USO Vicenza Volunteer of the Year - Greg Storch

Please help USO Vicenza congratulate our new Volunteer of the Year, Greg Storch!

Greg Storch has been selected as the USO Vicenza nominee for the 2019 Volunteer of the Year. So far this year, Greg has volunteered more than 550 hours of his time and continues to be a main presence at our center. Greg has been nothing short of amazing, as a volunteer and a mentor to others. It is not just about the hours he puts in at the center in Vicenza, but the quality of those hours. Each hour that Greg has volunteered has had a meaningful impact on not only the center and its programs and events, but the patrons as well. Without fail, Greg can always be counted on whenever and wherever needed to ensure the mission of the USO is achieved.

Specifically, during the temporary absence of one of our staff members, Greg has continually filled the role of Center Service Representative on an almost daily basis which has allowed the center staff to maintain the daily operations of the center without interruption. There have been countless times when he has covered the front desk during staff meetings or while the staff is otherwise engaged in other events.

When Greg handles our front desk area, he is not just a seat filler, but actively seeks out tasks that he can accomplish while working the front desk. He can always be found restocking snacks and sodas, organizing cabinets, cleaning dishes, and brewing coffee. And when he isn’t engaged in a specific task, he has a smile on his face and warmly welcomes every patron that comes through our doors. He greets every patron as if he has known them for years even if they just met for the first time. He’s a connector!

Greg is always the first to sign up for our larger events and steps in when we are short on volunteer help for any event. Although it seems as if Greg is volunteering at all our events, he ensures that he steps back when other volunteers are present to keep them from feeling left out or overshadowed. He also uses his other talents to make our center shine during these times by filming and editing many of our videos that have covered major events such as “Summer Fest” and “Zumba in the Park”. He also goes “Live” on social media to broadcast special events to our community, all of which have increased our engagement on social media.

Starting last month, Greg spearheaded the production of this year’s Carnival of Thrills to ensure we are ready to bring another spectacular event to the Vienza military community. He has already devoted over 150 hours of volunteer time towards prepping the housing unit where USO Vicenza is holding the Carnival of Thrills haunted house event. Greg single-handedly constructed the walls and coordinated the design of the flow of traffic and attraction sites for the event. If not for his hard work and diligence this event would likely not be as successful as we are sure it will be.

Every time Greg is volunteering he helps us in accomplishing the USO’s mission and exemplifies the Core Values. This helps him to also be an outstanding mentor to many of the younger volunteers and soldiers who visit the center. Greg goes above and beyond what is normally expected of a volunteer to ensure that the volunteers are working efficiently and effectively and strives to lead by example. He ensures that patrons who visit the center feel welcome and are treated with kindness and professional assistance to handle their needs. Not only does he do this, but he does it with an intoxicating smile and positive attitude that uplifts everyone in the center. Greg personally takes an interest in the lives of some of the younger soldiers, as he was once an Active Duty Sailor and knows the challenges and determination it can take to stay positive. The Center Manager and Center Ops Manager have seen him mentor and advise them first hand on how to make smart choices that will ultimately impact their lives and careers in a positive manner.

Whether it is working the front desk, assisting with shopping, cleaning, building, maintaining, organizing, cooking, serving, or cracking “dad jokes,” you can always rely on Greg to do the job with a smile on his face and a true love of the mission in his heart. We are truly grateful and blessed to have Greg volunteering at our center. It is rare to find someone who cares this much for the USO’s mission, our service members, and their families. Because of his tireless efforts to ensure the success of our center, it is our pleasure to select Greg Storch as our USO Vicenza Volunteer of the Year for 2019.