Each year we celebrate the people in the Fox Valley who go above and beyond to help make the community a better place with their gifts of time.

The volunteer spirit and service of Fox Valley volunteers were recognized during National Volunteer Week April 19 by announcing the 24th annual Celebrating Volunteers awardees.

The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region and NBC26 sponsor the recognition activities, which were adjusted this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seven sponsoring organizations and businesses sponsor six awards in categories of volunteering that help to make the Fox Cities a great place to live.

• Melanie & Mike Mailand – Janet Berry Volunteer of the Year Award Sponsored by Amcor
• Jean Blaney McGinnis – Paul and Elaine Groth Mentoring Award Sponsored by the Mielke Family Foundation
• Rebuilding Together Fox Valley and Fox Communities Credit Union – Business Partnership of the Year Award Sponsored by SECURA
• Kailey Krzoska – Youth Scholarship Award Sponsored by Community First Credit Union
• Jean Long Manteufel – Walter L. Rugland Community Service Award Sponsored by Volunteer Fox Cities in partnership with Thrivent
• Vicki Vogel – Health Care Volunteer Award Sponsored by Ascension and ThedaCare

Award sponsors provide $5,000 for recipients to direct to a local charity. The youth award recipient receives $1,000 for charity and a $1,500 scholarship. Learn more about each honoree and the nonprofit recipients they selected at the Celebrating Volunteers website. Since the event started in 1998, award sponsors have given $748,000 to local charities selected by their award recipients.

The Celebrating Volunteers gala event honors the volunteer spirit of Paul and Elaine Groth of Appleton, who died in an automobile accident in 1997. In addition to NBC26, media sponsors include WHBY radio, The Post-Crescent and Insight on Business.