Award Recipients

Jacqueline Ball volunteers much of her spare time for the NAACP Nyack Youth Council which focuses on education, health, economic empowerment, juvenile justice and voter empowerment.  She is passionate about working with the youth and takes personal accountability for the success of each youth.  She assists them with preparing for and gaining higher education, including finding internships, providing transportation to and from meetings, chaperoning and advising out of town conventions and conferences, assisting with college applications, fundraising, and mentoring. Jacqueline also facilitates monthly youth council meetings, secures speakers for events and meetings and provides training on education, health, business etiquette and voter empowerment. Additionally, Jacqueline is the Superintendent of Youth programs in her church.

Immigrant Rights (ICIR) and its fight for the rights, fair treatment and dignity of immigrants. In Veronica Canton’s community service career began in 2000 with the Interfaith Coalition for 2004, Veronica began volunteering with Americans for Informed Democracy (AID)—a non-profit seeking to educate, cultivate and mobilize a network of young people in the U.S. to take informed action as global citizens.  In 2006, Veronica and three friends co-founded “Friends of El Shadai,” a group dedicated to raising awareness about Africa, poverty, AIDS, and human rights.  Additionally, since 2005, Veronica has been a member of the Human Rights Team of Reed Smith LLP, and has served as an interpreter for several pro bono asylum cases, translating dramatic, emotional testimony of torture, violence and abuse. 

Chuck Cavanaugh’s volunteering began in grade school when he participated in fall community service days raking and bagging leaves for the elderly. That experience, coupled with his Mother’s example of putting others before self and his Father’s volunteer work at church, the VFW, and the American Legion were his inspirations.  Recognized in college for his volunteer work with the Sisters of Mercy, Chuck knew work/life balance should always include helping others in need. He has volunteered with the Knights of Columbus benefitting the mentally disabled, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, pre/post flood of 2009 work in Cedar Rapids, The Arc of East Central Iowa (enriching the lives of the mentally disabled in Eastern Iowa), and 15 years working with the Cedar Rapids St. Patrick’s Day Parade Society.

After learning of her son’s diagnosis of Duchenne muscular dystrophy at ten years of age, Julie Cosgrove-Garcia has been active with Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy, the largest non-profit grass roots organization in the U.S.  The organization was founded to fund Duchenne research, raise awareness, promote advocacy, and expand care options for those with the disease.  For the past ten years, Julie has worked with the organization to help families and others with the same disease as her son, to raise awareness about the incurable disease and help link families with helpful medical and support resources.  In addition, Julie spent much of her time in the past volunteering in her children’s school and in her church community to help others in need. 

John Cronin has dedicated his career to environmental public service. A recognized leader in environmental education, advocacy, and innovation with special emphasis on national and global water issues, his career began on the Hudson River, in 1973 considered one of the nation’s most polluted waterways.  John joined Clearwater where his work prompted the first federal enforcement of the 1972 Clean Water Act in New York. He authored laws preserving Hudson shorelands, fisheries, and fishing families.  In 1983, he was appointed Hudson Riverkeeper and also helped launch "Keeper" programs on San Francisco Bay, Delaware River, and elsewhere. In 2000, he became founding director of Pace Academy for the Environment.  As Pace's first Senior Fellow, he develops student environmental leadership programs and lectures nationally on the world water crisis.

Sue Dangello is involved with the Connor Kirby Infant Memorial Foundation, an organization founded to help families who have lost children to pay for funeral costs and counseling services.  As a member of the Board, Sue and the other board members select families struggling with the loss of a child. In addition to the foundation, Sue also spends time on the Juniata River with Kayaking for Charity.  Last year, this annual event raised over $9000 for breast cancer research.  This year, the Charity will kayak for the local Ronald McDonald House. Sue also supports the local Boys’ and Girls’ Club, Little League association, and local schools basket bingo events. In addition to her community service work, Sue has also been recognized for excellence in sales with Nationwide.

