Volunteer service is critical to a thriving community and it’s important to take time to recognize those individuals and groups who give tirelessly of themselves to make our neighborhoods better places to live. To do this, United Way is launching a community-wide volunteer recognition program to awareness about the impact volunteers make in southeast Michigan. Nominate yourself or someone you know who deserves to be recognized for his or her volunteer efforts in the areas of United Way’s Agenda for Change: Educational preparedness, Financial Stability, and Basic Needs.

Some examples of eligible service include: tutoring children, helping low-income families prepare their taxes, building affordable housing, or serving food to those in need. Even something as simple as driving your elderly neighbor to her weekly doctor’s appointment is an act of volunteerism, so be creative and nominate yourself or someone you know today.

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Nomination process
There are six award categories that will be honored during National Volunteer Week April 27 – May 3, 2008.This year, the nomination and judging process will include a video contest that allows the nominees to showcase their volunteerism and engages the entire community to select the winners through their votes. Volunteers can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else. Volunteer service must focus on one or more of the areas of United Way’s Agenda for Change: Educational Preparedness, Financial Stability, or Basic Needs.

To begin the nomination process, you must submit a two-minute or less video about the volunteer service and why the person should be honored with one of the six awards. You can find tips for making your video here. Once you’ve created your video, please upload it to YouTube and submit a registration form. For directions on uploading the video, as well as official contest rules and frequently asked questions, click on the links at the top of the page. Even if you are YouTube savvy, please review the uploading directions so that your video complies with this contest.

Timeline

• April 18: Video nominations due to United Way by 11:59 p.m.
• April 20-25: United Way judging – selection of semi-finalists
• April 27-May 3: Community voting – selection of finalists
• May 5: Winners announced
• May 2008: Awards reception for winners and their families.

Judging
A panel of United Way staff and volunteers will narrow the nomination videos down to the top two volunteers in each award category. The finalists will be aired on United Way’s Web site and the entire community will be invited to vote on the best representative of the values inherent in each award. Public voting will take place during National Volunteer Week, April 27 – May 3. Winners will be notified immediately following the voting process and will be invited to a reception to receive their award.

Award Categories
Awards will be distributed in the following categories:

• Bernie Firestone Award – Recognizes an outstanding rank and file member of a local labor union dedicated to community service in one or more of United Way’s focus areas: Education, Financial Stability, or Basic Needs. A $1,000 donation is given to a nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
• Exemplary Group Service Award – Recognizes families, couples or groups who strive to improve their community by volunteering in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. A $500 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the winning group’s choice.
• Heart of Gold Award – This has become one of the most distinguished volunteer awards in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Winners are a select group of individuals who demonstrate exceptional effort, enthusiasm, and immeasurable commitment to volunteerism in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. Awardees receive a 14 karat gold heart in tribute to their dedication. Two individuals will be recognized with the Heart of Gold award this year.
• Outstanding Youth Award – Recognizes a youth aged 12-18 who demonstrates exceptional volunteerism in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. In honor of the award, a $250 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
• Young Adult Award of Excellence – Recognizes an adult aged 19-25 who represents the highest standards of service in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. A $250 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the winner’s choice.
• Outstanding Business Award – Open to small, medium or large businesses. Those recognized by this award excel in and are committed to community involvement through volunteering in one or more of United Way’s focus areas. Please note: nonprofits may nominate themselves for this award if their employees conduct service at another organization. A $1,000 donation will be made to a nonprofit of the honoree’s choice.

Tips for the video

• No professionals needed. Your nomination video doesn’t have to look like the next Spielberg epic. This is YouTube, not the Oscars. Use your home video camera or enlist the help of someone who owns one. Grab it and have fun.
• Be creative! Interview the volunteer or a person the volunteer has helped. Show the volunteer in action. Sing a song about your volunteerism. Do something that keeps the audience interested but ultimately makes them remember why the volunteer service stands out among the rest.
• Don’t forget the details. Please include your name and the award you are applying for at the beginning of your video. It may sound simple, but when you’re focused on producing an engaging video, you forget the simple things.
• Simple message = big impact. Be creative in what you include in the video, but make sure it ties to the volunteer service you want to highlight. Be engaging and concise, don’t jump between messages and ideas or be vague about your volunteer service.
• Stick to the time limit. Two minutes is all that’s needed to talk about a great volunteer. Much past that, and you’ll lose your audience. Lose your audience, and you lose your message – and that message is what it will take to get you to the winner’s circle!

Sample video