Siblings receive Service Gold Award

John and Kristen Smigielski have received the President's Volunteer Service Gold Award from the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation for their volunteer efforts in 2006.

The siblings conducted more than 100 hours of community service for The United States Marines, where they filled and delivered bushel baskets with food and a turkey for Thanksgiving meals for United States Marine families in need. They worked with children in the Amherst Youth Engaged in Service Program, where they made crafts at local libraries and after-school programs.

They also helped with Rep. Thomas Reynold's campaign mailing letters, the Clarence Food Pantry, Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Basset Park Manor and Scholastic Book Clubs Classrooms Care program.

In 2006, the duo also sent a box of gifts and supplies to a missionary family in Belgium, China and stuffed wrapped show boxes with presents and delivered them to needy children with Operation Christmas Child.