Every year VT Seva as a token of appreciation announces Presidential Service awards for the great work the volunteers do as during the year. We would like to introduce the winners from VT Seva Cary and a small intro in their own words.
Ms Srichandrika Changalvala
Active volunteer for the past 2 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Creativity and organization
Year-round volunteer
In Srichandrika's Own words - " I love the artistic side of VT Seva! Especially when we have our monthly meetings where we get to see our volunteers virtually and I get to make colorful presentations. I think the biggest way I impacted the community is through our card projects or something small like those activities. Although we aren’t able to donate thousands of dollars, we are able to give what matters most: gratitude and love! For 2021 I hope to work and plan more activities to involve out volunteers, especially as Covid-19 dies down."
Mr Ashrith Desu
Active volunteer for the past 3 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Leadership, communication, focus
Year-round volunteer
In Ashrith's Own words - "During my years with VT Seva, I have learned a lot about how our small help causes a greater impact on the community. So far, I have volunteered at many places, such as food banks, marathons, and even helped set up events online. I have learned to be grateful, determined, and hard-working from volunteering with VT Seva. Doing something small, like packaging food at food banks, will help many people in need get food and stay healthy. Setting up virtual events, such as Happy Hour, will help volunteers spend time with others and have a little fun during this time. Volunteering gave me the ability to serve the community, make new friends, and help people in many ways. In 2021, I wish to help many people around me and serve the community. "
Mr Thanuj Desu
Active volunteer for the past 3 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Graphic Design, Communication Skills and Writing Skills
Year-round volunteer
In Thanuj's Own words - "Over the past few years, I have worked on many projects with the VT Seva Cary Youth Board and all the other volunteers that work with VT Seva Cary. One of my favorite experiences from volunteering with VT Seva was the VT Seva Cary Summer Camp that was conducted last summer. In this camp, I was able to teach Scratch and Python to middle school and elementary school students. This camp helped me in multiple ways, from introducing me to teaching, improving my organization skills, and even helping me find a potential career path. For 2021, I hope to improve on my personal skills and volunteer in more events (hopefully in person). I want to try and have a larger role within VT Seva Cary, and I want to make a larger impact on my community."
Ms Neeraja Boppana
Active volunteer for the past 3 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Teaching , violinist
Year-round volunteer
In Neeraja's Own words - "I have had a wonderful time working with VT Seva and I have been able to give back to the community. I have been able to spend my time doing something that I will never regret and that will help a lot of people. I have been able to go to the food bank and package different types of food like fruit, veggies, and pasta to give to people who need it. I have also been able to do Adopt-A-Highway which is a program where you adopt a highway and you have to take care of it and clean it. I have been able to go to trash clean ups to make the environment cleaner and have less litter and pollution. Some of my goals of 2021 is to try to volunteer more than I did last year."
Ms.Dhriti Koneru
Active volunteer for the past 6 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Leadership and Compassion
Year-round volunteer
In Dhriti's Own words - "Everything that I experienced from Vt Seva helped me with other projects and opportunities that came along the way, being in this amazing group taught me leadership, compassion, and to always have determination. My goals for 2021 is to choose one big project and do it all year long."
Ms Manasvi Gudibandi
Active volunteer for the past 1.5 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Leadership and team work
Year-round volunteer
In Manasvi's Own words - "My experiences with VT Seva have been very eye opening and have changed me as a person. In 2020 I participated in teaching in a summer camp. I think that my services have impacted the community in a positive way. I believe that I have made a difference, even if it is a small one. My goals for 2021 are to work on new and innovative projects such as the toy drive I am participating in, and to help the community as much as possible."
