The United Way of Posey County offers opportunities for volunteering in Posey County, including fundraising, serving on the citizen review committee of agencies requesting funds, or helping with events throughout the year, such as the Letter Carriers Food drive each May, volunteering at the Mount Vernon Food Pantry or helping at one-time fundraising events. Campaign volunteers are needed from September through mid-December. Volunteers in the citizen review process of agencies requesting funding work from mid-September to the end of November. It is the efforts of the citizen review committee, which studies agencies requesting funding and makes a recommendation on whether an agency should receive funding and in what amount, that helps to ensure that contributions to the United Way of Posey County are wisely and effectively used for important community services and programs and not wasted.
APPLICATIONS FOR THE ELIZABETH D. BAIER YOUTH SPIRIT AWARD NOW BEING ACCEPTEDApplications are now being accepted for the Elizabeth D. Baier Youth Spirit Award for 2021. The Award, in the amount of $500, is given annually to a high school junior who resides in Posey County and who is involved in community activities in Posey County. Due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, no award was given last year, so this year both a member from the Class of 2021 and a member from the Class of 2022 will be recognized.
The Elizabeth D. Baier Youth Spirit Award was created in September 2007 in honor of Elizabeth D. Baier’s 25th Anniversary as Executive Director of the United Way of Posey County. Michelle Hudson, member of the committee charged with selecting the Award recipient, said, “The United Way wanted to recognize Elizabeth for her service to the United Way, but we also wanted to honor her for her many years of leadership, community involvement, and volunteer services to Posey County. An award recognizing exemplary volunteerism by young people had been a dream of Elizabeth’s for many years, so the creation of the Youth Spirit Award in her name seemed to be the perfect way to honor her.” Funding for the Award was obtained entirely through private donations. An applicant for the Award must be a Posey County resident but may attend high school in Posey, Gibson, or Vanderburgh Counties or may be home schooled. Applicants for this year’s Awards must currently be in their junior year in high school and a member of the graduating class of 2022 or in their senior year in high school and a member of the graduating class of 2021. Applicants must have exhibited outstanding leadership, volunteerism, and community involvement. Two or three letters of recommendation must accompany the application. Applications must be typed and must be post-marked no later than April 23, 2021, for consideration; and the Award recipients will be notified no later than June 4, 2021. An organization may nominate a student for the Award and provide supporting letters, but the nominated student must complete the application. The Elizabeth D. Baier Youth Spirit Award was given for the first time in 2009 and was awarded to Abbigail Mayer, a student at North Posey Senior High School. The 2010 recipient was Johnathan Bradford, a student at Mount Vernon Senior High School, the 2011 recipient was Jillian Koester, a student at North Posey Senior High School., the 2012 recipient was Maggie Maier, a student at Mount Vernon Senior High School, the 2013 recipient was Olivia Goebel, a student at North Posey Senior High School, the 2014 recipient was Hunter Wilson, a student at Mount Vernon Senior High School, the 2015 recipient was Travis Koester, a student at North Posey Senior High School, and the 2016 recipient was Isaac Mayer, a student at North Posey Senior High School. In 2017, the Elizabeth D. Baier Youth Spirit Award was given to two students: Jackson Baldwin, a student at Mount Vernon Senior High School and Lindsey Koester, a student at North Posey Senior High School. The 2018 recipient was Maria Turner, a student at Mount Vernon Senior High School and the 2019 recipient was Kenzie Paul, a student at Mount Vernon Senior High School. The Awards for 2021 will be presented at the United Way of Posey County Leadership Giving Recognition Dinner scheduled in August. Applications for the Award have been mailed to schools, churches, clubs and civic organizations. Any student wishing to apply for the Award can also obtain an application at the office of the United Way of Posey County, 128 West Third Street, Mount Vernon, Indiana, or can obtain an application in electronic format by contacting the United Way office at 812-838-3637 or at unitedwayposey@gmail.com . The application is also available here. |
Kenzie Paul is the 2019 recipient of the Elizabeth D. Baier Youth Spirit Award
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