Dilena Diaz’s family immigrated to the U.S. to pursue the American dream. Dilena achieved outstanding scholastic and athletic success in high school and college.  As an undergraduate, she was involved in community service, worked part time and pursued two majors, graduating in the top 20% of her class in three years. Two years ago, Dilena re-started New Net, created to convene new employees to help them improve their business skills while they grew personally and professionally. Membership grew from 3 to now over 500 members. Additionally, she led the Energy Explorers Program, sending employees to elementary schools in an effort to promote math and science studies.  She currently volunteers with Big Brother Big Sisters, Best Buddies and Lighthouse for the Blind and mentors with Mazie Mentoring Program.

Hong Faith Du has dedicated the last seven years to promoting health and wellness in Central Indiana Communities while sharing her knowledge of her Chinese culture.  Faith founded the free Indy Tai Chi Fitness Club in 2004 and has been its principal teacher during the past seven years.  Tai Chi is a Chinese art dating back hundreds of years.  Its gentle movements require deep strength and provide benefits to the entire body.  Tai Chi is believed to connect the inner self with the outer body and is considered an excellent exercise for meditation and relaxation.  Faith’s husband, Tony, is also involved in the Indy Tai Chi Fitness Club and volunteers each year by assisting Faith.

In 2009, Alicia Ewen helped build 26 homes, volunteering for 40 weekends for the Broward County Habitat for Humanity. She participated in home build trips in Louisiana and Mississippi, post-Hurricane Katrina.  Alicia spent part of her vacation time participating in a 5-day home build in Chiang Mai, Thailand.  In 2010, Alicia attended the Carter Work Project in Birmingham, AL, leading a crew to build a home for a family left homeless due to a fire. In 2010, she donated 136 weekend hours working on Broward County homes and celebrated her sixth year volunteering over 850 hours. Alicia recently graduated from the Coconut Creek CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) program and now volunteers at local events providing first aid and emergency preparedness.

Hector Gonzalez oversaw and organized a collection of non-perishable items for earthquake victims in Haiti, donating over 1,000 pounds of items to the Salvation Army. Helping the homeless for the past nine years, Hector is currently providing services in Miami. Recently, he has attempted to curb hunger in the homeless community by starting a ministry, “Hope for the Homeless”, in his parish. Established when Hector was working in his kitchen making just fifteen sandwiches a week, his efforts have grown into a 100-plus team of volunteers who prepare more than 500 brown-bagged lunches a week, feeding downtown Miami. The team has also provided clothing and toiletries to the homeless. During cold winter nights, they distributed more than 2,000 blankets to those living on the streets.

In 2009, while working full time at Eli Lilly, Oscar Grau returned to FIU to pursue a graduate degree. Between classes and work, Grau and other alumni members united to create a new organization, FIU Leadership in Practice (FLIP), designed to impact local at-risk teens. Grau served as the founding committee finance chair, executive moderator, and student mentor. FLIP has begun motivating over 100 at-risk high school students to attend college and understand their career potential. While attending undergrad, he was a founding member and served as president of the FIU Student Alumni Association (SAA), helping to bridge students & alumni together through the creation of SAA's first mentorship program. After graduation, Grau volunteered to help create the Young Urban Professional Alumni (YUPA!) group.

Mary Gregg volunteers regularly for Eat’n Park’s functions, her church community, and her son’s Boy Scout troop.  She is also an instrumental part of a non-profit organization, Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti, Inc (FLM Haiti) and serves on the board. Mary and a group of FLM Haiti board members built a health center in Haiti. They worked tirelessly for seven years and finally, in July 2009 the “House of David, Community Health Center” opened and positively impacts many lives in the community. In addition to the Center, the group also funds and operates a school in Thomassin and 60 adult literacy centers outside of Port Au Prince.  She recently traveled with a team to Haiti immediately following the devastating 2010 earthquake. 

