Photo By Travis Kuykendall | VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Feb. 24, 2021) Christine Galoppa poses for a photo during a...... read more read more
By Travis J. Kuykendall
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story Public Affairs
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Nearly 2,000 days spread over 30 years. That’s how long Christine Galoppa has volunteered helping service members and their families overcome stressful and difficult times in their lives.
Galoppa is a volunteer at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story’s Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. The society provides financial, educational and other assistance to members of the Naval Service of the United States, family members and survivors in need.
“My friend told me about a training class with [NMCRS] and I said ‘Sure, why not?’ ” explained Galoppa. “It was Dahlgren, Virginia - a very tiny base, not a lot of people - so they needed a lot of help and I got thrown into volunteering right away.”
Fast forward 30 years and Galoppa was recently recognized for reaching the milestone of 10,000 volunteer hours in a small ceremony, Feb. 24, with her colleagues and Capt. Michael Witherspoon, JEB Little Creek-Ft. Story commanding officer, in attendance. In a typical year, NMCRS holds an annual luncheon recognizing all of the volunteers for the many hours they dedicate to helping the society. But due to COVID-19, volunteers are being recognized individually as they meet milestones.
“Words are not enough to say how much we appreciate what [Galoppa has] done all these years,” said Witherspoon. “And she is still chuggin’, so thank you to her.”
Galoppa started volunteering at JEB Little Creek-Ft. Story’s NMCRS in 2000 after she and her husband moved to Hampton Roads from Pearl Harbor. Prior to Pearl Harbor, she had volunteered while their family was stationed in Dahlgren, Virginia, where she got her start with the society.
She said volunteering with the society gave her an immediate connection every time her family moved.
“Even if I couldn’t make friends right away, I knew I could connect with [NMCRS] and get right to work,” she said.
One of the ways she’s volunteered is by knitting 17 baby blankets, which were given to service members and dependents who participated in the society’s Budgeting for Baby class. Christina Murray, director of the society’s Little Creek office, explained that for each blanket a volunteer knits, they are awarded 30 hours of volunteer credit.
Galoppa considers knitting a hobby that she can also use to help others with personal finance.
“I really love budgeting. That to me it is one of the most important things because I have an accounting background, so I do love that we educate our service members on their budgets,” explained Galoppa. “I love being able to throw myself into the numbers.”
Some might consider reaching a milestone as significant as hers as a sign it’s time to hang it up. Not for Galoppa though.
“It means I’m not done yet,” Galoppa said as she laughed. “I have a lot more hours in me, [my family] is staying here, and our grandchildren are in Virginia Beach so we’re not going anywhere.”
“I’ll probably be with Christina until they shut this office down. Or shut me down.”
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2021 13:52 |
| Story ID: | 390459 |
| Location: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 111 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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