FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 12, 2000 CONTACT: Lisa Lacher, (515) 271-3119 DRAKE HEAD START TO PRESENT AWARDS FRIDAY Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack will be the keynote speaker Friday, April 14, at the second annual Drake University Head Start Awards Presentation. More than 30 individuals and organizations will be recognized for their contributions to the six-county Drake Head Start program. The awards ceremony will start at 8:30 a.m. Friday in Parents Hall at Olmsted Center, 29th Street and University Avenue. "Our Head Start program has enjoyed a long history of strong parent and community involvement that paired with an exceptional staff results in a quality program," said Georgia Sheriff, Drake Head Start director. "This event gives us an opportunity to recognize staff and parents as strong cornerstones of our program as well as thank our community volunteers and contributors." Vilsack will join Drake University President David Maxwell in presenting three Human Service Awards to individuals and organizations nominated by Drake Head Start staff and parents. These top three awards will go to: * St. Augustin Church in Des Moines, which for the past two years has used its Social Action Fund to provide Head Start families in need with assistance with car repairs, rent payments, cab fare, food, medicine and other necessities. St. Augustin parish members also have provided home furnishings, kitchen items, clothing, beds and bedding. In addition, they have transported families to jobs and to appointments as well as provided legal services. Accepting the award will be Margaret Emsweller and Monsignor Frank Bognanno, who have inspired other parish members to not only provide financial donations, but to become personally involved with Head Start families as mentors. * Shirley De Jong of Knoxville, Iowa, for her three years of volunteer work at the Drake Head Start Center in Knoxville. The staff and the children of Knoxville rely upon Shirley to be in the classroom despite rain, sleet or snow. She shows love and compassion for all of the children is never judgmental and is a positive force in the classroom. She is noted for her fresh ideas, a willingness to help, and a heart of gold. Her colleagues agree that "Miss Shirley" exemplifies all of the things that a volunteer should be. * James Pollard, a dentist in Boone, Iowa, for providing provided free dental examinations for more than 200 Head Start children during the last 12 years. Dr. Pollard's willingness to provide free dental services has enabled hundreds of children to participate in the Drake Head Start program, which requires dental exams for participants. During the last five years, Dr. Pollard has designated every Wednesday as a day for seeing Head Start children. Drake Head Start is a comprehensive educational, health and social services program for low-income children from birth through age 5 and their families. Approximately 900 children are served by Drake Head Start at 30 centers in six central Iowa counties. A federally funded program, Drake Head Start is required by the federal government to have 25 percent of its budget come from local "in-kind" contributions. This "in-kind" match includes parent and community volunteer hours as well as donations of space, materials and resources.