WALLACE GALLUZZI VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Every year the United Way of Kaw Valley (previously United Way of Douglas County) gives out an award named in honor of the late Wallace Galluzzi, celebrating the outstanding achievements of local volunteers, and promoting exceptional volunteerism as an important way that individuals can make positive impacts in our community.
Wallace Galluzzi came to Lawrence in 1963 to serve as president of Haskell University, where there is still a hall named in his honor, and later an officer with the Douglas County Bank. He was one of the most personally popular people in Lawrence. In 1983 he volunteered to lead the United Way Campaign, which at the time was called the United Fund Drive.
Wally had a wonderful spirit in which he accomplished his own volunteer initiatives. Wally approached his volunteer efforts with great enthusiasm and a most powerful sense of optimism. When he took on a volunteer project, he was both thorough and creative in approaching the task. He had a wonderful approach to other volunteers with whom he was involved that caused them to want to follow his lead. An incredibly cordial and warm person, he was also funny. Above all he really cared about what he was doing in his volunteer projects, and because of that, he was not only an effective worker but an outstanding spokesperson for his favorite volunteer activities. His dedication as a volunteer in this role was remarkable, and when he passed away the United Way board decided on a volunteer recognition award as a means of honoring Wally Galluzzi.
Since the inception of the award, we have given out this award every year, and on occasion, we’ve chosen multiple recipients!
Find a complete list of Galluzzi Award winners below!
Nominations are closed!
GALLUZZI AWARD RECIPIENTS
2022 Darlene Morell Peers offering Peer Support (POPS)
2022 Wendo Kimori Lawrence Branch NAACP Youth Council (youth recipient)
2021 Susan Schott Lawrence Habitat For Humanity
2021 Chaney Finkeldei L.I.N.K (youth recipient)
2020 Marion Belcher Ballard Community Center
2020 Taryn Wells United Way of Douglas County (youth recipient)
2019 Kristi Hill Lawrence Winter Shelter
2018 Grant Huddin United Way of Douglas County
2017 Elaine Fellenstein United Way of Douglas County
2016 Hernan Nieto
2015 Gloria Eberle Black Hills Corporation
2014* Katenay, Niebaum, Rankin, Kleinberg and Graves
2013* 50 Honored & 2 Groups 7 Special Recognition - Several Categories
2012* Taylor Moldenhauer Lawrence Memorial Hospital (youth recipient)
2012 Susan Stuever Health Care Access
2011* Logan Brown GaDuGi Safe Center (youth recipient)
