Employee Volunteer All-stars

Commercial gaming industry employees donate tens of thousands of hours of volunteer hours a year. Through coordinating youth education initiatives and caring for wounded veterans to raising funds for medical research and caring for the environment, industry employees make a significant impact in their communities.

The following individuals have been nominated by their companies as industry employee Volunteer All-Stars. Their stories of service provide a snapshot of a workforce dedicated to giving back and making a difference. The AGA salutes their outstanding contributions.

Honorable Mention

Denise Vogel

Buffet Server
Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City

Denise Vogel, a server at Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City, not only enjoys volunteering, but takes pleasure in seeing how others enjoy it, too. In 2012, she gave nearly 20 volunteer hours in eight events. Denise, who grew up with a brother with Down syndrome, enjoys visiting The Rehabilitation Institute of Kansas City’s sheltered workshop events with Ameristar Cares. Denise also walks in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in honor of a friend who survived cancer. Outside of Ameristar Cares events, Denise also has volunteered for the Missouri Special Olympics and the Down Syndrome Guild. “You can always tell when Denise is at an event. She has a large smile, great personality and the participants love having her there,” says Ameristar Public Relations Manager Celeste Burks. “You can tell her passion comes from within and that she truly is a volunteer at heart.”

Eric Zawid

Concierge, Teleservices
Caesars Palace

Concierge Eric Zawid joined HERO—a volunteer program at all Caesars Entertaiment Corp. casinos—at the beginning of 2012 as a regular volunteer. Since then, his passion for helping the community has shown, as he’s put in countless hours both with HERO-sponsored events and on his own. As a HERO Ambassador, Eric is solely responsible for meeting with each department within Caesars Palace and identifying a key contact who has agreed to help spread the word about HERO and getting involved in the community. Due to Eric’s eagerness, Caesars Palace has seen a 65 percent increase, year over year, in the number of volunteers. Additionally, Eric has been the lead volunteer for Second Wind Dreams and Opportunity Village, and serves on the Employee Community Involvement Council as the pod representative. He is currently working his way into the Rio All Suites Hotel & Casino property, continuing as an Ambassador to spread the word and get others involved.