The Volunteer Center of Story County held their 8th annual Story County Youth Volunteer Awards on April 29 at the Memorial Union. The purpose of the event was to honor the youth volunteers in their communities.

Richard Reynolds, director of the Memorial Union, presented the awards to the recipients. He opened his presenting presenting with a quote from the movie inspired by Dr. Seuss, The Lorax:

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, things aren’t going to get better. They’re just not.”

Executive Director of the Volunteer Center of Story County Shellie Orngard said that she sent out nomination requests to schools in Story County in January 2014, asking people to nominate individuals who demonstrated excellent service to their communities and deserved recognition.

After the nominations were submitted in March, a peer review committee, made up of previous winners, selected the individuals who they thought deserved to be recognized the most.

Kris Stow, senior in management, was recognized for his outstanding volunteering in Youth and Shelter Service’s GRIP program, where he has been encouraging young students for four years.

“This is cool. You never expect to be rewarded for volunteering. That’s not why you do it, but it’s nice to be recognized,” Stow said.

Erin Weirup, a sophomore in event management, received an award because of her volunteering at IRIS. IRIS is a program that seeks to help students from all over the world in a traditional high school exchange program.

“You would think as a college student that I do not have any time or effort to spare, but actually taking time out of my day to help someone is a stress relief. I don’t have to deal with grumpy professors or deadlines, I just enjoy my time working with a bright, friendly office,” Weirup said.

Additionally, Charles Raike, a freshman in psychology, received an award for his volunteering as a Youth and Shelter Services GRIP mentor. He was also thanked for his work recruiting others to the program and raising $750 for GRIP’s Chilly Chili Challenge.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, which put on numerous projects to benefit the community this year, was honored for their service, as well.

“We always like seeing young kids in Iowa volunteering,” said Ann Hughes, a representative from the office of Gov. Terry E. Branstad. “Volunteering to Iowans is second nature, and that shows in the national charts. It is great to see so many Iowans helping out.” 

At the end of the ceremony, there were 12 individuals and seven groups recognized for their service, as well as a crowd attendance of over 250 people.

“Volunteering is about more than having a good feeling. These young people are inspiring others. It is our hope that when these volunteers get recognized, their whole community will be inspired to volunteer as well,” Orngard said.

For more information on how to get started volunteering in Story County, visit the Volunteer Center of Story County website or call 515-268-5323.