Sharlene Edwards Named 'National Adult Volunteer of the Year' with the Young Marines

The Young Marines youth organization has named Sharlene Edwards, of Hampton, the “National Adult Volunteer of the Year” at the annual Adult Leaders Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Edwards is the Paymaster of the Natchaug River Young Marines from Division 1 located in Killingly, Connecticut.

“I am so appreciative of this recognition,” Edwards said. “I was very surprised and humbled. This program - the Young Marines - is second to none.”

The Young Marines organization is divided into six divisions across the United States. Each Young Marine unit is led and guided by adult volunteers, some of whom have had careers in the military. There are nearly 3,000 active and registered adult volunteers with The Young Marines.

Annually, one adult volunteer is selected from each division. From these six winners, one – Sharlene Edwards - was named the official “National Adult Volunteer of the Year.”

Other division winners are:

• Division 2 – Rob Willis, Southern Maryland YM, Chesapeake Beach, Maryland
• Division 3 – Jerry Foy, Davidson County YM, Thomasville, North Carolina
• Division 4 – Joe McDonough, Pueblo YM, Pueblo West, Colorado
  
• Division 5 – Richard Kamnetz, Southeast Wisconsin YM, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Division 6 – Tisha Feemster, Eastern Mountain YM, Pinetop, Arizona

“What more could you ask of a volunteer than Sharlene’s dedication?” said Mike Kessler, national executive director and CEO of the Young Marines. “She is the quintessential volunteer who truly enjoys watching her Young Marines grow into responsible citizens through the hundreds of community service hours they perform annually. She is event driven and action oriented, and it truly reflects the caliber of volunteer we hope to have leading our Young Marines.”

“The Young Marines make life-long connections through their participation in the organization,” Edwards said. “I’ve seen it time and again. I remember one girl almost hiding behind her mother’s skirts when she first joined. Today, this young lady is part of our leadership team. I am privileged to provide guidance to these young people, and it’s spectacular to see kids literally blossom.”

The Young Marines is a national non-profit 501c(3) youth education and service program for boys and girls, age eight through the completion of high school. The Young Marines promotes the mental, moral and physical development of its members. The program focuses on teaching the values of leadership, teamwork and self-discipline, so its members can live and promote a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

Since the Young Marines’ humble beginnings in 1959 with one unit and a handful of boys, the organization has grown to over 300 units with 11,000 youth and 3,000 adult volunteers in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Germany, Japan and affiliates in a host of other countries.

For more information, visit the official website at: http://www.YoungMarines.com.