Angela Haven is the volunteer who quietly orchestrates events “behind the scenes”.  She has worked tirelessly organizing the American Cancer Society’s Daffodil Days, helping RCI raise over $8800 annually and the Children’s Bureau Giving Tree events, matching children with generous RCI employees for the past 7 - 8 years. She has also volunteered the past 5 years at the Children’s Bureau Golf Outing, one of the company’s largest annual fund raising events that supports their efforts all year long.  Angela worked at the Children's Bureau Golf Event the past 5 years, participated in shopping with Christel House Kids for Culver Camp, American Cancer Society’s Making Strides, Riley Children’s Hospital, atrium parties, & Jeff Gordon Bowling to benefit the Riley Children’s Hospital Foundation.  

Jessica Kelley feels volunteerism is a valuable part of her faith; she has traveled near and far to serve others. She held several leadership roles during her four years at University of Toledo, steering her peers toward volunteerism.  Jessica served weekly at the Josina Lott residential facility for people with special needs, helped construct homes during an alternative spring break project in Miami, Fla., coordinated a mission trip to Mississippi to assist with cleanup after Hurricane Katrina, administered physicals during a medical mission in Jamaica, and helped maintain a cultural icon in the Toledo Repertoire Theatre. Jessica helped with Campus HEAT (Hunger Elimination Amongst Toledoans) and the Big Event, a ‘Thank You’ day of community service to neighborhoods near UT’s campus.

In 1987, Katie Kirlin, age 10, was diagnosed with a rare, cancerous tumor on her spinal cord. The tumor was removed; Katie was left paralyzed from the waist down.  During her rehabilitation, Katie's parents, Joe and Roseann Kirlin, got Katie involved in wheelchair sports, giving her a sense of accomplishment. Sadly, in 1989, Katie lost her battle with cancer.  The Kirlin’s mission began in Katie’s memory with the establishment of the Katie Kirlin Fund.  This fund provides grants to children in need to purchase specialized wheelchairs, to sponsor wheelchair sporting events, to pay for lodging and travel expenses both nationally and internationally, to fund wheelchair sports programs at rehabilitation hospitals, camps and within the community, and to contribute to awards and trophies for wheelchair sports events.

James Lui works within the Asian – American community in Los Angeles to bring resources and education to children and families.  His focus is supporting expansion of the creative arts in education, which have experienced cut backs. He has also helped plan and organize several local holiday, health and wellness, and AIDs awareness activities.  James has supported ARAMARK Building Community, by participating with the Salvation Army of Southern California in 2009 and 2010. In addition, in the wake of the Japan earthquake and resulting tsunami, he worked with two local organizations to raise funds for the relief efforts – creating a social media campaign for a local hair salon and working with his improvisational theatre group to donate 100% of its April 1^st show proceeds.

Rob Massey has inspired many Deloitte professionals to use their business skills serving local nonprofits.  He recently helped create over 20 pro bono projects, including assisting eleven regional nonprofits with tax projects.  He is also involved in Tax-Aid and Youth Business America. Tax-Aid provides free tax preparation to low-income families throughout the Bay Area.  Rob began his involvement at the San Rafael location, a predominantly Hispanic community that relies on bilingual volunteers to help with their tax and business needs.  He expanded their activities into the Yountville Veteran’s Home where they assist veterans and the surrounding community. Rob leads Deloitte’s pro bono efforts at the newly formed nonprofit, Youth Business America (YBA), providing business mentoring and loan capital for young people wishing to start their own business.

For many years, Kendra Neely-Martin has provided help and hope to young African American girls through her volunteer efforts with Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Ranging in age from 5-17, Kendra describes these girls as a representation of the socioeconomic diversity in the African American Community – C students who don’t get attention or opportunity to lead. Most are at risk because they lack communication skills, confidence or self-esteem.  Kendra engages with them through Delta Academy, Delta Tweens and Delta GEMS.  They are given the opportunity to learn the value of education, discover how to build a solid community, and receive health and wellness training. Kendra also partners with numerous organizations that enhance the leadership skills of girls and educate them on the importance of community service.

