EVANSVILLE, Ind., June 30, 2020 — Leadership Everyone’s Celebration of Leadership Awards (COL) – title sponsored by Fifth Third Bank – held their annual event on WNIN this year to celebrate inspiring examples of servant leadership by individuals, projects and organizations. The event, originally scheduled in March, was postponed due to the Covid-19 challenge. Leadership Everyone, partnering with WNIN, chose to adapt to the challenge by broadcasting the event.
Leadership Everyone’s Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Miller Pease, believes, “This year our celebration could not have been more important to lift the hopes and the spirits of our community. For 25 years, Celebration of Leadership has brought together servant leaders of every age, race, ethnicity, religion, and background. We have recognized and celebrated and felt inspired by the amazing work that our nominees have accomplished. Even though we could not meet in person, the ability to have our celebration on WNIN has brought our effort to a new and even more inclusive level. Rather than reaching just 1700 people in attendance, the celebration was available to thousands of people to watch, to celebrate and to embrace the LE mission-Diverse Servant Leaders Transforming Our Community.”
At this year’s televised 25th Annual Celebration of Leadership, hundreds of nominees were recognized and 44 awards were presented to recipients. All demonstrated outstanding selfless community service in the following categories: Arts; Community & Neighborhood; Environment; Government, Public Service, & Environment; and Health & Social Service.
The Celebration of Leadership will be reaired on WNIN on Sunday, 7/5 at 4:00pm and Wednesday, 7/8 at 11:00pm. You can also watch the video now on YouTube or Facebook.
See program for list and description of all nominees.
25th Annual Celebration of Leadership Awards Recipients
Division Awards
Individual – Division Recipient – Philip Smith
Project/Program – Division Recipient – BRIDGE
Business/Organization – Division Recipient – United Caring Services
Special Awards
The Spirit Award – Jana Green and Dexter
Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Individual – Xavier Davidson
Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Individual – Noah Nellis
Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Individual – Blake Podewils
Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Project/Program – Piggies for Presents
Sportsmanship Award – Evansville Junior Football League Colts
Sportsmanship Award – Reitz Memorial High School Football Team
Bryce Jordan Servant Leader Award – “Fresh Fruit Friday & Power Protein Peanutbutter”
Susan Kelley Jordan Courage Award – Summer El-Khodary
Lt. Col. Reginald Gibson Award – Steve Reffett
Willie Effie Thomas Diversity Award – cMoe’s Children’s March on Evansville
Shirley James “Greening the Community” Award – Morton Solar & Electric
Nancy Sieben Koehler Sustainability Award – Kirsten Wagmeister for HeartSaver
Sara B. Davies Award – Florintine Dawn
Darrell Ragland Award – DeAndre Wilson
Transformational Inclusion Award – Fifth Third Bank
Inspiration Award – Indiana Ambition Basketball
Regional Impact Award – Albion’s Primary Prevention Program
Civic Engagement Award – Delaware/Dream Center Partnership
Outstanding Innovation Award – DNA Lab
Philanthropy Award – High Score Saloon
Visionary Award – Southern Indiana Mentoring Academy (SIMA)
Community Collaboration Award – Aurora Homeless Outreach Team
Lifetime Award – Carol Abrams
Lifetime Award – Bettye Poole
Lifetime Award – Dave Schutte
Recognition for Individual Achievement
Individual – Community & Neighborhood – Jerry and Kimberly Lewis
Individual – Education – Jacque Barnette
Individual – Government, Public Service, & Environment – Tanisha Carothers
Individual – Health & Social Services – Tracey Titus
Individual – Arts – Brittany Samsil
Recognition for Project or Program Achievement
Project/Program – Arts – Rogue & Peasant Aces ChangeLab
Project/Program – Community & Neighborhood – Junior League of Evansville Lunch Program
Project/Program – Education – “Walk a Mile in My Shoes” Refugee Camp Simulation
Project/Program – Government, Public Service, & Environment – Victim Assistance Unit
Project/Program – Health & Social Services – Mobile Food Pantry
Recognition for Business or Organization Achievement
Business/Organization – Arts – ParksFest Music Festival
Business/Organization – Community & Neighborhood – Churches Embracing Offenders
Business/Organization – Education – Jacob Ball Wish Fund
Business/Organization – Government, Public Service, & Environment – Hangers
Business/Organization – Health & Social Services – Tribe
25 Years of Celebration
Begun in 1994 by Leadership Everyone (now Leadership Everyone), the annual Celebration of Leadership Awards has received more than 2700 nominations and celebrated thousands of nominees for their contributions to our community. More than 12,000 people have attended COL since its inception.
About Leadership Everyone
Leadership Everyone was founded in 1976 by a group of future-thinking local leaders, whose original commitment to community-wide betterment remains unique and strong. Leadership Everyone brings together people with different talents, gifts and perspectives and transforms these individuals into leaders who embrace the concept of community trusteeship and the collaborative process. They help develop in them an understanding of how today’s leaders function and teaches them the skills to apply this knowledge in provided real life opportunities through practice and performance. These attitudes, skills and processes are taught to adults, youth, organizations, not-for-profits, businesses, educational institutions, neighborhood associations, churches and other leadership programs.