Added on November 4, 2019 Sara Swanson

24 local volunteers recognized at 2019 CRC banquet

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Ava Goff was awarded the 2019 Claire Reck Award. Goff has served as a true ambassador for Bethel Church for 40 years and is part of Bethel’s longest standing mission outreach program, sewing quilts for patients in Mott Children’s Hospital. Starting this fall, she will serve as an adult mentor to their 2020 confirmation class and in December will feature in the Children’s Christmas program, playing the role of God.

Over 150 Manchester residents gathered Saturday night in the dining room at the St. Joseph Chelsea Hospital to honor local volunteers at the Community Resource Center’s 32nd Annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet. Volunteers honored by their organizations included Garry Blossom, Dan Budd, Cara Chandler & Kimberly Wooden, Betty E. Cummings, Jan Davis, Erica Finnegan, Ava Goff, Siobhan Gorman, Louise Harrington, Erick & Kathy Johanson, Sue LaRocque, Joy Matthews, Jim Montgomery, Mark Palms, David Renner, Mary Ann Sahakian, Jeff Schaffer, Gary Stautz, Linda Stevens, Haley Lynn Thomsen, Jeannine Uphouse, and Ruth VanBogelen.

In addition to the awards and dinner, live and silent auctions raised $4,807 for the Community Resource Center. At the end of the night, special awards were presented. A Special Recognition was presented to Kiwanis Club of Manchester, which formed in 1990 and disbanded earlier this year. The Posthumous Award was presented to Garry Blossom. Dan Budd received the Service to Youth Award. Ruth VanBogelen was presented the Star Award. Jan Davis received the Commitment to Community Award.

Ava Goff was presented with the prestigious Claire Reck Award, named for Manchester’s “volunteer extraordinaire,” whose dedication to the community remains unsurpassed.

Pastor Chris Kurtz from Emanuel UCC gave the invocation

Gregg Dearhammer, Emcee (left), Laura Seyfried, CRC Executive Director (middle), Siobhan Gorman, CRC President (right)

Dale Heselschwerdt, Auctioneer, presided over the live auction

The live auction included a Coach Juwan Howard autographed U of M basketball.

State Senator Lana Theis was present.

The Flower Garden provided the flower arrangements.

Joy Matthews worked for months on the Wizard of Oz themed decorations.

Nominees each had the opportunity to answer a question about their volunteering.

Garry Blossom’s family received his Posthumous Award. Blossom was a member of the Manchester Mens Club for over 30 years. He served as the Easter Egg Hunt chair for many years and was a fixture at the Fireworks Beer Tent admissions gate every Fourth of July.

A Special Recognition was presented to the recently disbanded Kiwanis Club of Manchester. In addition to many other contributions to the community, Kiwanis raised $350,000 over the years at the Crazy Cash events which they redistributed back into the community.

Dan Budd was awarded the Service to Youth Award. He has been involved in the PTO for five years. This fall, he helped construct the new Gaga activity pit on the playground. He was also instrumental in the success of Field Day and Fun Run where he acts as emcee and is heavily involved in getting the Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students) program up and running at Riverside.

Ruth VanBogelen was awarded the Star Award. VanBogelen has been a driving force for making healthier food options available in Manchester. She has led the Farmers Market growth, is a leading member of Acorn Farmer’s Market and Café planning team, coordinates the community and school gardens, participates in almost every Manchester Wellness Coalition activity, walks with the Walk-to-School Wednesday program, sits on the coalition’s data review team, co-chairs coalition meetings, is a leader for Manchester’s Math and Science Night, and led the Farm to Table Dinner efforts.

Jan Davis was awarded the Commitment to Community Award. Davis has spent 17 years on the Manchester Family Service Board of Directors. Each month, she participates in their Food Gatherers Day where she helps to unpack groceries, provides valued input at the monthly meeting, then returns to “kitchen duty.” Each December, she is active in the preparation, planning, and running the annual Christmas Shop.