Group to perform, honor array of volunteers

"Often in the world right now it is the negative that gets the attention, but there are so many people in the community doing compassionate deeds that go unrecognized," said David Goguen, producer of "Of Thee I Sing, A Musical Tribute to Local Heroes."

"These are compelling stories of people putting positive energies out there, and we want to take this opportunity to hold them up and recognize that they give others encouragement and inspire further compassionate action."

The live musical performance and awards ceremony will honor 10 local volunteers with the 2010 Caring Deeds Awards.

Award recipients were chosen from 26 nominees submitted by churches, individuals and social service agencies in the community.

Nominees run the gamut from a parishioner with St. Cyril of Alexandria who works with the poor and homeless to a team of volunteers who have been assisting a man for years who is HIV-positive, through the Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network.

"These are the ordinary folks who take time out of their lives to volunteer, and some of them make it their life's work. It is not tied to their job or their profession. We thought people like that needed to be remembered," said Ellie Vought, a member of the St. Francis Theater Ensemble who works on the nominee review committee.

One such volunteer is Laura Aldag, who received six nominations for her work with Lend a Hand Senior Outreach program (www.lahseniorhelp.org/default.aspx).

The coalition of eight central Tucson neighborhoods offers support to enable seniors to remain independent in their homes. Volunteers provide services ranging from transportation and errands to caregiver relief.

Aldag visits one senior who is 94 for several hours a week, takes several seniors to church every Sunday and helps with a writing group in which the members record their memories.

"I have learned so much from these seniors' personal experiences than I ever learned from school. One is a World War II survivor from Estonia who lived through the war with two small children and endured horrible hardships … When you get seniors talking about their lives and the things they have been through, you get so much out of it," Aldag said.

Nominee Shama Qureshi, co-founder of the Noor Women's Association (www.freewebs.com/noorwomen), finds volunteering with refugees equally rewarding.

In the past decade, the interfaith group has helped 900 families, many consisting of widows with children seeking sanctuary from violence in countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bosnia, Burma, Chad, Congo, Eritrea, Iraq, Nepal and Sierra Leone. The nonprofit Noor Women's Association helps refugees with rent, food, clothing and learning English.

"It all started with my friend's mother asking her daughters why they were spending all their time having parties for each other and when they were going to do something constructive and help other people," Qureshi said.

Constructive volunteerism is the retired teacher's mantra.

"I am not happy unless I can make a difference in someone's life," she said.

That philosophy has carried over to the St. Francis Theater Ensemble. The community-based theater group routinely raises funds for local nonprofits such as Ben's Bells. The group plans to donate partial proceeds from the Sept. 11 tribute to Clean and Sober Theater, which promotes prevention of alcohol and drug use among young people.

"We recognize that if we are going to do an event on Sept. 11, it has to be something meaningful. We wanted to recognize good deeds in the community while giving something back," Goguen said.

If You Go

• What: "Of Thee I Sing, A Musical Tribute to Local Heroes."

• When: 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

• Where: St. Francis in the Foothills United Method Church, 4625 E. River Road.

• Cost: $20 per person; $15 for students and seniors.

• Festivities include a reception with the 2010 Caring Deeds Awards nominees featuring no-host non-alcoholic drinks and hors d'oeuvres, followed by the concert.

• Proceeds benefit the St. Francis Theater Ensemble and Clean and Sober Theater. For tickets or more information, call 647-4921.

Contact freelance writer Loni Nannini at ninch2@comcast.net