One family, even just one person, can do much to help many, as the winners of the 2004 Jefferson Awards for Public Service demonstrate.

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	Adrienne Arenson with her late husband, Nathan, who died of pancreatic cancer and in whose memory the research fund was established -- a family effort honored in this year's Jefferson Awards.
	William Vaupel
	Mary Friday
	Robert Robinson
	Lou Ann Pomposelli
	David J. Lin
	Nancy Buck

From a family that has raised about $650,000 for pancreatic cancer research to a man who uses golf to help young minorities get jobs and go on to college, the awardees have touched the lives of uncountable people through their volunteer service.

The prestigious Jefferson Awards were established in 1972 by the American Institute for Public Service to recognize those who performed remarkable deeds in community service without expectation of reward or recognition.

This year's recipients were chosen from among 48 Community Champions, who were nominated by the public and the nonprofit sector. The southwestern Pennsylvania program is sponsored by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Comcast and The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Each winner will receive a medallion and $1,000 for the nonprofit organization of his or her choice. The Community Champion/Jefferson Award ceremony is at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Carnegie Music Hall, Oakland.

The Post-Gazette will publish individual stories on the recipients and their accomplishments beginning Tuesday in the Magazine section of the newspaper.

Here is a summary of the ways the 2004 Jefferson Award winners have enriched the region. The headlines below link to profiles of the winners.

Funding cancer research
Since 1996 the survivors of the late Nathan S. Arenson, who died of pancreatic cancer, have raised about $650,000 to help fund clinical trials for a vaccine against the illness by University of Pittsburgh researcher Olivera Finn. The family's primary fund-raiser for the Nathan S. Arenson Fund is the annual Hoops for a Cure, a three-game basketball extravaganza at Chartiers Valley High School. One of the games is between Pittsburgh Steelers players and Chartiers Valley alumni. Inspired by the Arensons, another family that has lost relatives to pancreatic cancer has begun staging annual luncheons to benefit the Arenson Fund.

PNC Foundation is donating $1,000 to the Arenson Fund/University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in the Arenson family's name.

Putting veterans at ease
William Vaupel, "Mr. Bill" to those who know him at VA Pittsburgh, has volunteered at the Veterans Administration hospital for 15 years.

A veteran himself, he escorts patients to their medical procedures, cleans beds and stocks his unit with supplies. He also puts patients at ease with his own military memories, jokes and words of comfort. During his tenure at the hospital, he has logged more than 8,650 hours of volunteer work.

The Fisa Foundation is donating $1,000 to the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System in Vaupel's name.

Helping the dying
When Forbes Hospice opened its doors in 1979, Mary Friday was there to volunteer. Twenty-five years later she's still there, helping the terminally ill and their families through the final stages of illness. She tends to the daily needs of patients -- from bathing to changing bedding -- while all the time talking to them with compassion and affection. She also serves on the board of directors of the Friends of Forbes Hospice.

W.O.M.E.N. (Women Organized to Mentor, Empower and Network, Inc.) is donating $1,000 to Friends of Forbes Hospice in Friday's name.

Teaching life skills through golf
Robert "Rock" Robinson founded the West Penn Minority Junior Golf Association not just to teach youngsters and teens golf but also the rules of etiquette and life. Once the students reach 15, he finds summer jobs for them at country clubs around the Pittsburgh area. The association works with PACE (Program to Aid Citizen Enterprise) to assist students who need help on their college board exams, and Robinson takes the lead in finding financial aid for the students for college.

Duquesne Light is donating $1,000 to the West Penn Minority Junior Golf Association in Robinson's name.

Helping to find the lost or missing
Though she works at a regular job, Lou Ann Pomposelli volunteers between seven and eight hours a day at Air Search Rescue, which helps law enforcement, fire rescue, emergency medical and other teams in search, rescue and recovery missions. She is deputy chief of the K-9 Division and an operations director for other divisions. She trains a team of 13 German shepherds and bloodhounds that live with her in how to locate lost and missing people, and she pitches in wherever else she is needed.

Kaufmann's is donating $1,000 to Air Search Rescue in Pomposelli's name.

Making music to make people smile
David Lin has been playing the violin for residents of nursing homes since he was 9 years old. He currently plays at Sisters of St. Francis, Manor Care, Tandem and McMurray Hills Manors and during summers he has volunteered as a string counselor in Upper St. Clair. A graduate of The Linsly School, a boarding school in Wheeling, W.Va., Lin was named as a Congressional Youth Leader. He also has helped to teach karate to youngsters and did fund raising for schools. He currently attends Vanderbilt University.

The Grable Foundation is donating $1,000 to Sisters of St. Francis of the Providence of God in Lin's name.

Fighting for safe food
Nancy Buck, a freshman at the University of Dayton, has been campaigning for safe food legislation and teaching others about food-borne illnesses since her 2-year-old nephew died of an E. coli infection on Aug. 11, 2001. She has led petition drives and traveled several times to Washington, D.C., to lobby senators and congressmen for passage of food safety legislation. While at Grove City High School, she also organized and directed children in three plays so they could be exposed to theater.

William J. Green and Associates is donating $1,000 to the Kevin Kowalcyk Memorial Scholarship Fund in Buck's name.