FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: April 27, 2022

Loudoun Cares Announces 2022 Outstanding Volunteer Honorees

Celebrating Hundreds of Loudoun County Volunteers with Emcee Tony Howard 

LEESBURG, Virginia (April 2022) – Loudoun Cares is pleased to announce the 2022 Outstanding Volunteer Award (OVA) Honorees who were chosen from 66 nominations across Loudoun County. LC will be recognizing 100’s of volunteers across 19 categories for their dedication and service throughout the County. Award categories include adult, senior, youth, and specialty. Also featured is the Judy Hines Service of a Lifetime award that honors volunteers having served Loudoun County for over 10 years and the “RiseUp award” which honors outstanding volunteer service in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Further, six of our Loudoun County Board of Supervisors recognize a volunteer(s) in their district while the Chair-at-Large Phyllis Randall recognizes a volunteer county wide.  

On Thursday, May 12th,  Loudoun Cares will honor this year’s Honorees at their annual event that celebrates the County’s volunteers for their outstanding contributions in making our community a place residents want to live, work, and enjoy. The event will be held at River Creek Club in Leesburg on May 12, 2022 from 5:30-8:30pm. Tickets are $30/pp and can be purchased on the Loudoun Cares website at https://www.loudouncares.org/2022-ova/. The event will be emceed by Tony Howard, President & CEO of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. Sponsorships are still available; for more information on sponsoring this year’s awards, please contact valerie@loudouncares.org. 

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“This is absolutely my favorite event of the year,” says Valerie Pisierra, Loudoun Cares Executive Director. “We need to recognize and congratulate the outstanding service of those volunteers that have donated their time, faced the challenge head-on, and made a significant impact on the lives of our residents. The amazing work of our volunteers in this county is exceptional. The stories will inspire any listener to get involved. Their service and dedication to this community needs to be celebrated!” 

The 2022 Outstanding Volunteer Awardees being honored are:

• Judy Hines Service of a Lifetime: Juanita Easton, The Humane Society of Loudoun
• Gabriella Miller Youth Volunteer: Seoyoung Jun, INMED Partnership for Children
• Chairperson Volunteer Recognition: Lisa Jones,  Silence No More Movement
• RiseUp Award – Eva Maria Torres-Herrera, INMED Partnership for Children
• Algonkian District: Virginia Voyack, Loudoun Hunger Relief 
• Ashburn District: Alex Reif, Boy Scouts of America, Ashburn
• Broad Run District: Katrece Nolen, Step Sisters
• Dulles District: Dulles South Soup Kitchen
• Leesburg District: Vicente Gonzalez, The New Virginia Majority 
• Sterling District: Amy Gazes, Park View High School
• Outstanding Adult Volunteer: Gerco Hoogeweg, Loudoun Wildlife Conservatory
• Outstanding Adult Volunteer Team: The Salvation Army of Loudoun Angel Tree Team
• Outstanding Adult Public Safety: Kevin Kelly, Purcellville Volunteer Rescue Squad
• Outstanding Senior Volunteer: Larry Messner, George C. Marshall International Center
• Outstanding Senior Volunteer: Mohammad Raees, Legal Services of Northern Virginia 
• Outstanding Senior Volunteer Team: Loudoun Medicare Counseling Team – Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging
• Outstanding Senior Public Safety Volunteer: James Jones, Loudoun County Volunteer Fire and Rescue
• Outstanding Senior Public Safety Volunteer: Brad Quin, Purcellville Volunteer Fire
• Outstanding Veteran Volunteer: Rebecca Ortego, The HeartWoRx
• Outstanding Volunteer Team: Sterling Volunteer Rescue Squad
• Outstanding Volunteer Project: RoboLoCo, Academies of Loudoun
• Outstanding Youth Volunteer Team: StoryBook Treasures Team, Briar Woods High School
• Outstanding Corporate Volunteer Team: Apple Federal Credit Union Employees
• Outstanding Community/Civic Volunteer Organization: CAST Program, Rock Ridge High School
• Outstanding Nonprofit Volunteer Board: George C. Marshall International Center

Sponsors:

• Outstanding Volunteer Awards Event Sponsor: Backflow Technology
• Outstanding Volunteer Awards Senior Category Sponsor: Northwest Federal Credit Union
• Outstanding Volunteer Awards Youth Category Sponsor: United Bank
• Outstanding Volunteer Awards Adult Category Sponsor: HHMI Janelia Reacher Campus
• Outstanding Volunteer Award Sponsors: Carol Kearney, Realtor, Momentum Realty, LLC (Youth Team); CEO Consulting Group (Gabriella Miller Youth); Loudoun First Responders Foundation (Adult Public Safety); Terraforma Church (Adult Team); SMARTnet, Inc (Veteran)
• Outstanding Volunteer Support Sponsors: Alphagraphics (Print); Blue Lion Multi Media (photographer); Costco Leesburg (cake);

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About Loudoun Cares

Loudoun Cares is a Leesburg-based nonprofit serving the Loudoun County community through its information & referral ConnectLine and Online Volunteer Center. The ConnectLine specializes in connecting people in need with resources, information, or referrals to local services and support providers. Loudoun Cares’ Volunteer Center is the county’s only online portal connecting volunteers with local nonprofits in need of support. The Center currently has over 240 nonprofits registered and receives between 80-100 new volunteer registrations each month. Loudoun Cares was honored to be named this year’s Small Business of the Year and Nonprofit of the Year by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce. Most recently, Executive Director Valerie Pisierra received the Loudoun Chamber Community Leadership Nonprofit Executive Leader Award. 

For more information about how to volunteer or to request volunteers, please visit www.loudouncares.org​ or call 703-669-2351. If you or someone you know has been adversely affected by the COVID 19 crisis call 703-669-5040.