The Jacksonville Bar Association Board of Governors has started a new initiative to recognize Jacksonville lawyers making a difference in our community by volunteering their time and resources. In doing so, we hope to show appreciation to those attorneys for their efforts, inspire others to follow in their footsteps, and remind the public of the many positive contributions our profession provides to our community. With that in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those individuals who participated in the 2008 Holiday Project and helped to make it such a success.
Initially, I would like to thank the following JBA members who volunteered to serve on the committee and helped find sponsors to buy gifts for approximately 500 elderly and homebound individuals participating in the local Meals on Wheels Program: Michael Bowlus, Jared Dolan, Megan Harper, John Hock, Jamie Ibrahim, Michael Kendall, Lee Lockett, Carrington Mead, Kevin Moore, Maureen Murray, Ashley Meyers, Tara Newberry, Tashia Small, Joshua Soileau, Colleen White, Vanessa Zamora and Jonathan Zisser.
Of course, the project would not have been possible without the outstanding response from the many Jacksonville attorneys and staff members who took time out of their busy schedules to contact the individual Meals of Wheels participants, purchase gifts for them and often personally hand deliver those gifts to the recipient’s home (thanks also to the members of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office who also volunteered to deliver gifts). I am happy to report a complete list of all the attorneys and staff members that volunteered for the project would be far too long to include in this column, but here are just a few examples of the many attorneys in our area that made the project such a success.
Christian George, a local attorney and UF graduate, had the opportunity to meet a fellow Gator fan when he volunteered this year. Christian sponsored a gentleman suffering from vision impairment, so he bought him a CD player to listen to books and music and personally delivered it to his home. Christian learned the gentleman was also an avid Gator fan, so he made sure to also bring him a new Gator hat to wear while cheering on his team.
Attorney Craig Gibbs has participated in the project six years, and he has made it one of his annual traditions. This year he delivered gifts to a 92 year old woman and her grandson. The woman’s face literally lit up with joy when he arrived at her home with a large fruit basket and gift. Craig told me the expense and minimal effort he had to put forth to volunteer for the project was repaid ten fold by the joy and satisfaction he received by helping this wonderful woman.
Attorney Allison Hauser has participated in the project since 1999 and served as the committee chair in 2000. She delivered her gifts this year with the help of a college friend who was visiting from Boston for the Holidays. Her friend was astonished the recipients were so welcoming of strangers in their homes. Allison explained the openness of recipients to members of the Bar is a direct result of the longevity of the JBA Holiday Project and its association with the Cathedral Foundation and the Meals on Wheels program.
I would also like to express my appreciation to the students and faculty at Florida Coastal School of Law that volunteered in large numbers to participate in the project. Kirsten Clement, an attorney and legal writing professor, volunteered her time to serve as the liaison for the school and helped to coordinate the student and faculty volunteers. It was truly inspiring to see so many of these future attorneys embracing the service portion of our profession so early in their legal careers. I had a chance to speak to Sandra Rosendale, a third year law student, who has participated in the project for two years. She and her roommate, Tabitha Fishgrab, delivered gifts this year to an elderly married couple. The husband and wife were so appreciative that they invited Sandra and Tabitha in their home to visit for over two hours. The couple still keeps in touch with Sandra and Tabitha, and they hope to attend their upcoming law school graduation ceremony.
To the many other law firms, attorneys, students, and staff members that participated in the project, please accept our sincere appreciation for your great work.