On May 2, the volunteer attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants and law students who volunteer at the Neighborhood Legal Clinics ate, drank and mingled at an event to honor and thank them. The event was held at the Seattle Aquarium where volunteers, their families and community partners were invited to wander and enjoy the venue's many wonderful exhibits.
In a short program, guests were welcomed by King County Bar Association President Gary Maehara, who provided an overview of the program and its important role in the community. The program continued as King County Superior Court Presiding Judge Michael Trickey provided inspiring words and presented awards to four exceptional volunteers:
- Don Heyrich, Outstanding Clinic Coordinator
- Sandy Prehm, Outstanding Scheduling Coordinator
- Paul Corning, Outstanding Non-attorney Volunteer
- Aaron Caplan, second recipient of the Joseph M. Gaffney Award
The evening concluded with the nightly aquarium mammal feeding of seals and sea otters; an exciting treat for the many children in attendance.
In 2005, the program's 480 volunteer attorneys and 150 non-attorneys provided nearly 6,000 hours of service, valued at approximately $1 million. Of the approximate 7,000 annual clients, 50 percent are people of color and 57 percent are women.
Thank you to all of the Neighborhood Legal Clinics' volunteers and community partners who make the program possible.
Neighborhood Legal Clinics is always in need of attorneys who are specialists in family law, bankruptcy, immigration and elder law or those who speak Spanish. Interested in volunteering? Contact Cathie Caldwell, NLC Program Manager at 206-267-7029.
