Community Impact Awards

 
What is the Community Impact Award? 
The nominees for the United Way of the Midlands Community Impact Awards are a person or group of people that have demonstrated a commitment to volunteerism and made an impact to causes, programs or projects that support human service needs in the midlands. Nominations were submitted for volunteers who participated in service projects for Untied Way of the Midlands or a certified partner agency in the counties of Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Newberry, Richland or Orangeburg in 2009. Each winner did so in a slightly different way, but all of them had a tremendous impact on the lives they touched. 

2010 Community Impact Award Winners: 
    1. Junior League of Columbia has dedicated a countless amount of hours over the past two years to caring for the families of Family Connection. Their recent projects including the Zoofari and BBQ and Hoe-Down events have fostered a community among parents with special needs children and helped build the relationships between these parents and their kids.
    2. At age 85, Julia Colson continues to serve as a loyal volunteer for Senior Resources, as she has been for the past 15 years.  Her commitment to volunteering every day and her passion for those she is helping have led her to establish strong relationships with each of her clients.
    3. Delray Jones has volunteered at the Salvation Army Store since 1999 and has given hundreds of hours to community service.  His work ethic and enthusiasm make him a proud representative of the Salvation Army’s mission and work.
    4. Charles E. Millwood, Jr., a distinguished veteran of the Vietnam War, spends four hours a week at the Lexington Emergency Food Pantry for Harvest Hope, where he has been volunteering for the past two years.  Despite his struggle with mobility resulting from Parkinson’s disease, Millwood is eager to serve Harvest Hope and the community, either sorting food and personal care items or assisting in administrative duties.
    5. Nicholas Collins has served Big Brothers Big Sisters for five years, over which he has dedicated a minimum of ten hours per month to spending time with his Little. He currently serves as a mentor for three brothers, and he volunteered a total of at least 168 hours in 2011 alone. His commitment to the boys has encouraged their success inside and outside of the school.
    6. Thomas Ann Rice, a retired teacher of 45 years, has served as a volunteer for the Orangeburg County Adult Literacy Council for the past 12 years. Not only does she volunteer for 1.5 hours, two-days a week with Literacy, but she also serves as a member on the Council’s board. With compassion and dedication, Rice has improved the literacy skills of numerous adults and given them the confidence they need to be productive, self-sufficient individuals.
    Congratulations to all of the 2010 Community Impact Award Recipients! 
The criteria for the United Way of the Midlands Community Impact Award are as follows:
The nominee must have volunteered for United Way of the Midlands or a Certified Partner Agency, may not be a winner in any other category, and the nominee's volunteer hours must have been served in 2009.