(Andrew is seen here, 2nd from the right with his family volunteering at the 13th Annual Walk Along for Lupus. )

Through the years we have had many teenagers come through our doors and volunteer their time with us, but none have been as dedicated as Andrew Alderman.

Andrew has come down to work in our Bellmore office for several years now, stuffing envelopes, cleaning out files, helping with mailings, organizing storage and more. He has volunteered at our walk every year with his family, and is at Eisenhower Park as bright and early as we all are, ready to work the day away. Before the walk, Andrew is in our office every year helping us get out our mailings, and picking up brochures to drop off in stores near his home.

Starting in January, Andrew starts collecting for the walk by attending local events, fairs and services asking anyone and everyone for donations. He has received donations for the walk from local politicians, celebrities and more. If Andrew sees you in a crowd he will ask you for money, and he doesn’t give up until he gets something. He has consistently brought a little more in than the year before every year, and he is one of our top individual walk fundraisers.

With all of the volunteer work Andrew does for the Alliance as well as other charities, he has been given many awards, most recently the Presidential Gold Volunteer Award, The Bellmore Herald’s Man of the Year, and this year he was chosen for the first "Leaders of Tomorrow" award from the Long Island chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. No matter how many times he receives these accolades, or is interviewed for a local paper, he always mentions the Lupus Alliance and what we do. He never misses an opportunity to get our name in the paper, and help us spread the word about lupus.

We are not only proud of Andrew but eternally grateful for all he has done for us, and for the many people with lupus we serve.