NOMINATE DELAWARE'S OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEERS BY AUG. 20

NEW CASTLE (Aug. 1, 2012) - The Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Awards is a chance to recognize Delawareans who contribute so much in service to the state.

If you know an outstanding individual volunteer or volunteer group, the State Office of Volunteerism is accepting nominations through Aug. 20.

The nomination form is available on www.volunteerdelaware.org. To be eligible:

• Service must be performed in Delaware and the nominee cannot receive employment compensation.
• Nominees must be 18 years of age or older and out of high school.
• Nominees may not nominate themselves or be nominated by a family member.
• Previous Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award winners, individual or group, are not eligible for three years. State Office of Volunteerism staff and commissioners are not eligible.
• Nominees must have been active within the previous 12 months. Nominators should also include information about long-term volunteer efforts.
• Service may not be limited to partisan political involvement or religious activities, or solely for the benefit of an organization's own membership.
• Individual nominees must have volunteered a minimum of 100 hours and groups 250 hours.

More than 148,000 Delawareans volunteered in 2010, contributing 16.9 million hours of service to nonprofit and community organizations in 2010, according to the Corporation for National & Community Service. Another 41,000 Delawareans volunteered informally helping neighbors or working on community issues.

To find volunteer opportunities or to post the need for volunteer assistance, go to www.volunteerdelaware.org.

Judging for the Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Awards will take place in September and winners will be notified soon after that. The awards ceremony will be Oct. 25 in Dover.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.