13 Michiganders to be honored at 2025 Governor's Service Awards

LANSING, Mich. – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Community Service Commission announced the 13 individuals, businesses and nonprofit organizations who will be honored at the 2025 Governor’s Service Awards for their commitment to volunteerism, service or philanthropy on Nov. 12, at the Kellogg Center in East Lansing.

“At the Governor’s Service Awards, we get to honor admirable Michiganders who have given their time, talent, and treasures to help others and make our state a better place,” said Governor Whitmer. “They step up for others and work hard to uplift our communities even when nobody’s looking because they know every contribution makes an impact. They have set an example for all of us to follow. I encourage every Michigander to draw from their stories and volunteer to make life a little better for those around them. Let’s keep rolling up our sleeves to help our neighbors and build a Michigan we can all be proud of.”  

To recognize those who go above and beyond, the Governor's Service Awards have been presented since 1994. The Michigan Community Service Commission supports Michigan volunteers, organizations and businesses that are committed to service and play a critical role in improving the lives of our people and communities. 

“The Award ceremony will be an intimate evening to celebrate the power of volunteerism,” said Michigan Community Service Commission Executive Director Ginna Holmes. “The level of selfless giving these Michiganders show should be an inspiration to us all. We are excited to tell their stories and show their passion to make a difference.” 

The winners include:

Governor George Romney Lifetime Achievement Award: Robert Copping (South Haven)  
Corporate Social Impact Award: Domino’s Pizza (Ann Arbor) 
Excellence in Philanthropy: Otsego Community Foundation (Gaylord)   
Older Adult Volunteer of the Year: John Richard Saxton (Blissfield)  
Volunteer of the Year: Diana K. Deese (Saginaw), Judy Paulsen (Hartland)   
Outstanding National Service Impact Award: Larry Friday (Norton Shores), BreAnna Lockhart (Detroit)  
Youth Impact Award: Sue Schooner (Ann Arbor), Student Leader Fellowship Program (Marquette)   
Youth Volunteer of the Year: Isabelle Bigelow (Livonia), Manya Tijoriwala (Canton)  
Community Impact Award: NorthWest Initiative (Lansing)    

Visit Michigan.gov/GovernorsServiceAwards for winners’ full biographies and more information. 

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The Governor's Service Awards ceremony is an annual statewide recognition event acknowledging the contributions made by Michigan volunteers. 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 residents in volunteerism to address critical community challenges. For more information, visit Michigan.gov/volunteer.