Ms Rohitha sanka
Active volunteer for the past 8 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Communication, flexibility, persistence
Year-round volunteer
In Rohitha's Own words - "My services impacted the community by not only locally but throughout the world. When I first took up my bike riding project, I started reflecting. I realized that through the activities provided I could create myself an advantage of benefitting me as well as my community. From making food bags to plucking weed, VT Seva has taught me more than basic life skills. My goals not only consists of leading my fellow volunteers but to bring an emphasis of how volunteering can change ones life. I want to use the skills I learned to gather a diverse group of volunteers in 2021."
Ms Mahathi Mallela
Active volunteer for the past 2 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Leadership, Problem solving
Year-round volunteer
In Mahathi's Own words - "My experience and leadership significantly augmented while volunteering with VT Seva. Knowing that your service at events like the FS Series helped give nourishment and encouragement to the runners is enough to continue doing such events in the winter. Additionally, it is very beautiful when racers or the event organizers thank us for our efforts. Another event that gave me a few interpersonal skills would be the VT Seva Summer Booth-camp, where we tutored elementary and middle school children. I tutored Spanish for elementary and middle school children. It was an amazing experience to see how engaging and interested these children were to learn Spanish. Overall, the feedback from parents is enough to do such event again. I hope that in the 2021 year I am able to do such event again."
Ms Sribhaavita Nekkalapudi
Active volunteer for the past 10 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Social skills, Artistic skills, Drumming, Robotics, Graphic design
Year-round volunteer
In Sribhaavita's Own words - "VT Seva has always encouraged me to volunteer. I have been learning how to get creative and branch out in my volunteering activities. Last year, I took on the initiative of stitching over 150 masks for a local senior center near my home. Even though this was a small gesture, the staff and residents at the senior center were thankful as they were in short supply of masks at the time. This motivated me to keep doing more. In 2021, I have set a goal to take up a few volunteering initiatives that will help my community."
Ms Lakshmikrutica Annugu
Active volunteer for the past 3 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Organization, problem solving, teamwork, leadership skills
Year-round volunteer
In Lakshmikrutica's Own words - "I loved organizing at kramden. I also like sorting food at food banks. This year I would like to help contribute more time in helping the community. I would like to help more people through my volunteering."
Mr Srinivas Tirunagari
Active volunteer for the past 3 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Leadership,communication, time management
Year-round volunteer
In Srinivas's Own words - "For the past 2 years, we at VTSEVA did a lot. I am grateful to be apart of some of the things that we did. In the summer we did a summer camp virtually and it was a lot of fun. We got to spend our time with kids and they helped us with a better understanding of how to work with kids. In the food drive, we went to the house of the people who registered and we took food from them and gave it to the community and people who needed it. My goal for next year is to make a bigger impact in my community and aim to get the silver medal."
Mr Manaskrishna Annugu
Active volunteer for the past 5 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Being Flexible, Determination/Persistence and managing my time well.
Year-round volunteer
In ManasKrishna's Own words - " Through volunteering at Kramden I was able to fix and refurbish computers that were then given to those in need. When I was volunteering Adopt-A-Highway I was able to help make the community streets be clean and prevent materials from polluting the bodies of water in our community. With the Save Mother Earth project I was able to spread the awareness on climate change. When I was volunteering at food banks I was able to help those who were financially struggling and needed good food. One of my goals for 2021 is to be able to contribute more back into the community than what I had done in previous years. "
Ms Ishani Dasyam
Active volunteer for the past 2 years & raised awareness and funds for all the service of the organization.
Acquired skills: Collaboration and Writing Skills
Year-round volunteer
In Ishani's Own words - "I've had a lot of different experiences in VTSeva, there's a wide range of volunteering opportunities, so you get a different perspective and experience whatever you do. One of my favorite experiences over my years was cleaning and taking apart computers at Kramden. Kramden is an institute that collects and refurbishes computers, to award them to families with no computers in their homes. Due to the actions of us volunteers, we were able to help hundreds of families gain access to computers, and we will continue to do so. My goals for 2021 are to take more initiative in starting my own volunteering projects, and become more of a leader."
Congratulations to all the winners!!