Paul Richard served as a co-captain of the company’s Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis team in 2008. Over the next two years, Paul served as the company’s team captain and on event committees for the Arthritis Foundation. He served as Vice Chair of the 2010 Jingle Bell Run and will serve as Chair of the 2011 event. He helps with the Arthritis Walk in June and is the IT/Website Chair of the Jingle Bell Run. In 2010, he received the top volunteer award from the Arthritis Foundation. In 2011 he was named the newest member of the Leadership Council of the Arthritis Foundation, Central Indiana Branch. In addition, Paul also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity, United Christmas Service and the American Red Cross.

Ken Smith keeps his work at Allstate front and center but also maintains his commitment to the organizations he supports. A few nonprofits he actively engages with include Gateway for Cancer Research Foundation (Executive Board Vice Chairman), Boys Scouts of America Northwest Suburban Council (Executive Board Member), and Medinah Shrine and Neighborhood Housing Services of Southeast Wisconsin.  As a champion for the Gateway for Cancer Research Foundation over the last seven years, Ken’s contributions – passion, uplifting attitude, commitment to improving the lives of others, what he has done for the staff and clients, his leadership role on the Board – are immeasurable. Ken’s community service seeks to improve the lives of others who can benefit from his time, leadership, passion and ideas.

As the 2011 winner of the Christiana Care Jefferson Award for Outstanding Community Service, Sue Sokira embodies the spirit of the Awards. When not at work as a transfer center representative in the Emergent Transport Access Center at Christiana Care, Sue works as a firefighter and EMT. Sue also raises money each year for the March of Dimes and for several 5K races, including the Tunnel to Towers run in memory of a New York City firefighter. During the holidays, she adopts a family and raises funds for supplies for our men and women in the military. And, if that isn’t enough, she convinced the Cranston Heights Fire Company to donate a used vehicle to a local family in need.

Fueled by a passion to give back to their community, a cross-functional team of employees established Lilly’s Taiwan Philanthropy Task Force in 2004.  Since then, the group has made a dramatic difference in the lives of local children by providing much-needed funds for tuition, medical care, and vocational training.  Improving the environment has been another major focus, and the Task Force has organized ongoing cleanup efforts in the mountains and along the coast of Taiwan.  Team members have made a positive impact in disaster relief as well, collecting substantial donations for victims of Typhoon Morakot, the Haiti earthquake, and tsunamis in Southeast Asia and Japan.  By joining together to do good works, the Task Force has inspired greater volunteerism and built a stronger local community.

Through her passion for the cause along with her business acumen, Michelle Voss has helped improve Heartland Animal Shelter of Northbrook, IL, from operating with a budget deficit to a more financially sound organization.  Committed to this organization since 2006, she has served 3,000 hours of volunteer service.  Michelle suggested a number of programs to help the organization decrease their deficit including suggesting the organization supplement its paid human resources department with volunteers taking on these responsibilities.  She devised a plan to restructure and revamp the website, created digital and print advertisements and currently serves as editor of its newsletter. Under her guidance, the shelter has reported an increase in the number of adopted animals from 600 to 1,000 and now operates without a deficit.

Karen Welker donates much of her free time to support the Hearts-n-Hands Sertoma Club, an organization that assists people who have been diagnosed with life-threatening illnesses with their day-to-day needs.  She provides support to individuals who are terminally ill and transportation to patients who have medical appointments.  She has become a client’s own personal emergency medical contact and is responsible for this client’s meals, transportation and doctor appointments.  In addition, she chairs the organization's fundraising committee and is responsible for all events held for the organization.  Karen is responsible for significant changes that have benefited the organization, such as taking it upon herself to personally thank and encourage each and every volunteer.