Clown Program Among Recent ‘Points of Light’ Winners

Following are the people and organizations that have most recently been named to receive President Clinton’s Daily Points of Light Award.

The awards, which are given to those who have done exemplary volunteer work, take their name from President Bush’s description of people who do community service as “points of light.” Some 1,020 people received the honor when Mr. Bush was in office.

The Points of Light Foundation, a Washington charity, assists the President in making the choices and carrying out the award program. More information about the award winners and the program is available at the foundation’s World-Wide Web site, http://pointsoflight.org, or by contacting the foundation at 1400 I Street, N.W., Suite 800, Washington 20005; (202) 729-8184.

The recipients:

1260. Akira Sakima, Honolulu, a former state legislator who volunteers with numerous organizations, including the Kalihi Palama Community Council, where he works to divert disadvantaged youths from delinquency and criminal activity.

1261. Clarice Boswell, Shorewood, Ill., a retired school administrator at Joliet Central High School who served as coordinator of the Access to College Initiative, an intensive program for minority students that encourages them to graduate from high school and attend college.

1262. The Learning and Living Tree, Boise, Idaho, a program started by three local charities that pairs adult mentors with at-risk youths and that uses the sports and educational facilities of the Boise Family Y.M.C.A.

1263. Public Allies Milwaukee, which undertook three community-service projects in the past year, including an asthma-education program at local public schools.

1264. Lois Pope, Manalapan, Fla., a philanthropist who started a foundation that benefits poor children and disabled veterans through various programs, including a summer camp and a medical center that conducts research on neurological disorders.

1265. Gwendolyn Jones, Wichita, Kan., an 18-year-old volunteer who teaches dance to young cheerleaders, tutors students at a local middle school, and recently organized a community-service day in which 600 youths participated.

1266. The Girls Center, Walpole, Mass., an organization devoted to raising the self-esteem of girls in middle school and high school who are susceptible to depression, eating disorders, and self-mutilation.

1267. Commonwealth Catholic Charities, Richmond, Va., which provides services throughout central and southwestern Virginia, including home care for elderly people, case management for AIDS patients, and sign-language classes.

1268. Wake County Literacy Council, Raleigh, N.C., whose volunteers tutor students twice a week in basic literacy and English-as-a-second-language programs.

1269. Univision Television Group, Los Angeles. The Spanish-language network collaborated with Communities In Schools to recruit Univision employees to serve as mentors to young Hispanic students; the program has spread to affiliates in Dallas, Houston, Miami, and San Antonio.

1270. Greenhill School, Dallas, a private school that started a community-service program through which students collect food, assist disabled children, and conduct other volunteer activities.

1271. Leesburg Police Citizens Support Team, Va., a group of 30 citizens who assist police officers with such duties as monitoring motorists, patrolling neighborhoods, and controlling crowds at accidents and special events.

1272. Sister Marie Therese Solomon, Orange, Cal., founder and executive director of the Lestonnac Free Medical and Dental Clinic, where doctors, dentists, nurses, and surgeons volunteer their services to people without health insurance.

1273. Darlene Brumbaugh, Glenvil, Neb., a retired elementary-school teacher who converted a space in her garage into a free library in response to the absence of a public library in her town.

1274. Jim (Rusty) Gorgans, Williston, Fla., who established “Clowns R Us,” which trains at-risk youths to be performers; program participants choose clown “types” to best fit their personalities, attend seminars on clowning techniques, and volunteer their talents at such places as nursing homes and day-care centers.

1275. D. P. Hall, Tulsa, Okla., who volunteers at the Safe Place Program of Youth Services of Tulsa; he transports youths in crisis situations to shelters and counsels children on where to go if they require help and on the difference between punishment and abuse.

1276. Richard Male, Upper Montclair, N.J., a volunteer at Mobile Meals of Essex, who, despite suffering a cerebral aneurysm that left him unable to control the left side of his body, delivers meals five days a week to homebound people.

1277. The Ruff House Ministries, Dallas, a complex of nine buildings run by Alice and George Ruff to house troubled children and adults, including those who are abandoned or who have severe disabilities.

1278. Rose McManus, Saco, Me. The parent of a daughter with Down syndrome, Ms. McManus founded the Down Syndrome Society Guild of Maine, which educates schools on how to instruct children with the congenital disorder and which publishes a guide for parents of newborn babies with Down syndrome.

1279. Thomas Griffin, St. Cloud, Fla., a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who founded and serves as executive director of Transition House, a halfway house for recovering substance abusers.

1280. Up With Moms, Turlock, Cal., through which adult mentors help teen-age mothers and expectant teen-agers learn child-rearing skills.