| The Jefferson Awards For Public Service |
| Sam Beard, Charlene, Scott at the 2008 Jefferson Awards Ceremony.. Washington, DC |
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| Sam Beard, Charelene, and Scott in Washington, DC at the US Senate Office Building where Charlene received her Jefferson Award |
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Charlene and Scott are Proud to Serve on the National Board of Selectors of the Jefferson Awards for Public Service.
About the Jefferson Awards. The prestigious Jefferson Awards for Public Service was founded in 1972 by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr., and Sam Beard to establish a Nobel Prize for public and community service. The Jefferson Awards is all about public and community service and encouraging and recognizing America's best at the national and local level. Visit www.jeffersonawards.org.
Charlene and Scott are members of the National Board of Selectors and founding members of the Chicago Board. They are active in the Jefferson Awards Youth Service Initiative (a leadership training program to increase volunteering in American High Schools and to train our nation's future leaders to be ethical decision makers) and Students In Action - Celebrate Service (a landmark, student-led effort to reduce obesity and promote public service, proper diet, and exercise in school children). Visit www.studentsinaction.org. Charlene also is leading the Jefferson Award Winners Service Alum efforts.
Charlene is a 2008 Jefferson Award winner. As NBC 5 Chicago reported: "Charlene helped start the Lymphoma Research Foundation's first local chapter outside New York.... The Cardinal event to catch on elsewhere has been the Lymphomathon, a 5K walk-run Charlene spear headed in 2003. What began as 400 people at Montrose Harbor has turned into an annual event in 16 cities. Charlene is devoted to helping patients and families with health problems.... Her activities and efforts in organizing charitable organizations, educational events, and fundraisers have had a tremendous impact of the lives of countless patients and families living with Cancer in the Chicago land area and on a national basis." Former Corporate Executive-Turned-Cancer Champion Fights For Cure
Charlene and Scott were so impressed with the Jefferson Awards, the magnificent work of volunteers across the country, and Jefferson Awards co-founder Sam Beard that they became active in the organization.
The Jefferson Awards are pleased to have Charlene and Scott involved. Accordingly to Jefferson Awards Co-Founder and President Sam Beard. "Charlene and Scott are terrific. They are accomplished professionals who have a tremendous sense of community. They have an appreciation for the tradition of the Jefferson Awards and the spirit to help us move forward with our mission and programming."
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In 1972, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft, Jr. & Sam Beard founded the Jefferson Awards For Public Service to establish a “Nobel Prize” for public and community service. National Jefferson Award recipients represent a “Who’s Who” of outstanding Americans. On the local level, Jefferson Awards recipients are ordinary people doing extraordinary things without the expectation of recognition. Jefferson Champion Awards are presented through our corporate partners to recognize extraordinary volunteer efforts of their employees. Last year, the Jefferson Awards and All Stars Helping Kids have partnered to create a national program to recognize professional athletes for their philanthropy and service.
Jefferson Awards National Board of Selectors, include: Hank Aaron, Douglas C. Adams, Norm Asbjornson, George L. Ball, Susan H. Ball, Corbin Bernsen, Hon. Julian Bond, William Burleigh, Ellen Burstyn, Laura W. Bush, Lee Ault Carter, Deanna Castellini, Hon. Max Cleland, Chris Collinsworth, Tatiana B. Copeland, Myra Janco Daniels, Thomas A. Daschle, Katherine C. DeWitt, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Albert R. Dowden, Ben du Pont, Rae Forker Evans, Hon. William H. First, M.D., Whoopi Goldberg, Earl Graves, Sr., Paula M. Grigsby, Roger Horchow, Teresa Heinz Kerry, Dr. Mary King, Thomas B. King, Janet Lang, Alex Lòpez-Negrete, Hon. Trent Lott, Hon. Richard Lugar, Brent Magid, Paul Maslansky, Peter Max, Jewell Jackson McCabe, Hon. Mitch McConnell, Scott McClelland, Adam Meyerson, Hon. Harry Reid, Hon. Joseph P. Riley, Jr., Mario Rodriguez, Elliott Roosevelt, III, Jack Russi, Robert Sakowitz, Charlene and Scott Seaman, Neil Simon, Dr. Jane Smith, Lesley Stahl, Mrs. Potter Stewart, George Strawbridge, Jr., Jacob V. Stuart, Robert D. Stuart, Jr., Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr., Chris Wallace, Hon. Harris Wofford
President - Sam Beard
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| Scott and Charlene at the 2010 Jefferson Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC. |
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| Scott and Charlene at the 2009 Jefferson Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC. |
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| Charlene saying" Happy Birthday to Sam Beard" |
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| Scott and Charlene |
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| The Prestigous Jefferson Awards are the Nobel Prize for public and community service. |
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| Charlene, Scott, and Warner Saunders of NBC 5 at the Chicago Jefferson Awards Ceremony |
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On the left, Charlene, Scott, and NBC 5 Chicago's Warner Saunders co-chair 2008 Celebrate Chicago.
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"I am very proud of Charlene and her wonderful work. She has helped so many people with lymphoma and many other forms of cancer. As I have said, she is my angel, but I am happy to share her with others. Charlene is a worthy Jefferson Award winner. We were so impressed with the Jefferson Awards that Charlene has now taken on additional worthwhile causes through the Jefferson Awards, including training our nation's future leaders and working on reducing obesity in children." Scott
"It is very humbling to receive a Jefferson Award because of the prestige of the organization, but also because of all of the terrific things that people across the country are doing. It serves only to strengthen my resolve to cure cancer." Charlene
You can see the story Art Norman, Allison Rosati, and Warner Saunders did on Charlene by clicking on the icon to the right.
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News Story On Charlene's 2008 Jefferson Award |
Click on the icon to the right to Meet the 2008 Jefferson Award Winners from NBC 5 Chicago. Congratulations to all of the Jefferson Award winners!
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| Scott and Peggy Kusinski |
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Document Library
| Name | Description |
 | Obama Letter | Letter From President (then Senator) Obama Congratulating Charlene On Her Jefferson Award |
| Report to US Senate & White House | Charlene and Scott were part of the delegation to present a report on the state of volunteering in America. |
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| Scott and Charlene at the 2008 Jefferson Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC |
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The "Youth Service Leadership" web page contains information on the Jefferson Awards "Youth Service Initiative" providing training and opportunities for students.
The "Students In Action Health" web page contains information on the Jefferson Awards "Students In Action -- Celebrate Service" program that promotes service, citizenship, healthy diet, and physical exercise in students.
The "Jefferson Awards Chicago" web page contains information on Jefferson awards activities and events in the Chicagoland area.
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| Charlene speaking at the 2009 Jefferson Awards Ceremony in Washington, DC |
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