AUGUSTA -- Throughout 2021, Maine's volunteer heroes continued to navigate through great challenges to support the communities they call home. It is time once again to celebrate and honor these selfless individuals.
Volunteer Maine, the Maine Commission for Community Service, is seeking nominations for all categories of the 36th annual Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism. Nominations will close on Friday, March 18, 2022 at 5 p.m.
Since 1987, the awards have celebrated and recognized the role of citizen volunteers in the success and vitality of Maine communities. At the same time, the awards seek to inspire others to be active in civic life and follow in the footsteps of those recognized. The awards program is managed for the Governor's Office by Volunteer Maine.
Recipients of competitive awards for individuals, teams and organizations as well as those named to the Maine Volunteer Roll of Honor will be celebrated during a virtual ceremony to be held at the end of April, specific date to be announced. Among other forms of recognition, Roll of Honor recipients will be recognized during the Portland Sea Dog's annual Volunteer Appreciation Game, scheduled for April 20, 2022, at Hadlock Field in Portland. Information on additional forms of recognition can be found below.
Luc Nya, of Saco, is the reigning Maine Volunteer of the Year. "I am greatly honored to have been selected as the Governor's Volunteer of the Year," Nya said during the 2021 award ceremony. "To all the volunteers out there, I say keep up the good work, and for those who are still considering it, look around you for the opportunities to make a difference abound."
"Every year the Governor’s Service Awards recognize those who exemplify the spirit and service of our state," stated Maine Governor Janet T. Mills during last year's ceremony. "On behalf of the 1.3 million people of the great State of Maine, I thank you."
More information on the Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism -- including categories, online nomination instructions, eligibility and selection criteria -- can be found on the Volunteer Maine website. Use the following link to access more information -- view here.
Support for the 36th annual Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism is being provided by the Bangor Daily News, the Maine Volunteer Foundation and the Portland Sea Dogs.
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Forms of recognition
Competitive awards
- Invitation to participate in and be honored during virtual ceremony at the end of April (Specific date to be announced)
- A commemorative plaque
- A Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism certificate signed by the Governor
Adult Roll of Honor
- A Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism certificate signed by the Governor with the person's name and total hours of service during the prior year
- A commemorative pin
- A ticket to and recognition on the video board during the Portland Sea Dogs Volunteer Appreciation Game on April 20, 2022
- Listing by name, town, and hours of service in an advertisement published in the Bangor Daily News
- Please note: The public announcement portions of recognition are for adults only. Volunteer Maine does not publish public information about recipients under the age of 19.
Youth Roll of Honor
- A Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism certificate signed by the Governor with the person's name and total hours of service during the prior year
- A commemorative pin
- A ticket to the Portland Sea Dogs Volunteer Appreciation Game on April 20, 2022
About the Maine Volunteer Roll of Honor
The Maine Volunteer Roll of Honor is a statewide effort to show appreciation to those citizens who go above and beyond in terms of the time they devote to serving their communities.
Adult nominees must be
- 19 years of age or older; and
- devoted 500 hours or more of volunteer service to the community during the past twelve months (January 1 – December 31, 2021) preceding nomination deadline.
- Please note: Charitable giving (i.e., participating in walkathons or other events to raise money) and court-ordered community service may not be counted.
Young Maine Volunteer Roll of Honor nominees must be
- 18 years of age or younger; and
- devoted 50 hours or more of volunteer service to the community during the past twelve months (January 1, 2021 – December 31, 2021) preceding nomination deadline.
- Service hours are documented by the program(s) or organization(s) with whom the volunteer served.
- Please note: Charitable giving (i.e., participating in walkathons or other events to raise money) and court-ordered community service may not be counted.
All volunteers certified as qualifying by the nominating program will be recognized. This is not a competitive recognition program.
All nominations must be sent electronically.
About the competitive award categories
In total, seven award recipients will be selected from nominations by a panel of volunteer reviewers. The panel includes past award recipients, Commission members and community representatives. This year’s categories for individuals and teams are as follows:
Individual or team categories
- Maine Volunteer of the Year
- Outstanding National Service Volunteer (an AmeriCorps or AmeriCorps Seniors member)
- Outstanding Volunteer Team
- Young Maine Volunteer of the Year
Organization categories
- Outstanding Employee Volunteer Program
- Outstanding Non-Profit Volunteer Program
- Service Enterprise of the Year
2021 honorees
- Volunteer of the Year: Luc Nya, of Saco (Chair of the Board of Visitors at the University of Southern Maine)
- Young Maine Volunteer of the Year: Shawn Jiminez, of West Gardiner (Gardiner Area High School Civil Rights Team and Interact Club)
- Outstanding Volunteer Team: The Vaccine Volunteer Assistance Team (Southern Maine Area Agency on Aging, of Biddeford)
- Outstanding National Service Volunteer: Clara McCool, of Portland (AmeriCorps Resilience Corps/Greater Portland Council of Governments)
- Excellence in Youth Service Development: RayeAnne Desoto, Gardiner Area High School
- Excellence in Volunteer Administration: Delilah Poupore, of Biddeford (Heart of Biddeford)
About Volunteer Maine
Volunteer Maine, the state service commission, builds capacity and sustainability in Maine's volunteer sector by funding service programs, developing volunteer managers and service-learning practitioners, raising awareness of the scope and the impact of the volunteer sector, and encouraging an ethic of service. On Oct. 16, 2019, the Maine Commission for Community Service adopted the public identity Volunteer Maine.
Media contact
Bryan Roche, communications officer
Office: (207) 624-7836
Cell: (207) 446-3471
Email: Bryan.Roche@maine.gov
Award program contact (questions and clarifications: non-media)
Kelsey Preecs, program officer, volunteer initiatives
Office: (207) 624-7838
Email: Kelsey.Preecs@maine.gov
Additional coverage
"Volunteer Maine seeks nominations for annual Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism" -- Bangor Daily News -- access story
"Volunteer Maine seeks nominations for annual Governor's Awards for Service and Volunteerism" -- Piscataquis Observer -- access story
"Volunteer Maine seeks Governor’s Awards nominations" -- Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel -- access story