Vote for this year's Strobel Volunteer Awards finalists!
Our screener panel has narrowed the more than 140 nominees to these 21 finalists. Now it's your turn to let us know whose story resonates with you!
The final step to determining our award recipients comes from our judging panel, who will make their decision based on public voting paired with each finalist's story of service and impact. Award recipients receive $1,000 to donate to the local nonprofit of their choice.
Voting is officially closed! Thank you all for your support, and please visit our blog here to view the recipients!
Direct Service: Youth
Award sponsored by ENA
JohnThomas AtemaBest Buddies |
Riya NarayanFounder of Treats & Tunes |
Maddie McDanielGirl Scout Troop 6000 and One Generation Away |
Click here to read each Direct Service—Youth finalist's story of service
Direct Service: Adult
Award sponsored by Amazon
Kimberly WebbCASA Nashville Serving the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) for the past 11 years, Kimberly Webb serves as both a peer coordinator and volunteer advocate for children in the foster system. At home, Kimberly is a foster mother and has opened her home to over 20 children. While children in the foster system experience many faces that come and go, Kimberly is a dependable and familiar face to over 17 children and teens at CASA. |
Greg O'LoughlinOasis Center |
Lina Londoño TinsleyConexión Américas |
Click here to read each Direct Service—Adult finalist's story of service
Direct Service: Older Adult
Award sponsored by Advance Financial
Carole SergentNashville International Center for Empowerment, Tennessee Resettlement Aid, The Branch of Nashville, Individual refugee families Carole Sergent was one of the few independent volunteers who saw a need and carved her own path to meet it. When the Afghan refugees began to arrive in Nashville, Carole immediately acted by accepting all donations needed for survival. Since then, she has recruited over 200 people who help to donate and deliver items to over 250 Afghan refugees who have arrived in the United States. |
Vera ColemanFiftyForward |
Edward ArnellPreston Taylor Ministries |
Click here to read each Direct Service—Older Adult finalist's story of service
Group Volunteer Service
Award sponsored by HCA Healthcare
Congregation of Alameda Christian ChurchSociety of St. Andrew The congregation of Alameda Christian Church has volunteered with the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) for five years, aiding the nonprofit in their efforts to provide healthy food, reduce food waste and forge community bonds by ensuring no one goes hungry. |
Come to the TableFounders of Come to the Table |
Connect Us Outreach Ministry VolunteersConnect Us Outreach Ministry |
Click here to read each Group Volunteer finalist's story of service
Capacity-building Volunteer
Award sponsored by Asurion
Susanne Shepherd PostFounder of Shear Haven with YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee Combining her career and her calling, Susanne Shepherd Post co-founded the Shear Haven initiative with YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee in 2017 to train cosmetologists to recognize their role in identifying and reporting domestic violence. To date, more than 40,000 cosmetologists have completed the Shear Haven training on the Barbicide website, giving them the tools they need to recognize and report domestic abuse. |
Carole PurkeyWOW Transition House Purkey was introduced to Women of Worth (WOW) through her church, Donelson Church of Christ, and has served as an active board member and volunteer since 2020. By advocating for the organzation to her church, Carole expanded the capabilities of WOW with a roughly $60,000 property renovation in 2021 that opened the doors to their second recovery house, increasing their capacity from five beds to 11 beds. |
Sunny FlemingFriends of Shelby Park & Bottoms With 1,300 acres of space with varying biomes, the small, dedicated Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms maintenance crew has their work cut out for them in improving and protecting the park. Thanks to Fleming’s knowledge of ArcGIS, a geographical information system, she was able to create and set up a survey that enables park maintenance needs to be easily flagged on a map, enhancing the ability to maintain the park. |
Click here to read each Capacity-building Volunteer finalist's story of service
Social Justice Impact
Award sponsored by Change Healthcare
Veronica ZavaletaHands On Nashville, Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition |
John BullOpen Table Nashville |
Linda McFadyen-KetchumMoms Demand Action Tennessee Linda McFadyen-Ketchum has given almost 50 years of volunteer service to the city of Nashville and the state of Tennessee. As a full-time volunteer activist for the national organization Moms Demand Action, she gives a voice and power to those who are impacted by gun violence through mobilizing statewide initiatives, championing legislative efforts, and most importantly, lifting up survivors. |
Click here to read each Social Justice Impact Volunteer finalist's story of service
Disaster Relief Volunteer
Award sponsored by Kroger
Hispanic Outreach Task ForceHands On Nashville |
Emergency Response UnitOffice of Emergency Management During Nashville’s tremendous rainfall and historic flash flooding in March 2021, crews were quickly needed to help rescue residents who had been trapped in dangerous situations. That’s when the Emergency Support Unit (ESU), a team of roughly 30 community members ranging from CEOs to teachers, mobilized. This team volunteered their extensive training to help Nashvillians in need and save dozens of lives. |
Joe GainesWaverly Flood Survivors, and Westminster Presbyterian Church |
Click here to read each Disaster Relief Volunteer finalist's story of service