Recipients of the 2016-2017 Community Service Awards

Individual honorees include Christie Johnson of Conway; Selena Ellis of Benton; and Virgie Phillips of Lake View. Meanwhile, Eric and Kara Gilmore, Sarah Adams and Britney Spees, along with Peyton Welch, all reside in Little Rock. Alexis Roberson of Caraway received the Youth Humanitarian Award. The Corporate Humanitarian Award was given to Everett Buick GMC of Benton. The National Service Award went to North Little Rock’s Beau Cooper. Dallas Cowboys owner, and North Little Rock native, Jerry Jones received the 2017 Distinguished Citizen honor.

Volunteers have a vital role in both preserving and enhancing the well-being of their community.         

Some of Arkansas’ most compassionate volunteers were recently recognized during the 40th annual Community Service Awards.    

Sponsored by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Communications and Community engagement (OCCE) and KARK Channel 4, in cooperation with McLarty Automotive Group, the Office of the Governor, and the Governor’s Advisory Commission on National Service and Volunteerism – the 2017 CSA was an event celebrating a group of individuals who embrace the idea of being active in the community.

“The need for public-private partnerships is critical in order to address the social issues of our state.  The Governor’s Commission on National Service and Volunteerism and the Office of Communications and Community Engagement serve as the catalysts, connecting citizens with service,” said Shana Chaplin, Deputy Chief of Community Engagement and Faith-based Partnerships.  “The Community Service Awards afford the opportunity to model public-private partnerships, as the Governor’s Commission, DHS and KARK work together to celebrate some of the shining volunteers serving our communities.”

This year’s CSA honorees were: Christie Johnson of Conway; Selena Ellis of Benton; and Virgie Phillips of Lake View. Meanwhile, Eric and Kara Gilmore, Sarah Adams and Britney Spees, along with Peyton Welch, all reside in Little Rock. Alexis Roberson of Caraway received the Youth Humanitarian Award. The Corporate Humanitarian Award was given to Everett Buick GMC of Benton. The National Service Award went to North Little Rock’s Beau Cooper.        

Dallas Cowboys owner, and North Little Rock native, Jerry Jones received the 2017 Distinguished Citizen honor.

Community of the Year Awards

Pictured (L-R) : Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Tina Coston, Benton Mayor David Mattingly, DHS Chief of Communications and Community Engagement Amy Webb

The 2016 Community of the Year Recipents: Benton, Bentonville, Cherokee Village, Clarkridge, Fayetteville, Greenbrier, Heber Springs, Little Rock, Maumelle, McNeil, Mountain Home, and Van Buren.

The Arkansas Volunteer Community of the Year Awards are co-sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Governors Advisory Commission on National Service and Volunteerism (GACNSV), the Arkansas Department of Human Services - Office of Communications and Community Engagement, Channel 4, and the Arkansas Municipal League. These awards are designed to offer thanks and a reward to the communities as a whole (rather than as individuals within the communities) for their volunteer effort in serving their neighbors. 

Nominations are solicited each summer, with a nomination period extending through early fall. Communities submit nominations describing their local volunteer activities and these nominations are reviewed by a panel of citizens representing a cross section of the state. Communities that are chosen each year receive signs on two of the town's borders designating the city as a Volunteer Community of the Year for that year. These signs are donated to each city each year by the Arkansas Highway Commission. In addition, the cities, and their volunteer programs are the subject of a feature article in City & Town magazine, which is published by the Arkansas Municipal League. Many local newspapers, television and radio stations, and other media, pick up on the news as well, and the communities do receive a lot of recognition and publicity for their work.