2011 Jim McMurray Habitat for Humanity
2010 Katie Becker Douglas County CASA
2010 Mckenzie Brungardt American Red Cross (youth recipient)
2009 Brian Daldorph Douglas County Correctional Facility
2009 Shai Jackson Big Brothers Big Sisters (youth recipient)
2008 Pete Peterson LINK
2008 Sarah Stern Youth Volunteer Corps (youth recipient)
2007 Reathyl Brummett Lawrence Memorial Hospital
2007 Justine Ahle Lawrence Memorial Hospital (youth recipient)
2006 Eleanor Symons Kansas Audio-Reader Network
2006 Justin Esau Salvation Army and Trinity Episcopal Church (youth recipient)
2005 Truman “Bud” Waugh Douglas County Emergency Management
2005 Kate Falkenstein Ballard Community Center (youth recipient)
2004 Dr. Edward Manda Douglas County Dental Clinic
2004 Yuan Liu Partnership for Children and Youth (youth recipient)
2003 Carolyn Landgrebe Meals on Wheels
2003 Ariel George Roger Hill Volunteer Center (youth recipient)
2002 Rita Cosby Ninth Street Outreach Center
2002 Pat Harmon 21st Century Learning Center at Woodlawn Elementary (youth recipient)
2001 Marty Waddell Smith Douglas County CASA
2000 Becky & Doug Eason Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Douglas County
1999 Greta Georgeson Catholic Community Services
1998 Maxine Hougland Social Service League
1997 Beverly Cates Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association
1996 Shalley Gasper Hospice Care in Douglas Cty
1995 Brad Phipps Health Care Access, Inc.
1994 Bob Wells Boys & Girls Club
1993 Gay Doudoroff Headquarters
1992 Alita Cooper Douglas County Child Development Association
1991 Judi Kellas First Step House
1990 Lyman Wiley ARC of Douglas County
1989 Marcella Wolfson American Red Cross, Douglas County Chapter
1988 LeMerle McCoy Ballard Community Center
1987 Diane Duffy Douglas City Rape Victim Survivor Services
1986 Emma Margan Hospice Care in Douglas County
1985 AE Lee Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
2012 Joanne Hurst
2009 Al Hack
2008 Hank Booth
*Special Recognition
2014 28 Honored - 5 Exceptional & 23 Outstanding
Frank Male, Sr American Red Cross
Carl Graves Audio-Reader Network
Kennedy Cooper Ballard Penn House
JaCorey Shepherd Kansas Big Brother Big Sister program serving Douglas County
Tammy Howell Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence
Rachel Paxton Center for Community Outreach
Jill Kleinberg Douglas County CASA Inc
Kristen Helling Douglas County Dental Clinic
David Hamby Family Promise of Lawrence
Lisa Simmons Girl Scouts of NE Kansas and NW Missouri
Steve Lopes Headquarters Inc.
Larry Rankin Health Care Access
Heather Brust Heartland Community Health Center
Mary Blythe Independence Inc.
Bob Harwood Lawrence Community Shelter
Michelle Fales Lawrence Free State High School Booster Club
Ron King Lawrence Habitat for Humanity
Janet D’Ercole Lawrence Humane Society
John Priddle Lawrence Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts of America Pelathe District & Salvation Army
Judy Niebaum Small World
Doug Katenay Social Service League
Beth Ann Bittlingmayer Success By 6 Coalition of Douglas County
Cheri Varvil Ten Thousand Villages
Paula Nigh Theatre Lawrence
Jennifer Sherwood United Way of Douglas County
Daniel B. Smith Van Go Inc
Janet Dehnert Willow Domestic Violence Center
2013 Agency Volunteers of the Year
10 years or more with the agencies listed
Jim Ballinger, Theatre Lawrence
Sue Eckhoff, Douglas County Senior Services
Jerry Foree, Theatre Lawrence
Arline Seely-Bensch, Kansas Audio-Reader
Russ & Diane Hailey, Family Promise
Steve Hillmer, Habitat for Humanity
Kenny Johnson, Hidden Valley Camp
Susan K Jones (posthumous nomination), Small World
Leadership/Board Service
Ruby Demoe, Recovery & Hope Network
Brad Finkeidei, Family Promise
Jill Giele, Friends of Hidden Valley
Sue Lewis, United Way of Douglas County
Helen Seymour, Douglas County CASA
Lori Tesdahl, Kansas Audio-Reader Network
Terrance Tidzump, Recovery & Hope Network
Linda Jalenak, Habitat for Humanity
Group or Family
The Garden Volunteers-Frank Male, Craig Sweets, & Melissa Wick, Kansas Audio Reader Network
Meadowlark Estates, Habitat for Humanity
Robilea Swindell & Jerry Frees, Douglas County Emergency Management
The Sandefur Family, Family Promise
The Wiley Family, Meals on Wheels
Youth & College
Adele Falk, The Willow
Maddie Jones, Grace Hospice
Sadie Keller, Habitat for Humanity
Joel Rosenberger, Habitat for Humanity
Paige Schmidt, Lawrence Douglas County Housing Authority
Bill Wilson, Douglas County Aids Project
Special Projects & Behind the Scenes
Nathan Hutchcraft, United Way of Douglas County
Don Kallos, Girl Scouts
Dianne Mahoney, The Willow
Janet Mills, Trinity In-Home Care
Drew White, Independence, Inc
Direct Service
Dr. Bill Anderson, Van Go, Inc
Bev Bartscher, Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Stuart Beals, Habitat for Humanity
Alicia Cusano, The Willow
Michele Dillon, Grace Hospice
Barb Heeb, Health Care Access
Earline Jones, Lawrence Humane Society
Rob Land, Douglas County Aids Project
Nicole Lopez, Douglas County Aids Project
Bruce Miller, Social Service League
Al & Connie Negen, Family Promise
Liz Niswonger, Meals on Wheels
Anna Paradis, Dougals County CASA
Mike Pryor, Just Food
Molly Schemm, StopGap, Inc
Gary Schmidt, Douglas County CASA
Melissa Streit, Douglas County Aids Project
2012 Agency Volunteers of the Year Recognition
Lifetime Service
Ruth Fredrickson Lawrence Meals on Wheels
Jon Heeb Habitat for Humanity
Monica Kurz Headquarters Counseling Center
John Lingenfelsar Family Promise
Vern Norwood Willow Domestic Violence Center
Jan Shumway Kansas Audio Reader Network
Karen Warner Friends of Hidden Valley, Inc. and Lawrence Hidden Valley Committee, Inc.
