Each June, chapters of The Arc from across Maryland gather at The Arc Maryland’s statewide convention to celebrate the work of advocates and agencies that support The Arc’s mission to create opportunities and foster inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Each chapter recognizes one special individual as their “Outstanding Volunteer of the Year.” This year, The Arc Southern Maryland selected David “Scott” Mellinger, who was recognized at the convention with an award and a Governor’s citation.
“Volunteers, like Scott, are such an important part of what we do here at The Arc. Discovering someone that is willing to generously contribute their time and resources to our organization has been a blessing,” said Terry Z. Long, CEO of The Arc Southern Maryland “Despite Scott’s busy schedule which keeps him away from home nearly 250 days of the year, Scott has contributed so much to The Arc. It goes to show what a little bit of time and a lot of heart can do.”
Scott has been a member of The Arc’s Board of Directors for three years. The board consists entirely of volunteers who generously donate their time to supporting the organization. In his time on the board, Scott has helped to foster a relationship between The Arc Southern Maryland and Dominion Energy. Dominion has since sponsored a number of events and awarded a grant to The Arc which helped them purchase supplies – such as flashlights, crank radios, meals ready to eat (MREs), and water – which would sustain each of The Arc’s 30 residential sites across Southern Maryland, in the event of a weather related emergency. In addition to volunteering his time and fostering relationships for the organization, Scott often supports The Arc’s events and makes generous contributions himself. If that wasn’t enough, Scott even has connected with Dominion Energy’s donor matching program, which matches their employees’ contributions to organizations like The Arc, making double the impact for their cause.
When asked about his experience as a volunteer helping to support people with diverse abilities, Scott replied with a humble and heartfelt tone, “I wish I could do more. They deserve everything I can give and more.”
