Volunteers Celebrated for Taking Our Mission Everywhere They Go!
The annual Ambassador Appreciation dinner, held Thursday, November 1, was full of fun and celebration as Lifeline of Ohio took time to recognize those who have helped us to spread the message of organ and tissue donation. We honored more Donate Life Ambassadors than ever before with 80 award winners! Our theme for the evening was “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” as we know our ambassadors take our mission and our Donate Life message E-V-E-R-Y- W-H-E-R-E!This year our Donate Life Ambassadors gave more than 4,900 hours of service in the past year to promote donation in Ohio and West Virginia. With their support, Lifeline of Ohio added 69,460 new designations in the Ohio Donor Registry.The event, held in Columbus, consisted of 80 award presentations for outstanding service, including:
• Donate Life Ambassadors of the Year: Sue and Mike Murphy, Reynoldsburg (Click on link to see their story!)
• Rookie of the Year: Dominic Pizzurro, Westerville
Dominic Pizzurro received the Donate Life Rookie of the Year for his work in high schools.
Six volunteers received Golden Ambassador Awards for going above and beyond as part of a special project:
- Andy and Mary Furr: For managing our Live On. Ride on. Events
- Diane Ivery: For promoting organ and tissue donation in a unique setting at her dance workshop
- Todd Johnston: For volunteering as our photographer at several events and giving us full release on his work
- Don Huiner: For taking us so many different places – working over 19 health fairs and bringing registrations each time
- Kathleen Napier: For helping with the HRSA campaign, educating seniors on the importance of organ and tissue donation.
- Connie Sivard: For creating a special awareness event at the Wexner Medical Center’s Ross Heart Hospital, “Tommy’s Tree,” in honor of her boyfriend Tommy who died waiting for his heart.
Individuals contributing more than 75 hours of service received the new Infinity and Beyond Award:
- Mark Burgess, Thornville
- Andrew Furr, Grove City
- Don Huiner, Columbus
- Sue Murphy, Reynoldsburg
- Mike Murphy, Reynoldsburg
- Margaret Petrosky, Columbus
- Emily Smith, Columbus
Individuals contributing between 40 and 74 hours of service received the Infinity Award:
- Pam Brown, Athens
- Carol Fitzsimons, Howard
- Mary Furr, Grove City
- David Hague, Gahanna
- Tim Jones, Cambridge
- Jeff Longwell, Columbus
- Steve Matejewski, Columbus
- Morgan Mersy, Columbus
- Margot Miller, Pickerington
- Kathleen Napier, Pataskala
- Phil Petrosky, Columbus
- Dominic Pizzurro, Westerville
- June Riggs, Westerville
- Janie Scarborough, Sunbury
Individuals contributing between 20 and 39 hours of service received the Shining Star Award:
- Jim Albert, Martins Ferry
- Tony Banfield, Columbus
- Brenda Barnes, Vienna, WV
- Michael Barnes, Vienna, WV
- Emmalyn Brown, Athens
- Sheila Buchanan, Blacklick
- Debby Canter, Oak Hill
- Anika Chandler, Columbus
- Suzy Crossin, Roseville
- Barbara Crow, Pomeroy
- Camille Dandurand, Reynoldsburg
- Kelley Deavers, Chillicothe
- Ray Deavers, Chillicothe
- Robert Deering, Piketon
- Dennis Fogarty, Columbus
- Rachel Furr, Grove City
- Kevin Gartrell, Columbus
- Fred Girscht, Columbus
- Jane Greenberg, Columbus
- David Greenberg, Columbus
- Cindy Grose, Delaware
- Kathy Harrington, Dublin
- Rachel Hoser, Pickerington
- Diane Ivery, Gahanna
- Terri Kernan, Dublin
- Cathy King, Pickerington
- Rhonda Knott, Cambridge
- Dennis Kurtzman, Shiloh
- Bill Lantz, Grove City
- Rhonda Major-Mack, Columbus
- Afatamah McNair, Columbus
- Becky Miller, Galloway
- Melissa Nelms, Delaware
- Marie Oak, Pataskala
- Bill Padden, Cambridge
- Karen Range, Delaware
- Faith Ridenbaugh, Coshocton
- Gen Riffe, Columbus
- Deyra Rodriguez, Dublin
- Matthew Scroggy, Columbus
- Bobbi Shaffer, Grove City
- James Smith, Columbus
- John Troutman, Westerville
- Carole Wachtel, Newark
- Zane Wachtel, Newark
- Carmen Wallar, West Jefferson
- Amanda Wallar, West Jefferson
- Marcia Wasielewski, Delaware
- Marlene Yeldell, Columbus
- Mary Zeller, Marion