Change Font Size:   A A A

May 18, 2011

SLEH Volunteer Receives 2011 Mayor's Volunteer Houston Award

Melva Harris
Melva Harris interacts with an SLEH patient family member. 

Melva Harris, a volunteer with the St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital (SLEH) Auxiliary, Houston, for more than two decades, received the 2011 Mayor’s Volunteer Houston Award, which promotes volunteerism by recognizing local citizens for acts of uncommon volunteer service.

 

Harris has donated more than 12,150 hours and her volunteer efforts include: serving as president of the SLEH Auxiliary in 1996 and 2005 and chairing “Food for Life,” the Auxiliary’s annual Easter food drive for Southeast Area Ministries. Harris began her service with the Auxiliary, whose mission is to serve man and honor God, in 1961. While she relocated with her husband over the years, she returned to Houston and the Auxiliary in 1981. 

 

Additionally, Harris currently serves as the 2010-2011 president of the Texas Association of Healthcare volunteers (TAHV), a state organization representing more than 30,000 healthcare volunteers. Through the TAHV’s “Backpack for Kids” initiative, helped secure donations for 300 backpacks filled with toiletry items and toys for Child Protective Services. The backpacks are provided to children who have been removed from their homes.

 

Harris is a member of St. Dunstan's, Houston.