Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) will be on hand to help The Points of Light Foundation and USA Weekend Magazine honor two Florida schools for their volunteer projects at a ceremony at 3 p.m. today in the Capitol’s Mansfield Room.

The event marks the culmination of the Unity in the Spirit of America initiative, sponsored by Stabenow and Kyl, which was launched to spur volunteer projects honoring those who perished in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The $10,000 award — funded by Paul Newman and Newman’s Own Inc. — will be presented to representatives from the St. Joseph Catholic School and Melbourne Central Catholic High School for their work in clearing 500 feet of shoreline along the Indian River Lagoon in memorial to Bernard Curtis Brown II, an 11-year-old boy who died en route to a marine science program when his plane crashed into the Pentagon.

Barbecue, Auction Honor Deceased Hill Staffer

A longtime employee in then-Sen. Strom Thurmond’s (R-S.C.) office who died of breast cancer last fall is being remembered by friends on the Hill.

A barbecue and auction fundraiser in honor of Holly Richardson will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 10 at Jack Taylor Toyota, 3750 Jefferson Davis Highway, Alexandria. The event will raise money for the Alexandria Little League, where Richardson volunteered, her husband coaches and her 12-year-old son still plays baseball.

Reservations are recommended.

Rare baseball memorabilia will be auctioned off, in addition to game tickets, restaurant gift certificates, getaways, golf outings and artwork.

For more information, visit the Alexandria Little League Web site at www.alexandriabaseball.com. Proceeds will support facilities upgrades for this baseball league.

— Sara Faiwell and Bree Hocking