- This year’s televised Celebration of Leadership Award Ceremony shone a spotlight on 122 nominees for their examples of servant leadership and contributions to their community.
- Leadership Everyone presented 52 awards that recognized diverse people, projects and organizations leading and serving our region
- Watch entire video here.
EVANSVILLE, IND., March 18, 2021 —Believing that servant leadership shines brightest in difficult times, Leadership Everyone celebrated the 26th Annual Celebration of Leadership Awards (COL) on WNIN for a second year. Leadership Everyone’s inspiring event, presented by title sponsor by Fifth Third Bank, recognized and thanked the innovative, collaborative and courageous accomplishments of 125 nominees.
Celebration of Leadership has highlighted servant leaders of every age, race, ethnicity, religion and background from within our region for the past 26 years, and this year was no exception.
“Throughout this challenging year, we have seen servant leadership at its finest—innovation, collaboration and perseverance across agencies and organizations have created amazing ways to serve our people through the pandemic,” said Lynn Miller Pease, Leadership Everyone’s Chief Executive Officer. “These results have led to new community partnerships and helped bring diversity and inclusion to the forefront of our efforts. And broadcasting our event on WNIN has allowed us to better reach our region and make the celebrationavailable to thousands of people to watch, celebrate and embrace the LE mission – Diverse Servant Leaders Transforming Community.”
At this year’s televised 26th Annual Celebration of Leadership, 125 nominees demonstrating outstanding selfless community service were recognized, and 43 awards were presented to recipients. The nominations span across the following categories: Arts, Community & Neighborhood, Education, Government, Public Service & Environment, and Health & Social Service. In response to these challenging times, three special COVID-19 awards—COVID-19 Medical Awards, COVID-19 Community Awards, and COVID-19 Outstanding Innovation Awards—were presented, honoring the efforts of those who fought and are still fighting against the pandemic’s hardships.
The Celebration of Leadership awards ceremony will air again on WNIN on Sunday, March 21, 2021, at 5:30pm, and it can be streamed indefinitely from Leadership Everyone’s website or social media platforms.
COL 2022 RECIPIENT LIST
Division Awards
Individual – Sheila Hauck
Project/Program – The Homeless Experience Project: 48 Hours in the Life
Business/Organization – Lyles Station Historic Schoolhouse & Museum
Special Awards
Spirit Award – Area Pet Rescue after 2021 Tornado
Epic Award – Jeff Purdue
Leader In Technology Award – #TechMe
Inspiration Award – Bushra Saqib
Latinx Leadership Award (Individual) – Guillermo Guevara
Latinx Leadership Award (Project Or Program) – LatinX Community Health ChangeLab
Civic Engagement Award – Trucks With Room to Spare Inc
Philanthropy Award – Bert Wheat, Tyna Wheat, & Monica Owens
Outstanding Innovation Award – UE / Harper Air Filter Changemaker Project
Transformational Inclusion Award – Jody Robinson
Raising The Bar Award – Deaconess Clinic Memorial
Regional Collaboration Award – Book N’ Cook
Regional Impact Award – READI Grant
Sportsmanship Award – Edward Nottle
Visionary Award – Timothy Weir
Darrell Ragland Award – Black Lives Matter Peaceful Protests – Emani Marks and Keshawn Young
Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Kylie Bedel, Lexi Smith, and TRACES
Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Gibson Award – Reconnecting Families by Military with PTSD Inc
Winternheimer/Lamar Public Service Award – Matt Karges
Sara B. Davies Award – Dr. Gina Huhnke
Willie Effie Thomas Diversity Award – Pastor Craig Duke
Shirley James “Greening The Community” Award – Toyota Trinity Stormwater Park ChangeLab
Susan Kelley Jordan Courage Award – Deaconess Intensive Care Units Staff
Bryce Jordan Servant Leader Award – Fr. Jay Davidson, Fr. Christopher Droste, and Fr. Gary Kaiser
Lifetime Achievement Award – Janie Chappell, Sondra Matthews, and Ken Wempe
Recognition for Individual Achievement
Arts – Nathan Jochum
Community & Neighborhood – Marietta Rodriguez
Education – Mendy Poole
Government, Public Service, & Environment – Laura Nordine
Health & Social Services – Kelly Paul
Recognition for Project or Program Achievement
Arts – Tepe Park Neighborhood – Basketball Court Mural
Community & Neighborhood – Coalition of Inner-City Neighborhoods (Fred Cook)
Education – EVSC/EVPL Free Tutoring Program
Government, Public Service, & Environment – Deaconess Aquatic Center
Health & Social Services – Deaconess Monoclonal Antibody Program
Recognition for Business or Organization Achievement
Arts – NoCo Park and Twymon Art Gallery
Community & Neighborhood – River City Pride
Education – AstraZeneca Inspire Program
Government, Public Service, & Environment – International Refugee Relief Center
Health & Social Services – Little Lambs of Evansville