Governor to honor local volunteers

The Kellogg Company of Battle Creek and two Kalamazoo volunteers are among more than 40 individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations from across the state who will be recognized June 24 for their commitment to volunteer service.

Those recognized are finalists for the 2010 Governor’s Service Awards and have been selected from 130 nominated.

Kellogg’s has been nominated for the Corporate Community Leader award. Kellogg was nominated for a number of its programs including one in which it donates $250 to a nonprofit of an employee’s choice if the employee donates 250 hours of service to the group. The company has donated $57 million in funding and $124 million in products to various groups across the country.
 
Two Kalamazooans are nominated for Senior Volunteer of the Year. Nominees are 65 years or older and involved in activities that make the community a better place. They are:

• Art Nichols, who has worked with RSVP for 19 years, a volunteer organization that assists older individuals. He also is part of GIVE: Faith and Action Network, which provides free assistance to seniors and the disabled. Nichols provides in-home support for homebound seniors and he is a Medicare and Medicade assistant. All-together he has donated 750 hours of service to the community in the past year.

• Dorothy Young, a retired Kalamazoo Public School teacher, continues to work with young people through her volunteer efforts. She works with parents and students through the community involvement aspect of the Kalamazoo Promise. She is involved with Saturday Eves Book Club, a group whose book discussions lead to ways to solve problems in education, politics and social issues. She is NAACP volunteer and a member of the Northside Association for Educational Advancement.

“Michigan’s volunteers give of their time and talent without thought of praise or recognition,” says Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm. “Volunteers are making a real difference in their communities. Recognizing them for their efforts is a simple way of thanking them for their commitment to service and honoring their accomplishments across the state.”

Writer: Kathy Jennings
Source: Elyse V. Walter, Michigan Community Service Commission