Volunteers recognized for contributions

The Churchville-Chili High School's FIRST Robotics Team and Camp Koinonia in Middlesex, NY, will benefit from grant funding made possible by Johnson & Johnson. The contributions, in the amount of $5,000 each, respectively, have been made in recognition of extensive volunteer services provided by Johnson & Johnson employees, Don Josephson and Richard Versluys.

Versluys, a Spencerport resident and an employee of Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc. in Rochester, has been volunteering for Camp Koinonia since 1986. The camp provides facilities for children's and family camps in western New York. Versluys has spent his years in various roles, from managing the maintenance of grounds to allocating funds, supervising staff, and ensuring compliance with the state Department of Health. He interfaces with three children's camps and teaches construction skills to teenagers during the summer.

Josephson, a Chili resident and also an employee of Ortho-Clinical diagnostics, Inc. in Rochester has been a volunteer for the FIRST Robotics Team since its first competitive year in 2000. An electrical engineer, he mentors high school students on the construction and testing of engineering design solutions and chaperones during the FIRST Robotics competitions. His personal commitment and support for the program teaches high school students to value science and mathematics.

Each year, Johnson & Johnson recognizes exceptional volunteer achievement by employees through its Volunteer Recognition Grants, awarded to the organization with which the employee volunteers are associated.

May 7, 2006