(Portland, Ore. Feb. 28, 2007) It takes a lot of volunteers to help 35 million people around the world. Volunteers like Marie Davis, a nurse from Dallas, Oregon, has served on 40 teams with Medical Teams International.

Honoring her long term service to people in need in Uganda, Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. Agency for International Development will recognize Davis with a lifetime service award at an International Volunteer Reception on March 1. Davis is one of nearly 400 volunteers who will be recognized by the USAID's Volunteers for Prosperity at the event. The program is part of the USA Freedom Corps, the White House's coordinating council on volunteerism.

"The volunteers who are being honored, doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals, inspire their fellow citizens with selfless dedication of time, talents and energy to help those in need around the world," says Jack Hawkins, director of the Office of Volunteers for Prosperity. "Medical Teams International truly represents the spirit of the Volunteers for Prosperity presidential initiative."

Media: Marie Davis, along with international staff from eight countries will be available for interviews at 5:30 p.m., Thursday, March 1, at Medical Teams International, 14150 SW Milton Ct. in Tigard. Photos of Davis in the field are also available.

Davis, an emergency room nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Salem, has contributed 4,000 hours in the field with Medical Teams International. She first began volunteering with the organization in 1985.

"Marie is representative of the thousands of highly skilled professionals who serve on medical, dental and work teams," said Bas Vanderzalm, president of Medical Teams International. "Our volunteers are making long term impacts for positive change, providing both development and emergency medical services. We're grateful for her incredible commitment to serving others year after year."

For more information, please visit the Medical Teams International web site at www.medicalteams.org or call toll free (800) 959.4325.