Local businesswoman earns volunteer service award

Carol Knopp of Daniels-Knopp Funeral, Cremation and Life Celebration Center recently was awarded the gold level Presidential Volunteer Service Award for her service to MarineParents.com.

The President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation was established in January 2003 by executive order of then president George W. Bush.

The council was established to recognize the important contributions Americans of all ages are making within their circumstances through service and civic engagement.

One of the first priorities of the council was to establish a volunteer recognition program. Since 2003, the council has recognized more than 1.5 million Americans with the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

 The gold level signifies 500-plus hours of service in a year. Coincidently, Knopp received notification of the award while her Marine son, meritorious Corp. Justin Knopp, was home for two weeks leave.

“I am very surprised and honored to receive an award for something I so much enjoyed doing,” Knopp said. “Marine-Parents.com was such a great help to us while Justin was in boot camp I was glad to give back and be of help to other families.”

About a year ago Knopp started a local support group called Marine Families of Eastern Oregon that meets monthly to provide support, networking and education to families in the various stages of their journey as Marine families.

 She and her husband, Lowell Knopp, own and operate Daniels-Knopp, Funeral, Cremation & Life Celebration Center.

For information about Marine Families of Eastern Oregon call 963-5332. For more information about the award, visit www.presidentialserviceaward.gov.