By: Tom Farris—
Muncie, IN – Sara Shade, Committee Chair for the 2017 VIVA Awards announced that nominations for 2017 awards will be accepted until March 17th. The VIVA Award was created in 1993 as a gift to the community by the Muncie Rotary Club to recognize Delaware County’s proud volunteer heritage. The awards were named VIVA for “Very Important Volunteer Award,” and designed by Tom & Linda Farris of Muncie. Up to five individuals will be recognized with the traditional VIVA Award for their volunteer efforts to the community within the past 12 months. In addition, The Edmund F. Ball Lifetime Achievement Award will be given for outstanding long-term, lifetime volunteer commitment. 2017 VIVA Nomination forms, which detail eligibility criteria and nomination guidelines, can be found at the Muncie Rotary Club website – www.muncierotary.org.
The 25th Annual VIVA Awards luncheon is scheduled for April 18, 2017 at the Horizon Convention Center in downtown Muncie. The luncheon program begins at noon.
Paid reservations must be received by April 7, 2017. Individual tickets are $20.00 each and tables of 8 are $150.00. VIVA event reservation forms are also available from www.muncierotary.org.
Past recipients of the VIVA Lifetime Achievement Award include Edmund & Virginia Ball, Oliver Bumb, Hamer & Phyllis Shafer, Nell Brogdon, David Sursa, Harvey & Penny Thomas, Will Parker, J. Roberts Dailey, Marjorie P. Ziegler, Mary L. Dollison, Van P. Smith, Jack E. Buckles, Jim Gooden. Joseph M. Speece, Jr., Margaret Bumb, John J. Pruis, John W. Fisher, Stefan S. Anderson, John Wright, Mike Ellis, Kelly Stanley, Dr. George Branam, Sue Templin, Jackie Johnston, Martha Kendrick and Dr. Marilyn Kay Stickle.
The Muncie Rotary Club, affiliated with the global service organization Rotary International, was founded in 1917 by a group of local business executives, professionals and community leaders. Muncie Rotary is a catalyst for community leadership, professional development, friendships, service and international understanding. The Club meets on Tuesdays at noon at Minnetrista for lunch, networking, a business meeting and a feature program. Membership is by invitation.
The Club has more than 120 active members from the local community. For more information visit the Club website www.muncierotary.org or Muncie Rotary Club on Facebook.
Rotary International was founded in 1905 in Chicago by Paul Harris and three business associates to “do good” in Chicago. Today, Rotary is a global network of 1.2 million neighbors, friends, leaders and problem-solvers who come together to make positive, lasting change in communities at home and abroad. The Object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise. Rotary members believe that we have a shared responsibility to take action on our world’s most persistent issues. Our 35,000 clubs work together to: promote peace; fight disease; eradicate polio; provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene; save mothers and children; support education; and grow local economies. The Rotary motto is “Service Above Self” – based on the foundation of our values of service, fellowship, diversity, integrity and leadership.
The VIVA Award was originally designed by local artist Tom Farris. Photo by: Mike Rhodes
