AMANDA JO MOOREN

Amanda has been involved with community service since the age of 12. She began her service as a summer volunteer for two years at Parkview Haven Nursing Home, assisting the Activity and Social Service Director. During the time, she provided one-on-one visits to the elderly, created 15 booklets for visual stimulation, formulated and directed the summer Adopt-A-Grandparent Program.

Because Amanda has a special place in her heart for children, she has become involved with the Ashby family Homeless Shelter of Salina. She has created projects that have provided 32 teddy bears, 21 packages of children’s diapers and more than 126 winter coats to the shelter. Because of the shelter’s need, Amanda founded and directed the Famous Friends Auction in 1999.

She proposed the idea to the Director and arranged for a place to hold the auction. She wrote more than 900 letters to celebrities and businesses requesting their assistance. She promoted the auction through radio and local newspapers, handed out posters, sent personal invitations and maintained an updated Web site. Her goals were to provide needed funding for the Ashby House, to increase the knowledge of the mission of the Ashby House to the general public and to accent the good things teenagers are doing.

The event generated more than $5,000 for “The Bridge to the Future” campaign. This campaign was established to purchase and renovate an apartment house that would provide living accommodations up to 3 months for homeless families.

She is currently planning for next year’s auction.