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Local volunteer Staria Davison, founder of Storehouse Food Pantry was awarded the 2022 Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award for Coffee County, during a ceremony at the January County Commission meeting.

Presenting the award was County Mayor Matheny, Tullahoma Mayor Knowis and Manchester Alderman Donny Parsley.

The Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award (GVSA) is a program coordinated by Volunteer Tennessee, a 25-member bipartisan citizen board appointed by the Governor to oversee AmeriCorps and service-learning programs; and to advance volunteerism and citizen service to solve community problems in the Volunteer State.

“In mid-September, a press release is sent to area media, calling for nominations of top volunteers in Coffee County. There is an adult volunteer category (age 25+) and a youth category for volunteers age 24 and under (Eagle Scout Drew Hetrick received Coffee County’s first GVSA Youth Award in 2021),” local coordinator Lamar Wilkie said.

“Once I have received all nominations, I immediately send them in PDF format to the members of my committee. The identities of the committee members is confidential – so much so that no one member knows who the other members are. This prevents any bias or objectivity of one member from influencing the scoring of any others,” he said.

The selection is 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 the impact of the volunteer service to the community.

Wilkie then crunches the numbers and lowest total is the one ranked highest among the committee and that’s our recipient. I notify the state coordinator immediately (I have deadlines, too), but then I have to keep it a secret, even from my own committee, until the big announcement in mid-December.

The exceptions are the city and county mayors, who need to know early so they can prepare to publicly recognize the recipient.

“In mid-December, I prepare a recognition certificate and press release – then try to notify the recipient in person, completely by surprise, at a public function. I notify the person who nominated the recipient, under condition of secrecy, that I will be dropping in. That way, they can have their cameras ready.”

Other than local recognition, the recipients have the winter to enjoy their receipt of the award and let it sink in. In April, all recipients and coordinators from counties across the Volunteer State meet at the GVSA banquet, where they are honored for their service. A final press release is sent with photos from the banquet… and then County Coordinator ME takes a breather until preparations begin in late August for the next round.