Contributions by a Group or Family
Jill Conrad Lawrence Habitat for Humanity
Ed Quick Health Care Access
Jim & Thelma Taylor Kansas Audio Reader Network
Ron Guerin & Karen Cochran Willow Domestic Violence Center
Steve Lopes & Lois Orth-Lopes Headquarters Counseling, Inc.
Leadership/Board Service
Rebecca Dick United Way of Douglas County
Mary Jones LINK
Will Katz Headquarters Counseling Center
Matt Llewellyn Boys and Girls Club
Michelle Mailand Habitat for Humanity
Mary Metz Willow Domestic Violence Center
Dianna Nelson Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Cindy Penzler Kansas Audio Reader Network
Brian Seymour Douglas County CASA
Camille Stuckey Family Promise
Margaret Townsend Friends of Hidden Valley
Direct Service
Harold Asner Kansas Audio Reader Network
Rima Bonario Prairie Moon Waldorf School
Charley Crabtree Independence Inc.
Carl Craig Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Kelsey Crawford Grace Hospice
Ken Karr Watkins Community Museum of History
Linda & Richard Knabe Douglas County Senior Services
Dan Kuhlman Family Promise
Linda Lungstrom Lawrence Meals on Wheels
Charlie Thomas Watkins Community Museum of History
Kristin Vernon Headquarters Counseling Center
Angela Woods Willow Domestic Violence Center
Erika Zimmerman Habitat for Humanity
Collegiate
Adam Miltner Habitat for Humanity
Joe Schremmer Kansas Audio Reader Network
Austin Steer Grace Hospice
2011 Agency Volunteers of the Year Recognition
Lifetime Service
Diane Sanders, Lawrence Meals on Wheels
Jeanette Kekahbah, CLO’s Midnight Farm
Geneva Pohl, Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Elaine Fellenstein, United Way of Douglas County
JoAnna Traxler, Lawrence Humane Society
Ruth Turney, Douglas County Correctional Facility
Lee Young, Audio-Reader
Rick Mitchell, Prairie Moon Waldorf School
Family
Beth and Marshall Kelly, Douglas County CASA
Donna and Charles Decedue, Audio-Reader
Group
Bassam Chahine and Mahboob Ahmed from the Islamic Center, Lawrence Meals on Wheels
Libby Johnson and Jill Nowak from Kappa Alpha Theta sorority, Douglas County CASA
Gary and Susie Bartlett from the River City Cosmopolitan Club, Health Care Access Clinic
Tyler Setter from Kappa Sigma fraternity, Cottonwood Inc.
Jennifer Nigro representing the Massage Therapy Readers, Audio-Reader
Tom Wilson from Teller’s Restaurant, Visiting Nurses of Douglas County
Dan Bjornson from Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, Project LIVELY
Leadership/Board Service
Marilyn Harp, Lawrence Habitat for Humanity
Jeri Safarik, Lawrence Meals on Wheels
Jill LaPoint, Douglas County CASA
Mark Batesel, Douglas County AIDS Project
Earl Nehring, Kansas Advocates for Better Care
Reaumur Donnally, Lawrence Memorial Hospital
Beverly Billings, United Way of Douglas County
Tammy Farmer, Kansas Lyme Fighters Inc.
Susan Stuever, Lawrence Habitat for Humanity
Randy Austin, Audio Reader
RJ Stephenson, Friends of the Kaw
Direct Service
Belinda Schuman, Lawrence Meals on Wheels
Kate Marlton, Douglas County AIDS Project
Nicole Dyke, ECKAN
Elizabeth Patton, Lawrence Humane Society
Grace Oshel, Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen (LINK)
David Dunford, Audio-Reader
Sue Suhler, Van-Go
Collegiate Service
Jessica Goode, CLO’s Midnight Farm
Larissa Maranell, Lawrence Humane Society
Laura Windheuser, Douglas County CASA
Youth
Ben Novorr, Douglas County CASA
Bailey Adams, ERC Resource & Referral