FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2013
United Way honors nearly 100 nominees at the annual Community Volunteer Awards and presents the Annual Goodman Gemstone Youth Award
Nearly 100 nominees were recognized for their outstanding efforts to improve their community at this year’s United Way Community Volunteer Awards.Special recognition went to seven individuals and three volunteer groups for their efforts to improve academic achievement, reduce community violence, increase independence for seniors and those with disabilities, reduce family homelessness, and strengthen local nonprofits.
“United Way understands the valuable work volunteers provide in our community. These 100 nominees today represent 924 Agenda for Change volunteers who give upwards of 61,782 hours of their time each year. The monetary value of this time is nearly $1.3 million in our community.” said Leslie Ann Howard, United Way of Dane County President and CEO, “By providing so many hours of support and serving in so many roles within organizations our community has become better educated, safer and healthier.” Hosts Steve Goldberg, CUNA Mutual Group, and Amber Noggle and Greg Jeschke, WKOW Channel 27, presented the awards at The Madison Concourse Hotel and Governor’s Club, Monday, April 29.
The Goodman Gemstone Youth Award was awarded to Addison Clearwood who is making a difference in the lives of youth in the area of Health. A personal family struggle prompted Addison to respond in a way that not many of us would, especially at the tender age of 17. In this experience, she realized that there were other young people who were likely experiencing these same feelings for a large variety of reasons, but there was not enough safe space to deal with them. The conversations she led between school leaders, community volunteers, health professionals and peers have resulted in a new movement to address behavioral health issues for our young people. These include stress, depression, anxiety, and trauma. Most remarkably, her work is designed to break down the stigma of suffering with mental and behavioral health issues, so that those who suffer can begin to address them without judgment. Her project and resulting support club and resources are changing the culture of what it means to deal with these issues in her school. This project qualified her for selection by the Girl Scouts of America as one of just ten Women of Distinction in 2013, chosen out of hundreds of nominations from across the country.
Also, this year’s Mike McKinney Award (named for the long-time Madison newscaster, volunteer and Community Volunteer Awards emcee who passed away in 2006) went to Magda Kmiecik. A panel of judges, all volunteers themselves, selected Kmiecik her dedication to the areas of Education and Safety. Magda became involved with the YWCA, and over the next ten years, became a local warrior and activist in the areas of academic achievement, homelessness, violence and crime and nonprofit leadership. All of her work, at the YWCA and elsewhere, involves creating a more inclusive community and advocating for those in poverty, people of color and underserved communities. She has been part of the Racial Justice Summit Planning Committee, Restorative Justice Advisory Council, YWCA’s Advocacy Action Team, Center for Family Policy and Practice, Oasis, Canopy Center, Latino Family and Children Council. Kmiecik received $1,000 to be donated to the charity for which she works.
Over 650 people attended this unique event. Charitable contributions for winners’ agencies ($1000 or $250 per award) and sponsorship for the event itself were generously provided by CUNA Mutual Group, WKOW Channel 27, Dean Clinic, Group Health Cooperative of South Central Wisconsin, Physician’s Plus, St. Mary’s Hospital, Business Volunteer Network, and the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation.
United Way Community Volunteer Awards is an opportunity to showcase the benefits to our community from volunteer involvement. Leading by example, the nominees and winners at the CVA event encourage more people to engage in their community. Volunteerism is up inDane County, but more volunteers are needed to help solve our community’s most pressing issues identified within our Agenda for Change.
VOLUNTEER FACTS
- Every day, 40 AmeriCorps members serve with the Mobilizing Skilled Volunteers Project and the Schools of Hope Project. These AmeriCorps members are truly making a positive change in their community, mobilizing more than 1,800 volunteers and touching the lives of over 12,000 individuals and families in our community.
- In 2012, United Way Volunteer Center referred more than 5,292 volunteers to 262 nonprofit agencies.
- During last year’s United Way Days of Caring, 3,150 people volunteered for a total of 11,000 hours. The estimated dollar value of that time is $243,540.
- VolunteerYourTime.org, the United Way-led website collaboration for local volunteer opportunities received more than 35,266 unique visitors in 2012.
ADDITIONAL 2013 HONOREES
Business Volunteer Network Award
Celebrations Entertainment and Geoffrey Sandler have raised $1.5 million for 19 local nonprofits in 2012 by providing entertainment, event and auction services. As the owner of Celebrations Entertainment, Geoffrey Sanders has made is DJ services available to nominating agency Gilda’s Club for every event free of charge. He serves as a consultant on events and related planning, and provides auctioneer and setup services. The addition of Celebrations’ services to fundraising events ensures that operating and programming budgets of these nonprofits are able to achieve their missions. Sandy Henshue, who nominated Celebrations Entertainment, says “He is a constant advocate for giving back and passes on his philosophy to his associates in the community and within his organization.”
Community Volunteer Youth Award
Nineteen year old Desmond Willingham is setting an example for others as a leader and a nutritionist! As assistant youth chef at the Goodman Community Center, this winner healthy meals for seniors, people in need and for preschool and elementary school students in after school and summer programs. Coming from a challenging background didn’t keep Desmond from recognizing and taking advantage of a great mentor relationship with the head chef at the Goodman Community Center. Since he first came, he’s earned his high school diploma and continues to build skills in the kitchen and as a mentor and leader. Keith Pollock, who nominated Desmond, says, “One of the things that is most impressive about Desmond is his consistent ability to reach out to other youth who are struggling and to help them learn to help themselves by helping others.”
