The Junior League of Montgomery

The Junior League was given this national award for their work and completion of the Discovery Village, a hands-on, interactive, science-themed playground for children in Montgomery.

2006 Governor's Volunteer Service Award

Tom Marshall - associate professor, Auburn University.

Marshall was given this award for the development of the Alabama Volunteer and Donations System (AVADS) in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. AVADS is a web-based program that helps to streamline donations. Anyone from anywhere in the country or the state can volunteer or donate through this clearinghouse.

Corporate Volunteer of the Year

GE Volunteers

Organization: Family Sunshine Center

Nominated for three years of service with the Family Sunshine Center. The volunteers donated hours and funds to revamp the library Resource Center and improved the emergency shelter's bedrooms and bathrooms. The group also stepped in when Ending Violence Effectively Now (EVEN), one of the center's programs, was devastated by fire.

Adult Volunteer of the Year

James Montgomery

Organization: Newtown Head Start.

Montgomery was nominated for his more than 20 years of selfless commitment to the Newtown Head Start program. He assists in the classroom and daily walks children in the neighborhood to and from school. Montgomery has also been known to walk into town to pay bills for senior citizens in the area.

Youth Volunteer of the Year

Michael Thornton

A Loveless Academic Magnet Program High School senior, Thornton has sent care packages to troops overseas, organized Hurricane Katrina relief assistance and worked in shelters in Montgomery, all while maintaining a 4.5 GPA. Thornton also is the president of the National Honor Society and the Key Club at his school.

Senior Volunteer of the Year

Ann Meadows

Meadows has been a volunteer with Catholic Senior Services for 25 years and will retire at the end of this year. During her tenure, she has volunteered her time, home and love to care for 42 foster babies waiting for their adoptive families.

Youth Group Volunteer of the Year

Andrew, Edward and Martin Menefee

The Menefee triplets have worked tireless hours building homes throughout Montgomery Habitat for Humanity over the past year. They have also volunteered with Rebuilding Together Central Alabama and the Jubilee Community Center where they served as positive role models for at-risk youths in the community.

College Group Volunteer of the Year

Faulkner University Student Government Association

The SGA has volunteered with numerous community organizations including the Veterans Association Hospital and the Adullam House. The organization also organized a cell phone/food drive for the Family Sunshine Center and hosted a Halloween party for the senior residents at Elizabeth Wright Apartments. Members also held car washes, clothing drives, gathered school supplies and gathered to the site of Hurricane Katrina to help with clean up efforts.

Adult Group Volunteer of the Year (co-winners)

SAV-A-LIFE Volunteer Counselors

Volunteers at SAV-A-Life are trained to offer pregnant women options other than abortions. Counselors first provide a pregnancy test and if positive, enroll women in the Life Choices course which includes parenting, budgeting and lifestyle patterns along with a Bible study. SAV-A-LIFE volunteers also participate in the Hope Group for women who are dealing with trauma after an abortion and counselors themselves have been through the procedure.

Whitfield Memorial United Methodist Church

Whitfield provided shelter for 85 evacuees after Hurricane Katrina. Church members volunteered hours around the clock to provide security for those staying at the church. They also arranged for volunteer doctors and nurses to come to the shelter or be on call and made cell phones available so evacuees could have free service to contact friends and family.

Frank Sego Humanitarian Volunteer of the Year

Wesley Barton and the Enterprise CARE Team

The CARE Team organized community outreach initiatives, voted on organizations and programs to be considered for corporate sponsorship and submitted ideas and outreach programs for consideration within the Montgomery area. In the past year, Barton and the CARE Team have participated in Zoo Weekend, the Junior League Discovery Village Playground, the WSFA Hurricane Dennis Action Line, Hurricane Katrina Relief efforts, Walk for Wishes, collected and distributed back to school supplies for local students, sponsored the Volunteer Follies and held their first annual yard sale to benefit the River Region United Way.

Good Neighbor of the Year

LWT Communications

LWT partner David Allread accepted the award on behalf of LWT Thursday. For the past four years, the company has donated 24 consecutive hours annually of creative time, energy and expertise to certain non-profit organizations in the River Region area.

Accolades and Roses

Diana Mayberry

Mayberry partners with her husband in their family-owned business and is an active member of her church. She has chaired several committees, fed the homeless and joined a church mission trip to Panama to help build a community center.

Lydia Nelson

A former teacher at Robert E. Lee High School, Nelson bought uniforms and school supplies and helped students who could not pay their own way on school trips. She will be inducted this year into the school's hall of fame. She recently provided a car to an evacuee family for $1.