SCI Pine Grove S Weaver Recognized

News for Immediate Release

May 7, 2014

SCI Pine Grove’s Weaver Recognized

Indiana – Mike Weaver, a corrections counselor 2 who works at the State Correctional Institution at Pine Grove, was recognized today with the Department of Corrections’ Thomas Fulcomer Award.

The Thomas Fulcomer Award is presented annually to someone who is dedicated to the Department of Corrections, dedicated to his co-workers, offenders, family and community.

The winner is to be someone who serves as a positive role model for everyone, be well-respected, well-liked, compassionate, thoughtful, kind, with an exceptional work history and a team player.

That’s a long list, but Mike Weaver, SCI Pine Grove’s corrections counselor, meets every criteria.

Weaver was among the first group of employees specifically hired to begin the Young Adult Offender Program at SCI Pine Grove in November 2000. He has served as a treatment specialist, case manager, unit manager and corrections counselor.

A role model to both staff and inmates in the Young Adult Offender Program, Weaver works closely with the inmates to positively influence their lives, building an enthusiastic, confident and open environment for learning. He consistently displays great proficiency and compassion in dealing with offenders that are troublesome and difficult.

Weaver is also a training instructor, teaching professionalism, ethics and the impact of crime. A long-standing member of the facility’s hostage negotiation team, Weaver also serves on the returning veterans’ committee, security threat group committee, employee association, as well as the professionalism and ethics committee.

A graduate of Bellefonte High School and Lock Haven University, Weaver earned his master’s degree at the University of Oklahoma while serving in the U.S. Army as an air defense crew member. During his four years in the military, Weaver earned the rank of sergeant and served in Germany, Kosovo and Albania. Weaver earned numerous awards and medals, including the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters.

After completing his military service in 1999, Weaver went to work the following year as a primary counselor at St. Michael’s School in Tunkhannock. In November 2000, Weaver joined the staff of the Department of Corrections.

Weaver and his wife are the parents of two daughters, aged 8 and 11. In his spare time, Weaver volunteers as a coach for his daughters’ lacrosse and softball teams, as well as the local high school football team.

A life member of his local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, Weaver also works passionately to help his fellow veterans through the national, non-profit veteran organization called Team Red, White and Blue (Team RWB), where he serves as veteran outreach coordinator and athletic director for the Indiana County area of Western Pennsylvania Chapter.

Team RWB’s mission is to connect America’s returning, active duty veterans to their community through physical and social activities.

Weaver has organized numerous successful fundraising and educational events, including a 30-hour camp out in a store parking lot in February 2014 to raise money and awareness for homeless veterans.

He also represented Team RWB by running in the Pittsburgh Marathon in May 2013, carrying a three-by-five foot American flag during the entire 26.2 mile course.

During those two events alone, Weaver helped raise more than $10,000 for the veterans’ projects.

Media contact: Judy Smith, SCI Pine Grove PIO, 724-465-9630