June 14, 2024
BY JOHN BAILEY
Dependable.
Compassionate.
Encouraging.
A Mentor. An Advocate. A Friend.
These are just a few ways the group of nominees for the 2024 Giving From the Heart (GFH) Volunteer Awards were described at the annual event hosted by the Catawba County United Way (CCUW) on Tuesday.
The luncheon is an opportunity to recognize the selfless work so many across the county do every day for those in need. It is also a chance to recognize this year’s NC Governor’s Volunteer Award recipients from Catawba County.
As further recognition for the GFH volunteers, Piedmont Natural Gas donated $500 to the nonprofit of each category winner’s (individual, group, youth) choice.
This year those winners were:
Individual – Jason Keating, volunteer at Walk with Me Healing Steps.
Group – Dana and Josiah Florez, volunteers at NC Cooperative Extension 4-H.
Youth – Luke Wilkinson, volunteer at The Corner Table.
“These agencies accomplish the incredible in our community, but it is the volunteers who make this possible,” Catawba County United Way Executive Director Mark Bumgarner said. “They are often the human connection, the behind the scenes work that creates the service that changes the lives of those the agency serves, and that in turn builds a stronger, kinder Catawba County.”
For Jason Keating, the ‘why’ for being a volunteer is simple, to be able to help the next person. He started at Walk With Me Healing Steps as a client and is now training to get certifications so he can pay the help he received forward.
“I had issues I was working through as a veteran,” Keating said. “Traditional therapy wasn’t working and then I found the farm and after seven months of the (equine) therapy, I thought to myself, ‘alright what do I have to do to give back and help the next person…hopefully help the next veteran not stumble the way I did’.”
NC Governor’s Award recipients from Catawba County
Tim Shuford - Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley
Michelle Hicks Diciuccio - Council on Adolescents of Catawba County
Melanie Wilder - Catawba Co. Senior Nutrition Services
David Wiley - The American Red Cross
Carmela Church - Safe Harbor GreenLeaf Transitional program
BJ Sheaves - The Corner Table Soup Kitchen
Betsy Williams - Oakwood Elementary School
Beth Whicker - The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Hickory
Nancy Wall, Carol Dickinson, Jane Wesdyk, Ramona Ervin, Sylvia Hansmann and Betty McGee - Ashure Thrift Store Golden Girls
GFH Individual Nominees
Amber Taylor - The Kindness Project
Ashley Reinhardt - Mt. Sinai Baptist Church
Betty Lynch - Ashure Ministry
Chris Oram - Safe Harbor
Cindy Clark - Augustine Literacy Project
Darlene Sanders - Exodus Homes
Darryl Drew Phillips - Safe Harbor ReSource Warehouse
Denise Bilhorn - Safe Harbor
Denise Icenhour - Walk With Me Healing Steps
Elizabeth Ann Belvin - Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry
Jane Wesdyk - Ashure Ministry
Jason Keating - Walk With Me Healing Steps
Melanie Elrod - Safe Harbor
Michael Matthew Jupin - The Corner Table
Nancy Lipe - Hickory Soup Kitchen
Robert Sand - Catawba Co. Meals on Wheels
Will Monroe - Ashure Ministry
GFH Group Nominees
Dana and Josiah Florez - Cooperative Extension - 4-H
Ken Baker, Karl Bechtold, Kevin Boggs, Doug Carter, John Cook, Kenny Dowell, Sean Downey, Tracy Gilbert, Dan Stecewicz, Lee Warren, James Weaver - Drivers for The Corner Table
Ebenezer UMC Volunteers: Patsy Rhoney, Amy McCormick, Norris Huss, Myra Huss, Jerry Rhonex, Alice Rhonex, Betty Houser, Gregg Plott, Shelba Lackery - Ashure Ministry
Rose Sipe and Glenda Verbos - Safe Harbor
GFH Youth Nominees
Luke Wilkinson - The Corner Table
Reese Poovey - The Hope Center at Hickory Soup Kitchen
The event was Held at The Heritage Barn in Conover with lunch catered by The Hickory Soup Kitchen. Thank You again to all the volunteers in Catawba County.