The Shawano Area Community Foundation will honor five local volunteers at its eighth annual Celebration of Giving event April 11 at The Gathering.
The event celebrates the past year of giving through the SACF, and recognizes area citizens for their spirit of volunteerism. Each award recipient receives $1,000 to benefit the local nonprofit organization of their choice.
The following volunteers will be honored:
• Ed Grys — Health Care Volunteer Award sponsored by ThedaCare Physicians. Grys has demonstrated his commitment to improving the physical and mental health of people in Shawano County through his involvement with C.H.A.T. (Community Health Action Team), Born Learning Trails and SMART (Super Markets Activities Really Teach) signs in Charlie’s County Market.
• Emma Schmidt — Youth Volunteer Award sponsored by the Shawano Optimist Club and Shawano Rotary. Schmidt’s commitment to volunteering has benefited local and global populations. Locally, she volunteers with Junior Achievement, National Honor Society and her church through its nursery and Sunday School programs. Local nursing homes have also benefited from her spirit of volunteerism and musical talents. Schmidt has made a global impact by volunteering with Feed My Starving Children and Operation Christmas Child.
• Mary Lou Kugel — Bill Mielke Volunteer Educator Award sponsored by the Mielke Family Foundation. Kugel is being honored for her volunteer service with the Waukechon Wildcats 4-H Club, Shawano County 4-H Leaders Inc., Shawano County Dairy Promotions, Shawano Community High School music programs and St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Cecil.
• Laura Magee — Robert D. Nueske Wittenberg Community Service Award sponsored by Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats. Magee is being recognized for her considerable volunteer involvement with the Grapple on the Gridiron at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School. The annual event draws more than 2,500 people and raises enough money to support the youth wrestling program, local scholarships and to address various material needs of the school and community.
• Len Pubanz — Shawano Community Service Award sponsored by a fund holder within the Shawano Area Community Foundation. Pubanz is receiving this award for his volunteer work with the Shawano Farmers Market, Peace United Church of Christ, Olga Brener Intermediate School, Shawano County Barn Quilt Project and the Little Free Library movement.
Tickets are $25 per person. They can be purchased by completing the registration form at shawanofoundation.org or by calling 715-280-1110 or cog@shawanofoundation.org. The registration deadline is March 30.
The event, presented in part by The Shawano Leader, begins at 5:30 p.m. at The Gathering, 2600 E. Richmond St., Shawano.
The SACF was established in 1990 by community volunteers to preserve and improve the quality of life in Shawano and the surrounding area. It is an affiliate of the Appleton-based Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the second-largest community foundation in Wisconsin (www.cffoxvalley.org).
More information about the SACF is available online at www.ShawanoFoundation.org by calling 715-280-1110.