"Above & Beyond" Achievement Award Honors Volunteer Efforts

by Chad C. Wischmeyer, Member, CAS Program Planning Committee

This May, the Committee on Volunteer Resources (COVR) announced the approval of the "Above & Beyond" Achievement Award (ABAA), an award commemorating those CAS members who contribute their time and energy to CAS volunteer activities. The CAS Executive Council approved the award in March 2003.

COVR developed the ABAA to celebrate the spirit of volunteerism. Each year more than 25 percent of CAS members participate in one or more CAS volunteer activities. A number of individuals perform with exceptional merit. Because such efforts are typically not apparent or widely known to the vast majority of CAS members, COVR created the ABAA to recognize these achievements.

All CAS members, except current board members and officers, are eligible to receive the ABAA. Any CAS member may nominate a person for this award at any time. The only criterion is that the recipient performs conspicuously above and beyond what is normally and reasonably expected.

Nominations may be submitted to COVR, which will forward recommendations to the CAS Executive Council. The executive council will decide annually on the award recipient(s), with the first award(s) to be presented at the 2003 Annual Meeting in New Orleans.