President's Volunteer Service Award

In 2003, the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation founded the President’s Volunteer Service Award to recognize the important role of volunteers in America’s strength and national identity. This award honors individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires those around them to take action, too.

The PVSA has continued under each administration, honoring the volunteers who are using their time and talents to solve some of the toughest challenges facing our nation.

Led by the Corporation for National and Community Service and managed in partnership with Points of Light, this program allows Certifying Organizations to recognize their most exceptional volunteers.

Our Lebanon Optimist Club is proud to be a Certifying Organization for the President's Volunteer Service Award for volunteers who live in the City of Lebanon or Warren County.  A Certifying Organization is an organization that has been granted authority through an application and review process to give out the PVSA to volunteers. Certifying Organizations verify and certify that a volunteer has met the requirements to receive a PVSA within a 12 month period specified by the Certifying Organization. Only Certifying Organizations can certify volunteers’ eligibility for the PVSA and order awards.  

Our Lebanon Optimist Club is proud to recognize young people of Lebanon and Warren County for service to our community and our world. We award hours given when the recipient did not receive something else of value. If the person requesting an award has received something of value for the time given (i.e. job shadowing for a future career, Girl Scout Gold awards, Boy Scout Eagle projects, etc.), we believe those hours cannot be included for us to certify a President's Award For Volunteer Service. We prefer that young people apply for the award themselves rather than a parent applying on behalf of his/her child. Additionally:  

Recipients Requirements:

• Must be a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States (i.e., green card holder)
• Must be at least five years old
• Must complete eligible service within a 12-month period (for annual Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards) and over a lifetime (for Lifetime Achievement Awards)

Eligible Service:

• Unpaid acts of volunteer service benefiting others
  • Service through National service programs that provide a stipend (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) may count towards the Lifetime Achievement Award*, but not for the annual Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards)
  • Travel stipends, transit/parking passes, membership passes, expense reimbursements, and other nominal volunteer support do not impact service eligibility

Eligible Service does not include:

• Donating funds
• Political lobbying (Non-partisan voter registration is an eligible activity)
• Religious instruction
• Conducting worship service
• Proselytizing
• Volunteer service performed as part of court-ordered community service
• Serving only family members

Hours Required to Earn Awards in Each Age Group

Kids (5–10 years old) 

Bronze 26–49 hours

Silver    50–74 hours

Gold     75+ hours

Teens (11–15 years old)

Bronze  50–74 hours

Silver     75–99 hours

Gold      100+ hours

Young Adults (16–25 years old)

Bronze  100–174 hours

Silver     175–249 hours

Gold       250+ hours

Adults (26+ years old)

Bronze   100–249 hours

Silver      250–499 hours

Gold       500+ hours

The Lebanon Optimist Club is honored to award qualified recipients the President's Volunteer Service Award.  To certify an applicant for the award, we will require you to submit documentation of your service hours. 

This documentation must include a log of your service hours containing dates worked, organization(s) served, and description of the service(s) performed. In addition, we require a letter of recommendation from a representative of the organization(s) for which service is performed. Photos of your work if available are appreciated.

Please include a cover letter stating your name, contact information, and the award level for which you are applying. 

Send your application package to the Lebanon Optimist Club by U.S. Mail or email your documentation and cover letter to us. 

Lebanon Optimist Club

Attn: President's Service Award

P.O. Box 778

Lebanon, Ohio  45036

email: lebanonoptimist@gmail.com 

The Lebanon Optimist Club awarded Jacob Webb the President’s Volunteer Service Award. From the period of June 15, 2019 until May 15, 2020, the Optimists certified that Jacob completed 109 hours of service to the Lebanon community. 

In 2021, the Lebanon Optimist Club certified that William Smith donated over 500 hours to serving the youth of the East Ridge Metropolitan Housing Village. Will was awarded the Gold Level recognition of his service. 

In 2023, the Lebanon Optimist Club certified that both Scott and Tammy Webb each qualified for the Gold Level of the President's Volunteer Service Award. There award was presented by our first recipient, their son Jacob Webb.

Anika has been a girl scout for eight years. She completed her Girl Scout Silver Award two years ago and is currently working on her Gold award. The Girl Scout Gold award is equivalent to the Eagle Scout rank awarded by the Boy Scouts of America. In addition to Girl Scouts, Anika volunteers for other organizations such as Water With Blessings, Youth Council for Suicide Prevention, The Red Cross, Matthew 25 Ministries, and Tikkun Farm. She is passionate about helping others and making a difference in the world.