Mayors’ Volunteer and Top Teen Awards 2017

The 39th Annual Mayors’ Volunteer Awards and 19th Annual Mayors’ Top Teen Awards and Mother Moon Service Scholarships were presented by the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley on Tuesday, April 11 at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center.

The Mayors’ Volunteer Awards program, which recognizes outstanding volunteers in the Cedar Valley, included a luncheon with 130 attendees. Award categories this year included the Volunteer Award, which recognizes the accomplishments of outstanding volunteers regardless of age or years of service. The Outstanding Emerging Volunteer Award, which was open to those age 19-35. And the Lifetime Achievement Award that was open to any nominee with 20+ years of volunteerism in the Cedar Valley. Award criteria included demonstrating excellence in volunteerism in the Cedar Valley and a commitment to serving the community.

23 nominees received certificates from Mayor Jim Brown (Cedar Falls), Mayor Doug Faas (Evansdale), and Mayor Quentin Hart (Waterloo) and the Greater Cedar Valley Alliance and Chamber Ambassadors.

The 2017 nominees were: Diane Alcott, nominated by West Waterloo High School; Susan Card, nominated by Western Home Communities; Paula Czarnetski, nominated by Cedar Valley Hospice; Rita Durchenwald, nominated by Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare; Sharon Fasse, nominated by Lifeserve Blood Center; Genna Flaherty, nominated by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa; Pam Flanders, nominated by Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging; Mary Lou Garms, nominated by Allen Hospital; Jackie Glassel, nominated by  Salvation Army; Robert Green, nominated by Jeffery Dow; Gene Haack, nominated by Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging; Sydney Neuzil, nominated by Department of Human Services, Gabriela Petry, nominated by Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare; Bill Quibell, nominated by Michelle Temeyer; Roger Reiter, nominated by ISU Extension and Outreach Black Hawk County; Berenis Sanchez, nominated by Allen Hospital; Steve Schmitt, nominated by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa; Reggie Schmitt, nominated by Northeast Iowa Food Bank; Gary Steen, nominated by Department of Human Services; Gene Theis, nominated by Cedar Falls Tourism & Visitor Bureau and Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity; Patty Tometich, nominated by Care Initiatives Hospice; Ernie Wenger, nominated by West High School; Rachelle Yousefi, nominated by PET PALS.  

Congratulations to the 2017 Mayors' Volunteer Award Winners!

Bill Quibell, nominated by Michelle Temeyer
Susan Card, nominated by Western Home Communities
Rob Green, nominated by Jeff Dow
Gene Theis, nominated by Cedar Falls Visitor Center and Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity 
Reggie Schmitt, nominated by Northeast Iowa Food Bank
Rita Durchenwald, nominated by Wheaton Iowa/Franciscan Healthcare
Genna Flaherty, nominated by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa
Gabriela Petry, nominated by Wheaton Iowa/Franciscan Healthcare
Berenis Sanchez, nominated UnityPoint Health - Waterloo/Allen Hospital
Ernie Wenger, nominated by West Waterloo High School
Mary Lou Garms, nominated by UnityPoint Health - Waterloo/Allen Hospital
Gene Haack, nominated by Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging

The Mayors’ Top Teen Awards and Mother Moon Service Scholarships were presented by the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley on Tuesday evening. The awards program, which recognizes outstanding youth volunteers in the Cedar Valley, included an evening reception for teens, their parents and friends. Award criteria included demonstrating excellence in volunteerism in the Cedar Valley and a setting a good example as a role model for others. Teens ages 13-18 are eligible for the award.

25 nominees received certificates from Mayors Jim Brown (Cedar Falls), Mayor Doug Faas (Evansdale), and Mayor Quentin Hart (Waterloo). In addition, the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa awarded Mother Moon Service Scholarships to eight students.

Sponsors of the event included the cities of Cedar Falls, Dunkerton, Evansdale, Gilbertville, Hudson, La Porte City, Raymond, and Waterloo; Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa; R.J. McElroy Trust; and Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley.

This year’s honorees are as follows:

Top Row, Left to Right:
Dalton Burch, Jack Schaefer, Dawson Ellingson, Joshua Borwik, Ryan Gilstrap, Riley Henry, Faith Magee

Middle Row, Left to Right:
Saima Perveen, Kacey Fettkether, Brianna Zoll, Grace Jorgensen, Katelyn Pint, Emma Yoder, Anna Hepworth

Front Row, Left to Right:
Ardis White, Hana Malik, Haley Clark, Tyler Hayes, Abby Laures, Wesley Hanson, Hunter Peterson, Maria Geisler

Not pictured:
Aastha Chandra, Zach Nie, Caroline Strauel

Thanks to all our nominees for their commitment to volunteering!