skip mobile navigation

Celebrating Volunteers

Honoring Those Who Give from the Heart

Announcement for 2023

Celebrating Volunteers event and awards to conclude after 23 years, nearly $750,000 donated to nonprofits and hundreds of volunteers honored 

For 23 years, hundreds of residents of the Fox Valley came together each spring for an awards gala that celebrated people who went above and beyond to help make the community a better place with their gifts of time and talent.   

The inaugural Celebrating Volunteers awards event was held in 1998, co-sponsored by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and The Post-Crescent. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the cancelation of the event the last three years, although volunteer award recipients were still selected in 2020 and 2021. 

The steering committee, led by the Community Foundation and including award and event sponsors, has decided to end the gala and volunteer awards. 

Read the Full Press Release Here

 



Our 2021 Celebrating Volunteers Awardees

Well Done!

Click to view our winner profiles:

We celebrate the people in the Fox Valley who go above and beyond to help make the community a better place with their gifts of time.

Each recipient receives $5,000 to give to a local nonprofit organization and the youth winner receives a $1,500 scholarship and $1,000 to donate to a nonprofit of his or her choice.

Since 1998, award sponsors have given $749,500 to local charities selected by their awardees! 

Mary Beth Nienhaus

2020 Walter L. Rugland Community Service Award

Sponsored By Volunteer Fox Cities in partnership with Thrivent

Capital Credit Union & Pillars

2020 Business Partnership Award

Sponsored By SECURA

Justice Moore

2020 Youth Scholarship Award

Sponsored By Community First Credit Union

2020 Recipients

Hover over a recipient to learn more

Walter Zerrenner

2020 Paul and Elaine Groth Mentoring Award

Sponsored By Mielke Family Foundation

Chad Kazel

2020 Janet Berry Volunteer of the Year

Sponsored By Amcor

Betsy Rachubinski

2020 Health Care Volunteer Award

Sponsored By Ascension and ThedaCare