United Way celebrates, awards Chattanooga’s volunteers at banquet

Roper Corp. employees Hollie Evans, Alvin Thompkins, Scott Ossewaarde and Rick Peeler, from right, watch a video about their company Tuesday as they are named the Corporate Volunteer of the Year at the United Way's Volunteer Awards and Recognition Banquet. Roper Corp. employees Hollie Evans, Alvin Thompkins, Scott Ossewaarde and Rick Peeler, from right, watch a video about their company Tuesday as they are named the Corporate Volunteer of the Year at the United Way's Volunteer Awards and Recognition Banquet.

By Yolanda Putman April 15, 2015 4 min read

Volunteer of the Year award winners

* Community Volunteer of the Year: Jim Houghton, Northside Neighborhood House * Emerging Volunteer of the Year: Kristen Edgeworth, Signal Centers * National Service Volunteer of the Year: Bertha Ware, Foster Grandparents Program, city of Chattanooga at Orange Grove * Family Volunteer of the Year: Pam, Cage and Chloe Gary, SpiritHorse at Eagles Rest Ranch * Health & Environment Volunteer of the Year: Joyce McNish, SpiritHorse at Eagles Rest Ranch * Youth Programs & Education Volunteer of the Year: Erica Moreland, Northside Neighborhood House * Corporate Volunteer of the Year: Roper Corporation

Bertha Ware is congratulated after being named the National Service Volunteer of the Year.

Other events

United Way’s Volunteer Center, Directors of Volunteers in Agencies and the Chattanooga Corporate Volunteer Council scheduled the awards banquet to coincide with National Volunteer Week, April 12-18. Other activities are scheduled, including a special volunteers’ night out at the Lookouts on Thursday. Also on Thursday, volunteers are needed to sort food at the Chattanooga Area Food Bank warehouse from 9 a.m. to noon. Contact Jessica Sullivan at 622-1800 or JSullivan@chattfoodbank.org for more information. A Mark Making day is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the new studio in East Chattanooga 2510 N. Chamberlain Ave. where volunteers will paint the exterior of buildings, landscape lawns and paint a new mural for Glass Street. Call 227-3288 or email Zach Atchley at zach@markmaking.org. For more information on how or where else to volunteer, call United Way’s Volunteer Center at 423-752-0316 or visit www.iHelpChattanooga.org

No matter how big the rivalry in athletics, local Georgia, Alabama and UT fans can all agree that Tennessee is the Volunteer State because there is a goldmine of volunteerism here.

That’s according to Chattanooga Times Free Press President Bruce Hartmann, who spoke at United Way’s Volunteer Awards & Recognition Banquet Tuesday night.

And there are stats to back him up.