Whether you have been doing this work for two years or twenty years, rest assured, the work you are doing is truly making our state a better place for Wisconsin kids, families, and communities everywhere.”
-Gov. Evers
Governor Tony Evers congratulated the honorees at the 2024 Governor’s Service Awards, stating that “So much of our local impact rests on the shoulders of dedicated volunteers and organizations such as yourselves, and we could not have the reach or influence that we do in this state without partners like all of you. Whether you have been doing this work for two years or twenty years, rest assured, the work you are doing is truly making our state a better place for Wisconsin kids, families, and communities everywhere.”
Highlighting the difference that the honorees made through their service, Serve Wisconsin Executive Director Jeanne Duffy reflected that “these individuals have gone above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of others. They are assisting homeless youth, offering compassion and care to our vulnerable seniors, and ensuring our youth have the necessary resources, education, and love to thrive. Their selfless efforts have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless fellow community members.”
The Governor’s Service Awards honors outstanding Wisconsin volunteers, AmeriCorps members, AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers, and national service organizations that address serious social needs across Wisconsin. The 2024 ceremony recognized nine individuals and two organizations from throughout the state for their outstanding volunteerism and service and 28 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers for reaching the milestone of twenty years of volunteer service in their communities. The awards were presented on May 15 in conjunction with the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of AmeriCorps in Wisconsin and were sponsored by Serve Wisconsin, the state commission for national and community service.
A recording of the ceremony is available at https://youtu.be/Fz_t7seW_og
Additional information about the Governor’s Service Awards, including past winners, can be found at https://www.servewisconsin.wi.gov/governors-service-awards
2024 Governor’s Service Awards Honorees
AmeriCorps Member of the Year
Kathryn Yang – Wisconsin Association for Homeless and Runaway Services at Pathfinders (Milwaukee)
AmeriCorps Alumni of the Year
Darnell Alexander Hamilton – served with Teach For America Milwaukee (Milwaukee)
AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteer of the Year
Jan Olmstead – RSVP of Rock County (Beloit)
AmeriCorps Seniors Lifetime Impact Volunteer
Carmen Kuss – Western Dairyland RSVP (Arcadia)
AmeriCorps Seniors Program of the Year
Encompass Early Education & Care Foster Grandparent Program (Green Bay and De Pere)
Marty Stein Friend of National Service Exemplary Supporter
Cindy Deckert – Southwest Wisconsin Community Action Program – Foster Grandparent Program (Dodgeville / Richland Center)
Volunteer of the Year
Katelyn Baumann – Katelyn Baumann – Superior Public Museums Board, Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation, and the Children’s Memorial Garden (Superior)
Volunteer of the Year
Charles Fernandez Woodshop Mentors with RSVP of Portage County (Stevens Point)
Volunteer of the Year
Roger Johnson – A Child’s Smile (Oconomowoc)
Volunteer of the Year
Peyton Pascal – Eye Of A Child (Wauwatosa)
Volunteer of the Year
Ken Saville – Easterseals Wisconsin (Madison)
AmeriCorps Seniors Volunteers with 20 Years of Service
ADVOCAP Foster Grandparent Program
Lucille Wuest
Northwest Wisconsin Community Services Agency RSVP
Judy Florence
Ann Marie Johnson
RSVP of Dane County
Phyllis Bacon
Judith French
James Jenkins
Glen B. Niesen
Janet M. Roche
Sylvia Roeder
Sally Ross
Ron Salinas
Eugene Smith
Julie Sutter-Blair
Connie Wall
RSVP of Portage County
Santha Bickford
Mary Blavat
Mary Klish
Sophie Kubisiak
Arden Lange
Jan Ronchetto
Patricia Trebatoski
RSVP of Rock County
Charlotte Johnson
Richard Johnson
Vicki Seichter
Volunteer Fox Cities RSVP
Jim Deimer
Western Dairyland RSVP
Lois Fetting
Galen Hagen
Ruth Leahy
