Governor Announces Finalists for the 2010 Governor's Service Awards

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced the finalists for the 2010 Governor's Service Awards who will be honored this month during ceremonies at the Gem Theatre in Detroit. The 40 finalists have been selected from more than 130 individuals, businesses, and nonprofit organizations from across the state who were nominated for their commitment to volunteer service.

"Michigan's volunteers give of their time and talent without thought of praise or recognition," said Governor 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."

Governor Granholm and First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern will honor the finalists during an awards ceremony entitled, "An Evening with the Stars," on Thursday, June 24, at the Gem Theatre in Detroit. The 2010 Governor's Service Awards will be a theatre-style event highlighting award presentations and featuring performances by Michigan musical artists and performers, all paying tribute to the honorees.

In addition to recognizing the Governor's Service Award recipients in eight categories, Governor Granholm will also present the Community Foundation Award for Philanthropy.

The Governor's Service Awards are 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: Acheson Ventures, Comcast, Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, Ford Motor Company Fund, Hagerty Insurance, Hudson Weber, Mawby Family Fund, MASCO Corporation Foundation, Meijer, Michigan Nonprofit Association, State Farm Insurance, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

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 citizens in volunteerism to address critical community challenges. It is part of the Michigan Department of Human Services.

The 2010 award finalists are:

Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award
This award, the most prestigious of the Governor's Service Awards, honors an individual who has taken his or her volunteer service to the highest level - year after year. It honors an individual, usually a senior citizen, who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to community involvement and volunteer service.  Individuals nominated in this category have made service a way of life for many, many years. The finalists are:

• David Garvey of Grand Rapids

• Mary K. Hoodhood of Grand Rapids

• Tad Minor of Traverse City

• Frank Such of Grand Haven

• Kenneth Whipple of Bloomfield Hills

Corporate Community Leader Award
Corporations and businesses that excel in community involvement are honored with this award. This kind of commitment is made by all employees, both hourly and salaried, and can take many forms including, but not limited to, corporate volunteer programs, monetary contributions, in-kind gifts, and employee-driven volunteer service. The finalists are:

• Cargill, Inc. of St. Clair

• Coleman Engineering Company of Iron Mountain

• Harbor Industries of Grand Haven and Charlevoix

• Jackson National Life Insurance Company of Lansing

• The Kellogg Company of Battle Creek

Mentor of the Year
Mentors change lives. They give of themselves personally to a child month after month, year after year. This award honors an individual who has made a significant difference in a child's life through mentoring. For the purpose of this award, mentoring is defined as a structured and trusting relationship that brings a young person together with a caring individual who offers guidance, support, and encouragement. As a result, the mentee experiences improvements in grades, behaviors, social interactions, etc. The finalists are:

• Nicholas Bottomley of Kentwood

• Tyrone Burrell of Port Huron

• Sarah Leep of Holland

• Harry Leeuw of Holland

• Robert Matthews of Flint

Outstanding Mentoring Program Award
Mentoring programs are responsible for developing and maintaining high-quality experiences for both the mentor and mentee. Outstanding programs have systems in place for recruitment, retention, background checks, ongoing support, evaluation, and more. This award honors an extraordinary mentoring program or organization that provides high-quality mentoring with significant results for children in Michigan. The finalists are:

• Art of Leadership Foundation of Detroit

• CASA - Children's After School Achievement of Holland

• Explore Mentor PLUS Program of Alma

• The Henry Ford Youth Mentorship Program of Dearborn

• Lunch Buddies - Central Michigan University Volunteer Center of Mt. Pleasant

Outstanding Volunteer Program Award
The extraordinary work volunteers accomplish in communities is often driven by an organization or club. This award acknowledges the importance this support can make in community life. The nominees in this category strive to make communities better places to live through a variety of activities or by focusing on one issue of primary importance in their community. Schools, faith-based organizations, national service programs, nonprofit organizations, and service clubs are potential nominees. The finalists are:

• The Arc of Midland

• The Assistance League of Southeastern Michigan - Operation School Bell Program of Rochester

• Choose to Lead of Pinckney

• The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy of Traverse City

• Kids' Food Basket of Grand Rapids

Senior Volunteer of the Year
Seniors have a wealth of experience to share with their community. That is why an older adult who is taking action to make his or her community a better place is honored with this award. Nominees in this category are ages 65 or older. They may be involved with many activities or given significant time to one particular cause. The finalists are:

• Patricia Dochoda-Mogg of Jackson

• Art Nichols of Kalamazoo

• Patricia Seif of Holland

• Mary Turner of Lincoln Park

• Dorothy Young of Kalamazoo

Volunteer of the Year
When it comes to solving community problems, individuals really make things happen. These everyday citizens are very special people who go the extra mile for their community. This award is reserved for an individual who strives to improve the lives of neighbors, friends, community, or congregation.  Individuals nominated for this award could be adults, national service members, educators, and more.  The finalists are:

• Greta Buck of Canton

• Barbara Emmons of Bath

• Mark Hunter of Portage

• Kimberly Vernon of Flint

• Suzanne Williams of Grandville

Youth Volunteer of the Year
Volunteer service that begins at an early age is often carried forward throughout life. That is why a young person who is taking action to make his or her community a better place is honored with this award. Nominees in this category are ages 21 and younger. They may be involved with many activities or give significant time to one particular cause. The finalists are:

• Kyle Barnhart of Comstock Park

• Marianne Grima of Livonia

• Donavan McKinney of Detroit

• Bradley Norat of Macomb

• Alix Rugg of Kingsford