Cheers For Volunteers 2022

BIG cheers for the 9th annual Cheers For Volunteers Presented by 1915 South/Ashley! Thanks to the more than 400 people who joined us on Tuesday, April 19 to celebrate 60+ volunteer heroes. Friends, family, and interested community members were treated to Diablo’s, Blue Bell Ice Cream, lemonade and popcorn compliments of Thomas County Schools, and entertainment by The Leftovers.

Hands On Heroes is an annual program to recognize outstanding volunteer efforts in our community. 68 nominations were submitted by non-profit agencies and community leaders in student, individual, and group categories. Award winners, as well as honorable mentions, were selected by a committee based, not just on hours served, but also for their inspiration, commitment, impact, passion, and leadership. Cheers For Volunteers is our opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate and thank all volunteers for all their good work.

Each nominee received a certificate, note of thanks, and their very own Hands On Hero cape compliments of Everfan! Selected winners also received a Hands On Heroes award and prizes, and the student winner received a $500 Bobbie Flowers Quiet Leader Scholarship. On behalf of our partners, HOTC is proud to recognize these very special volunteers who shine brightly in the eyes of local non-profit agencies and community members as Hands On Heroes.

Take a look at the photos below. Click to enlarge. Special thanks to JRhodes Photography!

2022 Hands On Heroes Award Winners

Individual Category – Volunteers 18+ who serve independently in Thomas County

Hands On Heroes Award Winner – Ms. Mandy Yates & Mr. Aundre Walker
Midway CME Cemetery was founded in the 1800s and served as the primary church (and later school) for local enslaved people, and later, their free descendants. Mr. Walker, a former attendee, took over maintenance of this church cemetery after years of neglect. For 3 years, he worked solo to uncover grave sites reclaimed by nature. In summer 2021, Mandy Yates learned of the site and was moved by his work and devotion to help. Together with the help of volunteers, they have reclaimed the church grounds and uncovered and brought dignity to more than 100 grave sites. Now their focus is improving the grounds and salvaging the church in the hopes of creating a museum and memorial to those who worshiped and are buried there. We thank them for honoring and bringing awareness to this historic site. To learn more about Midway CME Cemetery & Church or to lend a hand, visit their Facebook page. As our 2022 Award Winner(s), they received an award, and each received a $500 gift card to Ashley Homestore.

Individual Category Honorable Mention – Ucher Dent, Ansley Lacy, Nancy Tillinghast

Congratulations also these Individual Nominees: Christine Ambrose, Matthew Brotzman, David Carver, Sharon Cook, Rich Curtis, Karen Dorn, Larry Dorn, Charles Evans, Sanford Giemza, Rhonda Grim, Pat Hall, Paige Hurst, Kirstern James, Teresa James, Janice Jones, Micah Kimler, Retha Lee, John Letteney, Annie Doris Lovejoy, Julie Nixon-Berry, Mike Owens, Kristy Roland, Jessica Rauls, Sue Ann Sanders, Jackie Spadoni, Misty Taylor, Cierra Thomas, Sandi Turner, Heather Ward, Will Watt, Leon Yates

Student Category – Youth in grades 6-12 in Thomas County

Hands On Heroes Student Award Winner – Ms. Je’Niece Manning
Je’Niece is no stranger to volunteering or to Hands On Thomas County, volunteering through our partners Virtuous Girls Group of Meigs, Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy, Thomas County 4H, her church, and our organization since she was a young girl. She has also been nominated as a Hands On Hero several times throughout the years. Now 18 and a senior at Thomas County Central High School, it is time for us to give thanks for all her volunteer efforts over the years whether picking up litter for Keep Thomas County Beautiful, making comfort items for patients at Archbold, or visiting seniors at Pelham Parkway, she has exhibited a true servant heart directed by her strong personal faith, and is a model for all of us. As our 2022 Award Winner, Je’Niece received an award, and a $500 Bobbie Flowers Quiet Leader Scholarship.

Student Category Honorable Mention – Bryson Bennett, Karsyn Bush, Chanara Dunbar, Ellie Griffin, Bowen Hurst, Sofia Jiminez, D’Atra Lomax, Conner Marsh, Ethan McCabe, Parker McCollum, Karson McCutchen, Andrew Robertson, Kendall Roland, Jordan Seay, Riley Slocumb, Kevin Solano, Malachi Thomas, Payton West, Mercy Yates

Group Category – Businesses, Organizations, and Civic Clubs in Thomas County

Hands On Heroes Group Award Winner – Pavo Manna Drop Volunteers represented by Cecil & Cheryl Barbee
In 2020, HOTC held a manna drop in Pavo alongside the very active Pavo Civic Club. Recognizing the continued need in the community, these local volunteers wanted to keep the food distributions going. After getting some basic info and support from HOTC, this group went solo. And now spend the 3^rd weekend of every month sorting and packing food boxes (on Friday), then distributing them at a manna drop on Saturday feeding hundreds of Pavo citizens each month. Thank you for stepping up to help your neighbors in need. Click here to get involved with the Pavo Civic Club or visit our daily opportunities calendar to help with their 3rd Saturday Manna Drops.

Hands On Heroes Community Impact Special Award Winner – Northside Park Volunteers
Summer of 2021, community members, businesses, and the City of Thomasville reached out to HOTC to help facilitate improvements at Northside, a small and underused neighborhood park to make it more accessible, usable, and safe. They installed a new roof, electric, and upgrades to the bathroom; redid the ball fields, graded the dirt road, and added practice equipment and storage buildings. Nowadays you will find the park active with teams and families on a daily basis. Thank you to FSA, Al’s quality painting, bannister electric, cch construction, Johnson landscaping, kustom exteriors, scoggins dozer, Thomas County Stars, Tsunami Wash, The Connection, and many more for coming together to create these park improvements. This was a true community effort with widespread impact. Read more about this project here.

Hands On Heroes Student Group Award Winner – Stand For A Cause represented by Neil & JC Wise, and Thomas & William Casper
What started out as just a lemonade stand to earn spending money during the summer, turned into bigger opportunity to give back to the community. These kids received so much community support for their original lemonade stand – selling out in less than one hour – they realized they could return the favor. With support of family and friends, they expanded their enterprise – making bbq sandwiches and other homemade goodies, and held another 3 stands. Through their hard work and selflessness, they raised $7500: $600 for the Humane Society, $5200 for medical expenses for a local nurse, and $1700 for The Treehouse. Thank you for turning a summer of fun into a summer of giving. Along with their Award, they were presented with a check for $250 for their next “stand.” If you’d like to help with or donate to a stand, email us!

Congratulations also to these Group Nominees – S&L Integrated, St. Luke Ministries, The Apprentice Program of Thomasville History Center, Thomasville Church, Thomasville Jeepers, Thomasville National Bank, TCCHS, Chick fil-A Leadership Academy, TCCHS Key Club

BIG CHEERS to all those who volunteer tirelessly and selflessly every day. Super thanks to 1915 South/Ashley, Everfan, City of Thomasville, Thomas County Schools, Grassroots, Diablo’s, Blue Bell, Whitehurst Blackburn & Warren, Jennifer Rhodes Photography; as well as all of our sponsors and grantors who make free, community-minded events like these possible.