Benton County Volunteer Star Awards recognize six good citizens

Volunteers play a critical role in the success of Tennessee communities across the state. Through nonprofit organizations, national service programs, faith-based organizations, and neighbors helping neighbors, outstanding volunteer service is part of our state heritage. In fact, the annual value of services performed by Tennessee’s volunteers is $3.3 billion.

On Monday, Nov. 16, Benton County recognized some of the good citizens who work hard to make our community a better place to live. These giving souls were the adults and youth who were nominated by their friends and coworkers as some of the county’s best volunteers.

Nominations were accepted as part of the 13th Annual Governor’s Volunteer Star Awards (GVSA) program, a great way to recognize key volunteers in our communities. Each year one adult and one youth are selected to receive this prestigious award in recognition of their exemplary volunteer service in the county.

The GVSA celebrate the efforts of volunteers who strive to improve their communities through service. Nominees were evaluated based on the community’s need of the volunteer service performed, initiative taken to perform the service, creativity used to solve a community problem, and impact of the volunteer service on the community.

Benton County’s adult nominees this year included Shawn Hatler, Karen Hudson, and Susan Woods. Youth nominees were Sydney Blackburn, Jasmine Daniels, and J.J. Daniels. All nominees were honored at the selection ceremony last week.

All nominees worked hard in our community to make Benton County a better place to live. They donated their time and efforts across many agencies or events in the community from helping feed people, beatification, performing services for neighbors or the elderly, and bringing joy to the community.

Of these wonderful people, Sydney Blackburn was selected as the youth volunteer, and Karen Hudson was selected as the adult volunteer to represent Benton County at the 2021 GVSA program in February. Congratulations to each of these community-loving county volunteers!

 Volunteer Tennessee, a 25-member bipartisan citizen board, coordinates the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards at the state level. For more information about Volunteer Tennessee and the Governor's Volunteer Stars Awards, please visit www.volunteertennessee.net.