beards Fork has only grown. To local residents, Newkirk is a hero and friend as well as mentor and teacher to troubled youth. In recognition of his commitment to strengthening his community, UPS recently awarded Newkirk the prestigious Jim Casey Community Service Award. The award is named after Jim Casey, founder of UPS, and is given annually to one UPS employee around the world who exemplifies outstanding service to the community. Newkirk was selected following a search for the top volunteer among thousands of UPS employees. "There are so many people in our community who need assistance and have no one to visit them or attend to their needs," said Newkirk. "Helping people, seeing their smiles and building relationships is what motivates me." In addition to his work with local residents, four years ago Newkirk began working with the Southern Appalachian Labor School (SALS), an organization devoted to helping economically challenged communities formerly supported by the coal mining industry. Through the SALS program, Newkirk helps to rehabilitate re·ha·bil·i·tate v. 1. To restore to good health or useful life, as through therapy and education. 2. To restore to good condition, operation, or capacity. homes for low-income families. "Tony is helping to significantly impact the lives of Beards Fork residents," said Evern Cooper, president of The UPS Foundation and vice president of UPS's corporate relations initiatives. "His willingness to support the less fortunate and generously give of himself is an example for each of us to follow. We commend Tony for exemplifying the spirit of volunteerism at UPS." Through his work with SALS, Newkirk plays an active role in "Youth Built," a program that offers high-school dropouts a stipend sti·pend n. A fixed and regular payment, such as a salary for services rendered or an allowance. [Middle English stipendie, from Old French, from Latin st to rebuild homes while they attend GED GED abbr. 1. general equivalency diploma 2. general educational development GED (US) n abbr (Scol) (= general educational development) → classes. Working side-by-side with youth on numerous building projects opened Tony's eyes to issues with which they struggle every day - drug use, continuing education continuing education: see adult education. continuing education or adult education Any form of learning provided for adults. In the U.S. the University of Wisconsin was the first academic institution to offer such programs (1904). , family planning family planning Use of measures designed to regulate the number and spacing of children within a family, largely to curb population growth and ensure each family’s access to limited resources. and literacy. "Tony's value to this community is priceless because what he does, he does from the heart," said Kathryn South, director of Youth Built. "He doesn't expect anything in return. That is priceless to our organization and to the teens we serve." UPS is an integral component of Newkirk's outreach. As a feeder driver for the company, Newkirk has elected to maintain a work schedule that allows him to be available during the day for his various community service projects. UPS supports the efforts of employees who commit their time to volunteer activities. More than 30,000 UPS employees volunteer each year through Neighbor to Neighbor, the company's corporate volunteer program. UPS began the Jim Casey Community Service Award in 1995 to further recognize an employee who has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to helping others. The company employs 357,000 around the world. UPS, which has built one of the world's best known brands, operates in more than 200 countries and territories around the world and has been widely recognized for its expanding role in enabling commerce by synchronizing synchronizing, n a technique that a therapist uses to coordinate his or her breath with that of the client; builds trust and establishes relationship. goods, information and funds. UPS stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) World's largest marketplace for securities. The exchange began as an informal meeting of 24 men in 1792 on what is now Wall Street in New York City. (UPS), and the company can be found on the Web at UPS.com. Please visit community.ups.com for more information about UPS's community involvement. Editor's Note Editor's Note (foaled in 1993 in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare, Beware Of The Cat. Trained by D. : Interviews with Tony Newkirk can be arranged by calling UPS Public Relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most at 404-828-7123. Photos of Newkirk also are available. |
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