Idaho volunteers recognized with Governor Andrus Volunteer of the Year award
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) - Three volunteers were recognized for their contributions to Idaho during the annual Idaho Philanthropy Day Awards.
Laura Willis, Karma Fitzgerald and Georgianne Jessen all received the Governor Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year award in the ceremony presented by the Idaho Nonprofit Center in partnership with Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism. Danielle Trujillo, executive director of the Andrus Center for Public Policy, presented the awards during the virtual ceremony.
Eastern Idaho
Laura Wallis of Ammon is an advocate for families with children with special needs, spending her time volunteering for the Region 7 Behavioral Health Board’s Mental Health Subcommittee and the Idaho Parents Network. Through her volunteer work she helped develop the Group Respite Care Program, which provides much needed time off for families so their child can be cared for while they get a break. She has streamlined processes to ensure families navigating the system have support, and she speaks at Idaho State University to social work students about the unique challenges facing families of children with special needs.
Southwestern Idaho
Karma Fitzgerald of Shoshone is heavily engaged in her community as a volunteer, recently spearheading efforts to build the Lincoln County Youth Center, which included raising more than $1 million dollars, and organizing AmeriCorps team efforts. She has responded to COVID by mobilizing a team of more than 30 volunteers who together made more than 5,000 masks, 500 isolation gowns and thousands of cookies. Additionally, Fitzgerald developed a help line to provide COVID resources and raised more than $5,000 in support. She also serves as a fire commissioner and sits on a steering committee to develop a new park in her community.
Northern Idaho
Georgianne Jessen of Hayden dedicates her time to the Kootenai Health Foundation and Hospice of North Idaho, often volunteering more than 20 hours per week. She has served in a variety of leadership roles including treasurer, secretary and committee chair. She is passionate about the missions of the organizations she serves, volunteering in many roles from assisting with fundraising events to sitting with patients and providing comfort during their end of life.
The annual Idaho Philanthropy Day awards recognizes outstanding volunteers and philanthropists from throughout Idaho. In 2020, Serve Idaho combined efforts with the Idaho Nonprofit Center, replacing the previous Idaho’s Brightest Stars event. This is the fourth year the Governor Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year Award has been presented.
The Governor Cecil D. Andrus Volunteer of the Year award recognizes one outstanding volunteer in each region. The winner of this award is selected from all nominees and shows sustained volunteer commitment to meeting Idaho’s most pressing needs, represents extraordinary acts of generosity and kindness, and through volunteerism has had an impact on the greater community.
The award was started in 2019 in memory of Governor Cecil D. Andrus and his commitment to service and volunteerism and his establishment of Serve Idaho, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism in 1994.
For a full list of those recognized click HERE.
