Thomas McCrudden received the day’s top honor: Volunteer of the Year. McCrudden is a retired teacher and school psychologist. Four mornings a week, he works with second grade students at Holling Heights Elementary School on their reading skills; he hasn’t missed a day in four years. The principal, PTA president and parents nominated McCrudden with a common theme: his love for education and his commitment to helping students succeed. In the nominating forms, McCrudden is cited for his patient manner, for his positive reinforcement of students’ efforts, and the "extra mile" he goes to meet and report back to parents. He’s also well-known for taking time to personally recognize the efforts of teachers, custodians and other staff members at Holling Heights. According to one supporter, "He is a person who believes you never stop learning, you never stop giving, and you never stop doing what you are passionate about."

The 2009-2010 Volunteen of the Year is Charles "CJ" Vickers, who is a student at Millard North High School. Vickers was nominated by the American Red Cross (ARC) Heartland Chapter. His introduction to ARC came as a participant in United Way’s Summer Youth Volunteer Program, on a team that taught fire safety to elementary school students. He’s been a committed volunteer ever since, teaching safety and preparedness classes, staffing display tables and participating in disaster response training, even though he’s too young to serve in that official Red Cross capacity just yet. He has, though, used his skills on several church mission trips to disaster areas. CJ has been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a condition that often has an adverse effect on social skills. But the staff says he seems right-at-home addressing individuals and groups alike, thanks to his passion for helping people stay healthy and prepared.

Beccy Thompson was recognized with the Leota G. Norton Community Service Award; she volunteers in Child Saving Institute’s Children’s Crisis Center. It’s a transitional facility for youngsters who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, along with children just released from the Douglas County Juvenile Center. Despite the raw emotions often exhibited by the kids, staff members say Thompson softens the experience with her gentle approach and willingness to listen. In 2009, she helped youngsters decorate cookies for Valentine’s Day, cooked a large Easter meal and held a ‘cookies and carols’ event on Christmas. Thompson also arranged and paid for a night of bowling and pizza. Child Saving’s staff members say she provides encouragement and support for them, as well. The award is named for a longtime United Way volunteer.

Mutual of Omaha received the Spirit of Volunteerism award for its "100 Days of Service" in 2009. From April through July, each Mutual employee was given four hours of company time to help out on a nonprofit project, as a way of saying "thank you" to the Omaha metro area for its century of success in business. In all, the company’s staff donated more than 7,000 hours of volunteer time for a variety of organizations including the Food Bank for the Heartland, The Salvation Army and Heartland Family Service. Mutual of Omaha’s Foundation also paid for expenses involved with projects at the volunteer sites including paint, plants, and lumber. Mutual has a number of on-going volunteer programs as well.

The 2009-2010 Making It Happen award was bestowed upon a group called "Giving It Back" and its founder Karla Bates. She called nearly two dozen relatives and friends together for their first project on "Make a Difference Day" back in 2007, and has turned the volunteering into a monthly event. Together, they have collected food and school supplies to help those in need, served meals for families of sick children at the Ronald McDonald House, worked for Habitat for Humanity and conducted blood drives. Under Bates’ leadership, they’ve also raised funds to prevent birth defects and treat cancer patients, and most recently they collected 400 pairs of shoes for Haitian earthquake victims, in the "Soles for Souls" program.

The Medical Reserve Corps’ Linda Horning Volunteer of the Year Award was given to Ken Hermsen. The Creighton University dental professor is a dedicated MRC volunteer who used his professional experience to help identify victims of the 9/11 attacks and Hurricane Katrina. Hermsen chairs the Omaha Metropolitan Medical System’s Mass Fatality Committee, charged with planning for the identification and burial of victims of disaster. He helped form a similar team for the state of Nebraska and helped craft the Eppley Airfield Fire and Rescue team’s disaster response plan. Hermsen also gave nearly 40 hours of free dental care to people-in-need in 2009, and volunteered with other MRC members at a number of H1N1 vaccination clinics since last fall. This award is named for one of the first local members of the MRC, a tireless volunteer who responded quickly when help was needed.

Awards were also given to outstanding volunteers in 19 other categories. Their names and those of their nominators are:

Brian Mastre of WOWT was the master of ceremonies; Tom Johnson, media manager of the Nebraska Lottery, was the awards presenter. Rev. Dr. Selwyn Bachus of Salem Baptist Church delivered the invocation, and approximately 400 people attended the luncheon and awards program.

Nominations for next year’s awards will be accepted beginning in late January 2011. Interested organizations can call 402-522-7931 for more information.

United Way of the Midlands celebrates 87 years of service in 2010 by mobilizing the caring power of people who live and work in Douglas, Sarpy and Pottawattamie Counties.