Feb 13, 2020

New Addition to VIP: The Volunteer Medal Program

By Claire Kelley - USEA Staff
Volunteers at the Plantation Field International Event. USEA/Jessica Duffy Photo.

The USEA Volunteer Committee is pleased to announce a new Volunteer Medal Program has been added to the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program presented by Sunsprite Warmbloods (VIP) starting this year. The Volunteer Medal Program will recognize the volunteers who consistently volunteer year after year. Hours earned are cumulative over a lifetime of volunteer service. Only volunteer hours logged and tallied via eventingvolunteers.com will be counted towards the medal program.

To earn a bronze medal, volunteers must record 500 volunteer hours and will be awarded an embroidered polo shirt, pin, and certificate. To earn a silver medal, volunteers must record 1,000 volunteer hours and will be awarded an embroidered vest, pin, and certificate. To earn a gold medal, volunteers must record 2,000 volunteer hours and will be awarded an embroidered jacket, pin, and certificate.

Awards will be distributed in December of each year. The Volunteer Medal Program leaderboard is available on eventingvolunteers.com.

Volunteers who have already earned a bronze medal include Michael Smallwood with 701 hours and 27 minutes, Diane Bird with 669 hours and 43 minutes, Paige Ervin with 621 hours and 22 minutes, and Art Bird with 556 hours and 9 minutes. These hours have accumulated since December 1, 2016.

Thank you to all the hardworking volunteers who keep the sport of eventing alive!

For more information on the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program, please click here.

About the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program

Volunteers are the lifeblood of our sport, the unsung heroes, and the people who make it possible to keep the sport alive. In efforts to recognize the dedication, commitment, and hard work that volunteers put into eventing, USEA formed the Volunteer Incentive Program (VIP) in 2015. In 2017, an online management portal was designed for volunteers, organizers, and volunteer coordinators at EventingVolunteers.com (available as an app for iOS and Android).

Volunteer incentives include national and area recognition, year-end awards with ribbons, cash prizes, and trophies, a top ten USEA Volunteer leaderboard, and a Volunteer of the Year award which is given to the volunteer who tops the leaderboard by accumulating the most volunteer hours over the USEA competition year. Click here to learn more about the USEA Volunteer Incentive Program.

The USEA would like to thank Sunsprite Warmbloods for sponsoring the Volunteer Incentive Program

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