 Jefferson Awards: 2 impress, are impressed at national volunteer gala
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
By Monica Haynes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
WASHINGTON -- The tuxedo-clad young man stood by patiently as Teresa Heinz Kerry conversed with her dinner partners during one of Washington, D.C.'s, gala events.
Not wanting to be rude, he waited for a lull in the conversation. Then he made his move.
Bending down to introduce himself to the seated Mrs. Heinz Kerry, he told her his name was Dominick Jones-Moriarty. Her face lit up when she learned he was a volunteer for Allegheny Youth Development in Pittsburgh.
In less than a second, Mr. Jones-Moriarty was joined by his best friend and fellow AYD volunteer, Warren Butler. The two young men stood on each side of Mrs. Heinz Kerry, posing for the photograph they asked to have taken with her.
This was no ordinary D.C. dinner party. It was the annual Jefferson Awards Gala Dinner that recognizes the work of national figures involved in public service, as well as those at the grass-roots level, such as Mr. Jones-Moriarty and Mr. Butler, who represent local winners from all regions of the country with projects ranging from a club for those with juvenile arthritis to land-mine removal.
The two young men, whose Allegheny Youth Development organization helps at-risk young men on the North Side, were determined to get a photo with Mrs. Heinz Kerry, whose Heinz Foundation helps fund AYD. She obliged even though the Jefferson Awards ceremony was resuming and mistress of ceremony Kathleen Kennedy Townsend had requested everyone return to his or her seat.
"Teresa's not listening to me," Mrs. Kennedy Townsend joked from the podium.
To be honest, it probably wasn't Mrs. Heinz Kerry's fault.
Few people who crossed paths with Mr. Jones-Moriarty and Mr. Butler weren't charmed by their youthful enthusiasm and impressed by their record of community service.
It is that record of 663 volunteer hours, developing and running AYD's basketball, Boy Scout, and fitness and weight-training programs for the past four years that resulted in the two 23-year-olds being named local Jefferson Award winners in 2006. A couple of months ago, they were selected to represent the region at last week's national awards ceremony.
"They came away from it inspired to do more," said Brian Foltz, AYD's executive director, who also made the trip to Washington. "So it's not like an award for an accomplishment in the past tense. It's like an award for what's still to be done," possibly a spin-off program that Mr. Butler and Mr. Jones-Moriarty would run.
Even though the pair were not among the regional winners selected to receive one of five Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis awards for local public service, they were grateful for the opportunity to network with other civic-minded volunteers from across the country.
"The whole trip was great, meeting people from all over, seeing all the things they've done," said Mr. Jones-Moriarty. "That's just showing me, encouraging me to do better than I have been doing so far."
His mother, Rosemary Moriarty, who made the trip, agrees. "They can see there's more than just the neighborhood, and that a whole lot of others are doing things."
Mr. Butler said the trip also gave them the chance to talk to others about how to find and raise money. "A lot of these other programs had funding, and that's something that AYD needs a lot of, so we got some insight on that from people."
One of those people was Mrs. Kennedy Townsend, who, like Mrs. Heinz Kerry, graciously appeared in a photo with the two Pittsburgh volunteers.
After Mr. Jones-Moriarty explained who he was and what his organization was all about, Mr. Butler got to the meat-and-potatoes issue.
"We're looking for funding. We need some help," he said.
Mrs. Kennedy Townsend told them to look into federal funds that are available for work force training.
She also recommended that they find all the rich people in Pittsburgh. "They know how to ask for money, which is very important."
One of their biggest funders is Cable Hollow Church in Russell, Warren County, the childhood church of Mr. Foltz, the AYD executive director.
"It's a congregation of less than 150 people, and yet they've really taken a keen interest in this work," he said.
An old college friend of Mr. Foltz's has also taken an interest in AYD's mission and its two star volunteers.
The friend, who wished to remain anonymous, donated money for the two young men's suits, tuxedo rentals and other incidental expenses for their trip to Washington.
"It's wonderful work these guys are doing," said fellow Jefferson Award winner Dr. Ramon Sy, founder of the Aloha Medical Mission in Hawaii, which provides medical services to needy people in Asia and the Pacific.
He encountered the two during a reception at the Senate Office Building before the gala dinner.
"Sometimes guys who choose the street don't have the option to do anything else," Dr. Sy said during a discussion about at-risk young men. But Mr. Jones-Moriarty and Mr. Butler serve as role models to the contrary for the teens they work with.
"You show them love and respect," he said, "and they respect you back."
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 Monica
Haynes can be reached at mhaynes@post-gazette.com
or 412-263-1660.
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