More than 500 people, including local community leaders, non-profit agency representatives and business executives, turned out Thursday, May 10 for the 2018 Spirit of Volunteerism Awards. The Helpline Center hosted the luncheon at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

A total of 77 nominees, all of whom are local volunteers, were recognized at the 36th annual awards luncheon. Winners of the Spirit of Volunteerism Awards were announced in the following categories: Youth, Group, Adult (Up and Coming, Shining Bright, Lifetime) and Corporate Humanitarian (Large Business and Small Business).

In addition, 12 Volunteer of the Month award winners were recognized during the program and six local high school students received a Youth Leadership Award scholarship. The banquet featured inspiring stories about unsung heroes going above and beyond to volunteer in our community.

The Spirit of Volunteerism Awards luncheon is held annually by the Helpline Center to honor outstanding volunteers in the Sioux Falls area. Sponsors of the event include Midco, Avera, First National Bank in Sioux Falls, Independent Insurance Agents of Sioux Falls, High Point Networks, Children’s Dental Center and Parkway Orthodontics, First PREMIER Bank/PREMIER Bankcard, MetaBank and Citi.

The 2018 Spirit of Volunteerism Award winners are:

  • Youth Category: Shelby Specht, for starting project 'Kandy for Kids' where she made over 600 candy bouquets to raise money for Children's Miracle Network.
  • Adult Up and Coming Category: Courtney Hottovy, for her volunteer work with Sanford Hospice Ava’s House visiting terminal ill patients and playing her violin.
  • Adult Shining Bright Category: Eimi Lbrahim-Cloutier, for her volunteer service as the school site coordinator for Feeding South Dakota BackPack Program at Anne Sullivan Elementary.
  • Adult Lifetime Category: Beth Jernberg, for her service in developing the Pet Therapy program at Avera that now has 27 certified handlers in over seven locations.
  • Group Category: Soroptimist International of Sioux Falls, for creating the nonprofit 'Toy Lending Library' that lends out toys for children zero to five years of age.
  • Corporate Humanitarian (large business) Category: The Barrel House, for raising nearly $90,000 to pay for Sioux Falls School District children’s meal account that has a negative balance.
  • Corporate Humanitarian (small business) Category: EXIT Realty, for its work on both new home construction as well as neighborhood revitalization projects with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sioux Falls.

Citi also presented the Youth Leadership Awards at the event. Six high school students received $1,000 scholarships in recognition for their community involvement:

  • Nareen Barwari, Roosevelt High School
  • Anna DeYoung, Sioux Falls Christian High School
  • Brooklynn Gross, Harrisburg High School
  • Caitlynn McGregor, McCook Central High School
  • Zachary Severson, Canton High School
  • Max Wilde, Brandon Valley High School

The following Volunteers of the Month were also recognized:

  • June of 2017, Joanne Avery, nominated by Active Generations
  • July of 2017, Carolyn Anderson, nominated by Senior Companions of South Dakota
  • August of 2017, Adam Kolakowski, nominated by South Dakota Game, Fish, & Parks
  • September of 2017, Galen Ver Steeg, nominated by Center of Hope
  • October of 2017, Carol Shuckhart, nominated by Soroptimist International of Sioux Falls
  • November of 2017, Sherri Goebel, nominated by Washington Pavilion of Arts & Science
  • December of 2017, Reva Rezac, nominated by Sanford Health
  • January of 2018, Jen Miklos, nominated by JAM Art & Supplies
  • February of 2018, Becky and Ron Treiber, nominated by Avera@Home Hospice
  • March of 2018, Caden Houge, nominated by Butterfly House & Aquarium
  • April of 2018, Rob Hugelman, nominated by LifeScape
  • May of 2018, Val Klinker, nominated by Independent Living Choices

Source Helpline Center


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