Community Volunteer Award
Lynne Toseff has been honored for her decades of combined service aimed at strengthening organizations so that they can continue in their missions, and in fighting homelessness and supporting early childhood development. At the core of her important work is Lynne’s dedication to ending family homelessness in Dane County. Her work has been critical to operating the Interfaith Hospitality Network – which helps homeless families stabilize and eventually move into permanent housing. She also supports the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, which helps families utilize surplus food to free up money for rent. In addition, she started a fundraising and household good drive to furnish houses and provide bedding – all things that would be too expensive for families to acquire on their own. Cyndi Wood, who nominated her, says, “Lynne embodies the spirit of volunteerism in so many ways. She has the, ‘if there is a will, there is a way attitude’. She inspires others to get involved.”
Community Volunteer Award – Lifetime Achievement
At age 90, Paul Kusuda has dedicated over 40 years of his life to volunteerism in our community. His local nonprofit volunteer service includes agencies such as: Dane County Area Agency on Aging, City of Madison Committee on Aging, SOS Senior Council, Elderly Services Network of Dane County, Wisconsin Organization for Asian Americans and the Mayor’s Committee on Aging and Madison Senior Center. Among Paul’s proudest achievements as a volunteer are his advocacy in Wisconsin and nationally to achieve redress for Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated in relocation centers during World War II – one of which he lived in in 1941. Paul also wrote part of the legislation that authorized certification of trained social workers in Wisconsin, making it the 28th state to do so. He was also a member of the Steering Committee of the Wisconsin Universal Health Plan in an effort to provide health care or insurance to those who had none. Rick Orton, who nominated him, said, “Paul is of large heart and intellect and at age 90 possesses great energy. With a person like Paul involved, his example encourages all to do the best that is possible.”
Distinguished Service Award
Bill Arnold has demonstrated a long-time commitment to helping families build and keep permanent homes, becoming a fixture in the lives of residents and working constantly to build a strong future for Madison neighborhoods and his nominating agency, Habitat for Humanity of Dane County. Megan Kenney, who nominated him says, “Bill is practically indistinguishable from Habitat from Humanity staff – in fact most residents, particularly in the Harmony Park neighborhood, think he works there.” In twenty years of service to Habitat, Bill has guided land purchases and property development, built and tended gardens and playgrounds, and advised and led decisions that affect the future well-being of housing developments and their residents.
Distinguished Service Award
Women in Focus is a group of women who serve as role models and mentors to mothers who often come from a background of abuse, homelessness and poverty. Through their activities, Women in Focus create educational play and bonding opportunities for mothers and their children, provide guidance on school readiness and parenting topics, and work to achieve early childhood literacy. Group members also provide workshops and discussions on family-related topics, including overcoming the effects of domestic abuse and adult education and career. On top of all that, their fundraising events have provided over 230 scholarships to fund college educations for students of color. This group of volunteers are fighting family homelessness and poverty, while fulfilling their mission of supporting and encouraging students of color to succeed academically. 2013 marks the 30-year anniversary of Women in Focus, and their goal is still relevant today. Nancy Wrenn Bauch, who nominated the group, says, “Women in Focus have done so much to instill the power of literacy into the community. They’ve had a long-lasting positive impact on the lives of families at the YWCA and throughout the community.”
Distinguished Service Award
David Lehrer is active in his second year as President of Operation Fresh Start’s volunteer Board of Directors. In that role, he is helping to guide the organization toward the completion of its strategic plan to broaden and deepen programming to reach Dane County’s disconnected youth, and help them get back on track toward building marketable skills and gaining productive employment. Greg Markle, who nominated David, says, “David has been instrumental in strengthening Operation Fresh Start’s strategic direction. Between fundraising and gathering input from community members and business leaders, David has moved the organization much closer to its long-standing vision, that every disconnected youth in Dane County has a path toward becoming a productive and contributing member of our community.” While this success has been recent, David has been dedicated to the mission of Operation Fresh Start through his volunteering for 14 years as a youth mentor, tutor and role model.
Distinguished Service Award – Outstanding Leadership
Chris Zenchenko models our community’s commitment to the health and independence of our seniors and people with disabilities. During 12 years of service on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually impaired, Chris has advised in areas of advocacy, finance, human resources, executive management, and scholarship. As president of the board, he sets the direction to expand services in vision rehabilitation, to tackle difficult issues pertaining to service animal safety and ensuring that post-secondary students receive accessible learning tools and textbooks. He serves as a representative to the Department of Public Instruction, advocating for children who are blind and visually impaired. In part due to Chris’s advocacy, a 2006 law was passed that protects service animals from harm and ensures post-secondary students have the tools they need to succeed. Chris’s work has made Dane County a better place to live for people who are blind and visually impaired.
Looking to Volunteer?
Anyone interested in joining these amazing volunteers in making an impact on our community can contact the United Way Volunteer Center at 608-246-4380 or online at VolunteerYourTime.org
###
Our Community’s Agenda for Change
EDUCATION
- Students succeed academically and graduate from high school, regardless of race.
- Children are cared for and have fun as they become prepared for school.
SAFETY
- There is a decrease in family homelessness.
- There is a reduction in violence toward individuals and families.
HEALTH
- People’s health issues are identified and treated early.
- Seniors and people with disabilities are able to stay in their homes.
United Way engages our community mobilizes volunteers and strengthens local nonprofits to achieve measurable results and change lives.
A bout United Way of Dane County
United Way of Dane County is addressing the underlying causes of community issues through our community’s Agenda for Change—seven goals focused on three priority areas of Education, Safety and Health that our community identified as most critical to changing lives and strengthening Dane County. Through strategic partnerships and collaborative work, we are achieving measurable results toward making our community better educated, safer, and healthier. United Way provides organizations and individuals the opportunity to give, advocate, and volunteer to change the human condition in Dane County.
