Governor Rick Snyder announced the 40 finalists for the 2015 Governor’s Service Awards. The finalists have been selected from more than 160 individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations statewide for their commitment to volunteer service. To see the list of finalists and their service biographies, visit www.michigan.gov/mcsc.
“Michigan has a rich tradition of volunteerism, with neighbors helping neighbors, businesses donating goods and services, and volunteer programs working to have a positive impact on the state,” said Snyder. “I am pleased to honor these 40 finalists who have gone above and beyond, given selflessly of themselves, and made a difference in their communities. It is an honor to thank them for their service.”
The Governor’s Service Awards finalists will be honored during a special ceremony titled “An Evening with the Stars” Monday, June 29 at Frederik Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids. During the ceremony, an overall winner in each category will be announced. The event also will feature musical entertainment by Main Street Dueling Pianos.
The 40 outstanding volunteer finalists are being honored in one of eight different categories that reflect the diverse nature of volunteers throughout Michigan. The award categories are: Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award; Corporate Community Leader Award; Mentor of the Year Award; Volunteer of the Year Award; Senior Volunteer of the Year Award; Youth Volunteer of the Year Award; Outstanding National Service Program Award; and Outstanding Volunteer Program Award.
The Governor’s Service Awards ceremony is an annual statewide recognition event acknowledging the contributions made by Michigan volunteers. This celebration is made possible only through the generous contributions of its sponsors. To date those sponsors include: AT&T, Comer Holdings / Lear, Consumers Energy, Council of Michigan Foundations, Delta Dental, Dow Chemical Company, Farmers Insurance, Firekeepers Casino, Ford Motor Company Fund, Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit, Greenstone Farm Credit Services, Jackson National Life Insurance, MASCO, Meijer, and Wolverine Worldwide.
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. It is part of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.