by Anthony Glassman

Cincinnati--AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati held its annual meeting on July 31, honoring volunteers and community members with a slate of awards for their dedication to combating the AIDS epidemic and helping people living with the disease.

Estelle McNair won the Tom Zeitz Memorial Award for Volunteer of the Year, and AVOC community investment coordinator Barbara Levine was only too happy to explain why.

?Estelle has been a volunteer contributing approximately 40 hours per week,? said Levine. ?She has provided us many print pieces and is willing to help out with anything the office and agency may need.?

?She has recently taken a full-time position with Haircuts from the Heart and we miss her very much,? Levine continued. ?She is still volunteering with us, just not 40 hours a week.?

At the same event, the Corporate Award was given to Prospect House, a recovery community that provides volunteer services to AVOC.

?They provide us manpower every year at the Red Ribbon Walk for AIDS and they also assist us with our mission of providing prevention education throughout the community,? Levine explained.

Janalyn Glascock, a member of the board of directors, took the Chairman?s Award, a few years after receiving the Tom Zeitz Award.

?She has provided more graphic design work than we could even think about purchasing,? Levine laughed. ?She is also willing to help with anything that is ever needed.?

Matt Vant, described by Levine as a ?strong champion for the prevention education department and volunteer teams,? was given the Education Volunteer Award for his work.

?He has taken it upon himself in many ways to sell AVOC?s message to everyone, specifically the gay community,? she noted.

Finally, Georgine Getty, executive director of the Coalition for the Homeless, was given the CEO?s Award.

?Vickie Brooks, AVOC?s CEO, chose Georgine because of her commitment to all service agencies serving the homeless,? Levine said. ?HIV/AIDS is not Georgine?s main mission, but she is aware and is a great champion of the cause.?

For more information about AVOC and its services, call 513-421-2437 or go to www.avoc.org.