7/1/2008 - 2007 Galatti Award Winner Judy Weyand Honored

Judy Weyand, a longtime volunteer in the AFS-USA Massachusetts Bay Area Team, received the Galatti Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, the most prestigious award bestowed upon AFS volunteers around the world.

On June 21st, the Mass Bay Area Team held their annual meeting and Volunteer Recognition night in Quincy, Mass, facilitated by outgoing Area Team Chair Elizabeth Leatham. AFS Lifetime Trustee Ward Chamberlin began with a speech which emphasized the importance of the AFS mission and offered inspiring and thoughtful words for the volunteers present who take time out of their busy lives in order to make the work of AFS possible.

Following Ward’s speech, AFS volunteer Carol Norman read a special message to Ward Chamberlin from American Field Service ambulance driver Charles “Fox” Edwards.

After presenting a slide show about the history of the Galatti Award, AFS volunteer Sue Thanas introduced Fransisco “Tachi” Cazal, the President of AFS Intercultural Programs, who invited Ward up to present the Award to Judy. Mrs. Weyand was given the Galatti Award Statue in front of the over fifty volunteers that attended the successful event.

Judy Weyand’s involvement with AFS began in 1978 when her family hosted a student from Finland. Following the hosting experience in 1978, she became an integral member of the Duxbury Chapter, in Massachusetts, evolving into various leadership positions at the Area Team level. Since that time she has held numerous positions with AFS, and with her husband Paul has served as a temporary and permanent home for some 40 foreign exchange students.

The four hour celebration featured a keynote speech by Margaret Crotty, the President of AFS-USA. Local volunteers in Massachusetts were also honored for their work in the AFS community. Two AFS year-program participants, Yaminla (“Minla”) Kurakhan, a YES Program student from Thailand and Federico Bus, a student from Italy, gave speeches on the theme “My Learning Experience: Who I Am Becoming.”

The entire AFS community congratulates Judy Weyand and the other 2007 Galatti Award Winners: Gloria de Mantilla of Colombia and Britt-Eva Jakobsen of Norway.