Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

From BEAUFORT-HYDE PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN 

The North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service has presented the 2024 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award to two individuals and one group from Beaufort County. Award recipients are: Dan Butler, Mia Paniagua, and the ECU Health Beaufort Volunteers.

These outstanding volunteers were recognized at the Beaufort County Commissioners’ meeting on June 3 by Jessica Burnham, the Governor’s Volunteer Service Coordinator for Beaufort County, and Kris Bowen who assists with the coordination.

The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors people who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by making a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service. The award was created in the Office of the Governor in 1979.

Dan Butler is a resident of Chocowinity. Bill Lennartz nominated Dan and shared that Dan has been volunteering for four to five years as the meal planner and head cook at Zion Kitchen and Shelter in Washington with an average of 20 volunteer hours a week, totaling 1,000 hours annually. Dan uses his gift of preparing delicious meals without even using recipes to serve over 75 meals daily at the shelter with clients commenting frequently on how tasty the meals are. Bill shared that Dan has a heart for helping people in need without drawing any attention to himself.

 Mia Paniagua is a sophomore in high school and a resident of Pinetown. Mia’s nominator, Katie Britt Greenway, said that Mia always has her eyes set toward helping others. Mia collected over 200 items for Daughters of Worth, over 100 items for Packs4Patriots, and hosted a Veterans’ 5k on Veterans Day. She volunteers monthly with a local nursing home, and along with her grandfather, built and supplies a blessing box that she stocks weekly with food. Mia’s nominator shared that when she thinks of Mia, not only does she see a well-rounded young lady with a great future ahead, but also her ability to lead others on her same path of volunteerism.

Volunteer Manager and nominator Jamie Tice shared that for fiscal year 2023, ECU Health Beaufort volunteers, logged more than 7,000 hours serving at ECU Health Beaufort Hospital, the Marion L. Shepard Cancer Center, ECU Health Beaufort Outpatient Rehab Services, ECU Health Beaufort Cardiac Rehabilitation, ECU Health Beaufort Outpatient Surgery, ECU Health Beaufort Emergency Department, ECU Health Beaufort Volunteer Workroom, ECU Health Beaufort Main Lobby Front Desk, pastoral Care and Lifestyles Wellness Center with total service hours equating to more than $232,000. Through their continued dedication and commitment, Jamie shared that the volunteers function in the role of more than 50 positions spanning the hospital and outlying clinics within the ECU Heath Beaufort system. 

Volunteers are: Loretta Bailey, Mike Beacham, Peggy (Peg) Bowden, Joyce Calaban, Janet Calloway, Dora Campbell, Cathay Capogna, Pat Carlson, David Carraway, Sharon Chappell, Scot Craigie, Stuart Dudley, Pam Flanagan, Dell Hagwood, Kay and Larry Halliburton, Priscilla Hardison, Tommy Hodges, Bruce Jarvah, Terri Johnson, Catherine Karlovich, Karen Lanier, Beth McCluskey, Lousie McKeand, Clingy McLaughlin, Linda Mewborn, Fran Moore, Tish Moore, Wayne Peel, Shelly Rebholz, Toni Reiner, Dorie Richter, Anita Rish-Hodgkins, Paula Roach, Phil Ryals, Stephanie Saccio, Sue Shaffer, Cathy Whichard and Joshua Yoder.