Volunteer of the Year Winners

United Way’s Volunteer Center Announces Annual
“Volunteer of the Year” Winners during National Volunteer Week

Volunteers are one of this community’s most important assets, especially in the area of community services. That’s why United Way’s Volunteer Center, the Directors of Volunteers in Agencies, and the Corporate Volunteer Council celebrate and honor Chattanooga area volunteers every year during National Volunteer Week.

In 2007, 5,285 area volunteers worked 134,742 hours in their communities. Multiply that by $18.77, which is the dollar value assigned to an hour of volunteer service by the National Independent Sector, and you have approximately $2.5 million in labor donated to area nonprofits.

A Volunteer Appreciation Banquet was hosted at Brainerd Crossroads, where five individuals and Unum received 2007 Volunteer of the Year service awards.

To become a volunteer, call the United Way Volunteer Center at 423-752-0316.

2007 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

Joy Gibson won 2007 Community Volunteer of the Year for her work at Partnership for Families, Children and Adults. She averages more than 50 hours of service each month answering the crisis Hot Line, which she helped to keep up and running in 2007. She also leads team meetings, puts together monthly shift calendars and acts as a liaison between the Hot Line volunteers and the Partnership staff.

Bill Wilson was named 2007 Education Volunteer of the Year for his responsibilities at Southern Adventist University. In addition to working with Joy McKee as a volunteer coordinator to keep positions around campus filled, he rolls up his own sleeves too. He gives campus tours, picks up students at the airport, serves food in the cafeteria, and helped the biology department care for their animals.

Simone Meadows won the title 2007 Environment Volunteer of the Year for her work with area animals, especially at the Chattanooga Zoo. In addition, she works with the Hospice Pet Therapy program, Kids on the Block, and the Humane Educational Society. She volunteers over 10 hours a week at the Zoo alone. Coworkers cite her fun-loving attitude, compassion and willingness to get the job done.

Robert Potter was named 2007 Youth Volunteer of the Year for his work as soccer coach at the Scenic Land School, where his sister is a student. As a Notre Dame Student, he began volunteering to meet a community service requirement, but it became so much more. So he coached the kids’ soccer team on a weekly basis for an entire school year, long after his obligation had passed. He felt if they could show up, he owed it to them to be there for them too. 

Faye Kelley won the 2007 Health Care Volunteer of the Year award for her tireless work with the families and patients of Hospice of Chattanooga. She provides a wide range of patient services, from companionship in their final days to cooking and cleaning, personal grooming and just listening. She even stepped in to act as a staff member when the department was in transition, and most recently she launched Hospice’s new “11^th Hour” program, which will offer patients a hand to hold during their last hours.

Unum was named 2007 Corporate Volunteer of the Year. This great company volunteers and gives throughout the Chattanooga Area, but they were nominated by the Chattanooga Community Kitchen for their work with its program. On behalf of the organization, UNUM employees held innovative and effective food and clothing drives, served lunch, built storage rooms, worked on the grounds, raised awareness and staffed the annual Christmas party – to list only a few of their good deeds.