2008 Spirit of Giving Awards

On October 30, 2008, the Vanderburgh Community Foundation's Spirit of Giving event celebrated the giving spirit and recognized 25 nominees for the 2008 Spirit of Giving Awards.

Lunch was served at the Potter's Wheel by local community leaders in an attempt to emphasize service, not excess, to acknowledge the need in our community and honor those who have stepped forward to meet that need. The Vanderburgh Community Foundation presented the second annual Spirit of Giving awards. Six people were recognized as finalists in the "Young Giver" and "Silent Philanthropist" categories.

Young Giver Award
The Young Giver Award recognizes service by an individual or group of young people under age 23 who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the community through direct financial support, development of charitable programs, volunteering, and leadership in philanthropy.

Meagan Meadors is the recipient of the 2008 Young Giver Award. She was nominated by Rita Eykamp. Meagan decided early in her teen years that she wanted to work in the community on projects that made a positive difference. When she first moved to Evansville, Meagan became a volunteer at the Zoo and spent her summers assisting with youth programs. She worked to organize students in her high school to participate in a Halloween at the Reitz Home. That event continues today and Meagan sits on the education committee at the Reitz Home. For the past three summers, Meagan has been actively involved in assisting Tales and Scales with the organization and execution of the Tales and Scales Summer Camp. Meagan is the Career and Personal Development Chair of Chi Omega Sorority and part of the University of Evansville women leaders. She has participated in the Make a Wish Foundation through the Make a Dish for Make a Wish and the Chi Omega Golf Classic to benefit the Albion Fellows Bacon Center. Meagan recently organized her sorority sisters to raise money and adopt an injured great horned owl at Wesselman Park Nature Center. Congratulations to Meagan on her outstanding community service!

Young Giver Award Nominees

Rosa Cardenas
Children's Center for Dance Education
Katie Clevidence
Michael Harris
Meagan Meadors
University of Evansville's College Mentors for Kids Program
Youth Resources' Teen Advisory Council

Silent Philanthropist Award
The Silent Philanthropist Award recognizes an individual who has quietly and without fanfare demonstrated an outstanding charitable commitment to our community through direct financial support, volunteer participation, or both. The generosity and volunteer efforts of this individual must also have encouraged and motivated individuals or a group to undertake philanthropic or volunteer activities in the community.

The recipient of the Silent Philanthropist Award was James McCarty Sr., who was nominated by Gayle Long of the EVSC Foundation. For years, Mr. McCarty has quietly supported the greater Evansville community in a number of ways, significantly impacting the areas of youth and education. In 1993, he initiated and funded the Bosse CARES program to aid students in their search for satisfying careers. His mission focused on reducing the dropout rate and increasing the number of Bosse students attending college. His vision was to grow the CARES network beyond Bosse until career services were available to students across the EVSC school district.  Mr. McCarty is known for his decades of civic involvement from serving on boards, committees, and in a variety of organizations. He gives generously to those he encouters in their time of need. His gestures of kindness are contagious and deserve recognition.

Silent Philanthropist Award Nominees

Micah Buhl
Betty Charlier
Cleo Cowan
Marjorie Donovan
Betsy Grizzell Hopkins
Steve Harp and EVIE the dog
C. Mark Hubbard
Bob and Lisa Jones
Amy Kolleck
Judy LaVey
James McCarty Sr.
Bridget McDaniel
Helen McKinney
Greg McManus
Dan and Nancy Mitchell
Gina Moore
Melvin Peterson
Kathy Yearwood

Since 1992, the Vanderburgh Community Foundation has served our community by helping donors establish endowment funds and administering grants and scholarships that benefit the residents of Vanderburgh County. More than 130 nonprofit organizations and 140 students have benefited from distributions made by the foundation since its inception.  During the past year alone, the Vanderburgh Community Foundation was responsible for more than $900,000 in grants and scholarship awards.

Some of Evansville's most prominent business, political, and community leaders set the example of service as they serve lunch to all who attended the event, held at the Potter's Wheel at 333 Jefferson Ave.  In keeping with the theme of service, not excess, the Vanderburgh Community Foundation partnered with the Potters Wheel to offer attendees a simple, yet tasty lunch to acknowledge that there are hungry people right here in Evansville.

Local leaders who served included Carl Chapman, EVP and COO of Vectren Corporation; John Daniel, president and CEO of Fifth Third Bank of Southern Indiana; Terry Farmer, managing partner for Bamberger, Foreman, Oswald & Hahn, LLP; Bob Jones, president and CEO of Old National Bank; Mike Schopmeyer, partner at Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, LLP;  Pat Shoulders, senior partner at Ziemer, Stayman, Weitzel and Shoulders, LLP; and Linda White, president and CEO of Deaconess Hospital.  The food was prepared by volunteers, including Scott Wylie of Fireside Grill and Lowry Igleheart-Keach of Maxine's Café and Bakery.