Volunteers celebrated for Giving From the Heart

June 7, 2023

BY JOHN BAILEY

jbailey@ccunitedway.com

Walk in to or contact any non-profit and more than likely the first person you’ll meet is a volunteer. These are selfless individuals who believe in the value of serving others and aren’t concerned with receiving anything in return.

But every year, the Catawba County Volunteer Center takes a moment to say thank you, accepting nominations for the Giving From the Heart (GFH) Volunteer Awards. 

Hosted by the Catawba County United Way, the event was held on June 6 at The Heritage Barn in Conover.

Along with recognizing all the nominated volunteers, winners were chosen in three categories – individual adult, group and youth.

This year the individual adult winner was Beth Whicker, nominated by The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Hickory.

The group winner was Frances Reese and Debbie Isenhour, nominated by The Corner Table Soup Kitchen.

The youth winner was Aubrey Mitchell, nominated by the Catawba County United Way.

Each winner received $500 from Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation paid to the non-profit organization of their choice.

The Catawba County Volunteer Center also submits nominations from Giving From the Heart for the NC Governor’s Award for Volunteer Service, and 10 individuals were awarded with recognition this year.

They included: Samantha Hawn volunteer with The Corner Table Soup Kitchen and last year’s Youth GFH winner, Marcia Hubbard volunteer with VOICE (Volunteer Outreach Community Efforts), Stephanie Holland volunteer with Women’s Resource Center, Selah Sigmon volunteer with Catawba County 4-H, Crystal Cook volunteer with Safe Harbor, Anita Deal volunteer with Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Allen Kimberlin volunteer with American Red Cross Disaster Services in Catawba County, Mt. Zion Baptist Church Meals on Wheels Group volunteer with Senior Nutrition Services, The Hope Center Volunteer Van Drivers volunteer with Hickory Soup Kitchen. They were also last year’s Group, GFH winner.

And the county had a NC Governor’s Medallion Volunteer Award Recipient, Mike Turney a volunteer with The Corner Table Soup Kitchen. He was also last year’s Individual, GFH winner.

2023 GFH Individual Nominees 

Erin Ahern – nominated by Safe Harbor's ReSource Warehouse, Sandy Austin – nominated by Catawba County Sheriff's Office, Cole Breedlove – nominated by VOICE, Richard Burgess – nominated by Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Carmela Church – nominated by Safe Harbor GreenLeaf Transitional Program, Neenie Cline– nominated by Safe Harbor, Suzanna Cowen – nominated by Safe Harbor, Bruce Deese – nominated by Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry, Michelle Diciuccio – nominated by Council on Adolescents of Catawba County Lunch Buddy Mentor Program, Charles Durrett – nominated by Safe Harbor, Frances Fisher – nominated by VOICE, Shirley Hefner – nominated by Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry, Bob Killian – nominated by HOPE (Help Our People Eat) Garden at Corinth Church, Jennifer Lancaster – nominated by Walk With Me Healing Steps, Patti Moore – nominated by Women's Resource Center of Hickory, Ruth Morgan – nominated by VOICE, Melba Penley – nominated by VOICE, Jane Rinker– nominated by VOICE, Cindy Rywak – nominated by NC Cooperative Extension, BJ Sheaves – nominated by The Corner Table Soup Kitchen, Tim Shuford – nominated by Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley, Jenny Summers – nominated by Patrick Beaver Learning Resource Center – Augustine Literacy Project , Caleb Waters – nominated by Walk With Me Healing Steps, Beth Whicker – nominated by The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Hickory, Melanie "Mel" Wilder – nominated by Catawba County Senior Nutrition Services – Meals on Wheels and Betsy Williams – nominated by Oakwood Elementary School.

2023 Group Nominees

ECCCM Grocery Drivers: Denny Schell, Dennis Hampton, David and Aaron Williams, Jack Randall – nominated by Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry; ECCCM Thrift Store Golden Girls: Nancy Wall, Carol Dickinson, Jane Wesdyk, Ramona Ervin, Sylvia Hansmann, Betty McGee – nominated by Eastern Catawba Cooperative Christian Ministry; Frances Reese and Debbie Isenhower – nominated by The Corner Table Soup Kitchen; and V.O.I.C.E. Innovators: Ringo Nguyen, Jordan Shealey, Brian Kirkland, James Maennle – nominated by Volunteer Outreach In Community Efforts.

The Catawba County United Way wants to thank all the volunteers celebrated at this year’s GFH event, The Hickory Soup Kitchen for catering the lunch and Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation for providing the donation of $500 to each category winner.

To read more about this year’s GFH nominees visit - https://www.ccunitedway.com/2023-giving-heart-volunteer-award-nominees.