SAVMA Awards 2019, an inaugural Event a Smashing Success!
On January 17, 2019, we successfully welcomed more than 50 unique nonprofit organizations to the celebrate volunteerism in Southern Arizona! We acknowledged nearly 400 registrants and 28 sponsors at our inaugural event. We received very positive feedback from attendees and are looking to 2020 to recreate the magic of the celebration at the SAVMA Awards on January 16, 2020. Highlights include: 320 attendees, 20 honorees and 5 major awardees (with over 50 nominations submitted)!
We didn’t just celebrate our volunteers, we celebrated our Volunteer Administrators! Keynote Speaker, Vicki Clark, spoke about her early career as a Volunteer Administrator, when she was learned the ropes and was the “most inspired.” She also was met with a room full of applause when she noted that “Independent Sector released the 2018 value of volunteer time of $25.43. That’s their assessment of the value of volunteer time and that is a good assessment. Also notice Volunteer Administrators nodding their head, goin’ “I don’t make that” Yes, we still have work to do!”
And the award winners for our 2019 event are….
Volunteer of the Year, Mary Ohrazda
Nonprofit Volunteer Program of the Year, Literacy Connects
Corporation or Group of the Year, Tucson Electric Power Company
Youth or Youth Group Volunteer of the Year, El Rio Teen Reproductive Health Access Project Volunteers
Volunteer Administrator of the Year, Theresa Ulloa