Gov. Rick Snyder announced the 38 winners of the 2018 Governor’s Service Awards. The winners are individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations that were selected for their commitment to volunteerism, service or philanthropy.
“This year’s winners have inspiring stories. They have made a tremendous impact on the lives of others through their service,” Snyder said. “I am extremely grateful for the contributions they have made for Michigan and am honored to recognize their incredible accomplishments.”
The Governor’s Service Awards winners will be honored during a special ceremony hosted by the Michigan Community Service Commission on Tuesday, June 5, at the Wharton Center in East Lansing.
The winners include:
Gov. George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award: Lowell Spieth (Hillsdale)
Lifetime Humanitarian Award: John and Cleo Leppien (Alma), Marsha J. Smith (Traverse City)
Volunteer of the Year: Timothy Danielson (Ludington), Kenyetta Dotson (Flint), Connor Miller (Traverse City), Wendy Jo Morrison (Brighton)
Senior Volunteer of the Year: Sarah “Sally” Fallon (Hillsdale), Lyle Gunderson (Ludington), Virginia Ellen Abbott-Maxwell (Benton Harbor), Doris McCutcheon (Auburn Hills), Mary C. Payne (Muskegon), Jan Thomas (Copemish), Sandra Bowden-Whelton (Williamston)
Youth Volunteer of the Year: Allison Heath (Bloomfield Hills), Desiree Herrst (Bellaire), Ahmad Hider (Dearborn), Chintan Maheshwari (Farmington Hills), Katie Sesi (Ann Arbor), Katharine Shao(Northville), Christopher Wendt (Newberry)
Mentor of the Year: Lee Ellen Kerr (Auburn Hills), John Noling (Muskegon), Khali Sweeney (Detroit), Charles Thomas (Sterling Heights)
Outstanding Volunteer Program: Lake Superior Volunteer Corps (Marquette), Life Remodeled (Detroit), Team Rubicon Michigan (Statewide)
Outstanding National Service Program: Advise MI at Michigan College Access Network (Lansing), RSVP at Valley Area Agency Aging (Flint), Rural Opportunity VISTA program at Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (Lansing)
Corporate Community Leader: Dort Federal Credit Union (Grand Blanc), Lansing Board of Water & Light (Lansing), Sachse Construction (Detroit), teamGM Cares (Detroit)
Education Service Leader: Jackson College (Jackson), Michigan State University (East Lansing), University of Michigan-Flint (Flint)
In partnership with the Michigan Community Service Commission, the Council of Michigan Foundations and the Michigan Nonprofit Association will give two Community Foundation Philanthropy Awards.
Community Foundation Philanthropy Award: Charles “Charley” Janssen (Lansing), Carlene Walz Lefere (Jackson)
The Governor’s Service Awards ceremony is an annual statewide recognition event acknowledging the contributions made by Michigan volunteers. The event is coordinated by the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), the state’s lead agency on volunteerism. The MCSC strives to engage all Michigan residents in volunteerism to address critical community challenges. The MCSC is housed in the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Photo in this post courtesy of the MI Community Service Commission. Tune into our local and state newscasts, anytime day or night, for this story and more.
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