The Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center

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Governor's and Key Volunteer Service Awards

Each year, the Center coordinates this program for the Governor’s office for Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wake counties. County winners are selected and submitted to the Governor’s office, where they are considered for the State’s highest volunteer recognition, the Medallion Award, which is given to the top 20 volunteers in the state.

The 2024 Nominating Period Has Begun!

Want to recognize the amazing volunteers that help make your organization so impactful?

TNVLC oversees nominations for volunteers in Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wake counties.

Nominations can be made online or by downloading the nomination form in pdf. The online nomination forms are available in español in  MS Word. If using the nomination form, email the form to Adrienne Clark.

The deadline to nominate volunteers is December 18, 2023.

Things to remember as you nominate your outstanding volunteers:

  • Multiple nominations are allowed
  • Only nominate one person for each Special Volunteer TYPE – strongly encouraged so your volunteers are not competing against each other within that category (Ex. nominate one Youth, one Senior, one Group/Team, etc.)
  • Consider also nominating your corporate volunteers! This is a terrific way to not only recognize them, but it builds a stronger relationship that can also result in increased volunteers and even financial support 
  • The Narrative statement is very important! Please be specific and detailed about your volunteer’s impact to your organization
  • Use this helpful checklist to make sure you’ve got everything you need.
  • TNVLC can assist in helping you develop your nomination if needed – just contact us!

Subscribe to receive emails and stay up to date- be sure to check the “Nonprofit Trainings & Information” box when you sign up to ensure you receive information regarding the 2024 nomination process. 

Pictured here: 2023 Governor's Medallion Award Recipients, including Wake County's Nona Wright for her volunteerism with the Assistance League of the Triangle Area & Orange County's Bruce Ballentine for his volunteer service with Habitat for Humanity of Orange County.

Meet our 2023 Governor's Medallion Winners!

Wake County 

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Nona Wright

Assistance League of
the Triangle Area

Orange County 

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Bruce Ballentine

Habitat for Humanity
of Orange County  

TNVLC Key Award Winners

Individual Category

Perserverance Category

Student Category

Health & Human Services Category

Lalit Mahadeshwar option 2

Lalit Mahadeshwar

Hindu Society of North Carolina (HSNC)

nona wright CROP

Nona Wright

Assistance League of the Triangle Area

Zaina Taha, Orange County Disability Awareness Council

Zaina Taha

Orange County Disability Awareness Council 

Ich-Kien Lao, H4H durham

Ich-Kien Lao

Habitat for Humanity of Durham County

Dedication to Animals

Lifetime Achievement

Senior Category

Senior Category

melanie lowry safe haven for cats

Melanie Loury

Safe Haven for Cats

bruce ballentine CROPPED

Bruce Ballentine

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

gail abrams piedmont wildlife cntr

 Gail Abrams

Piedmont Wildlife Center

Don Seay - center for volunteer caregiving resize

Don Seay

The Center for Volunteer Caregiving 

Group/Team

Durham Triple Play

Durham Triple Play League Coaches

Family of the year

Val & Mike Ostoyich, MOW Orange CROP

Val & Mike Ostoyich

Meals on Wheels of Orange County

Family of the year

Stara and Joe Porrazzo
Starra & Joe Porrazzo Miracle League
of the Triangle

Outstanding Board Member

Myra Blackwell durham triple play

Myra Blackwell

Durham Triple Play League, Inc.

Durham County Social Services Awards

Backpacks 4 Kids

Cliff Mt. Calvary - BACKPACKS

Mount Calvary United
Church of Christ

thanksgiving Dinners Program

Phi Beta (2)

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. Delta Zeta Sigma Chapter

Share Your Christmas Program

White Rock Baptist - SYC PROGRAM

White Rock Baptist Church

Community Awards

2023 Community Spirit Award

Hannah's CK Group 1

COVID Food Pantry Operators

(Pictured above are volunteers from Hannah’s Community Kitchen)

2023 Community Partner award

OLLI

 OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute)

Duke University

2023 Governor's Volunteer Service Award County Winners

Durham
County
Winners

Gail Abrams, Piedmont Wildlife Center 

Myra Blackwell, Durham Triple Play League, Inc.

Durham Chapter of the Links, Families Moving Forward

Durham Triple Play League Coaches, Durham Triple Play League, Inc.

Catherine Hester, Durham Center for Senior Life

Leah Kraus, Digital Durham

Robin Mason, Durham Cooperative Extension-Welcome Baby

Steven Schaffer, Urban Ministries of Wake County

Marcia Susan Yager-Zorn, General Davie Chapter, NSDAR

Volunteer SHIIP Counselors-Durham County, Senior PharmAssist

Granville
County
Winner

Vivian Oney, Area Congregations In Ministry

Orange
County
Winners

Bruce Ballentine, Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Barbara Brooks, Paws4ever

Indrani Das, Orange County Rape Crisis Center

Dave Durham, Meals on Wheels of Orange County

Steven Esthimer, TABLE, Inc.

Roma Janette, Ronald McDonald House-Family Room

Mike & Val Ostoyich, Meals on Wheels of Orange County

Jane Silver, Meals on Wheels of Orange County

Jason Sorin, Orange County Disability Awareness Council

Zaina Taha, Orange County Disability Awareness Council

Wake
County
Winners

Molly Bailey, Assistance League of the Triangle

Anna Baird Choi, NC Society Daughters of the American Revolution

Patricia Gress, Western Wake Crisis Ministry

Benjie Hester, Dementia Alliance of North Carolina

Melanie Loury, SAFE Haven for Cats

Lalit Mahadeshwar, Hindu Society of North Carolina (HSNC)

Ken Petit, Wheels4Hope

Joe & Stara Porrazzo, Miracle League of the Triangle

Don Seay, The Center for Volunteer Caregiving

Nona Wright, Assistance League of the Triangle

2023 Program Booklet

Short biographies of all nominated volunteers and winners are available below.

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A list of last year's winners (2022) is available as well.

2021 Award Ceremony Highlights

101 families still need to be sponsored this thanksgiving!

120 families still need to be adopted this holiday season!

Join us in celebrating our community volunteers

Attend the May 8, 2023 Governor's Volunteer Service Award & Key Volunteer of the Year Luncheon

RSVP by reserving tickets by May 1!