2009 Volunteers of the Year

Lisa Normoyle, Girl Scouts-Rock River Valley Council, 20 plus years (Adult)

Lisa is in seventh year as President of our Board of Directors. Normally her team would have ended after her sixth year of service. But these are not normal times for Girl Scouts-Rock River Valley Council as we move forward and merge with three other councils across northern Illinois. Lisa continues to hold us on course-true to our commitment to develop the leaders of tomorrow-while morphing into something new, bigger, and better. Lisa is attending countless committee meetings, devoting hours and hours, to ensure that the new council is the best it can be while maintaining the valued traditions and assets of Girl Scouts-Rock River Valley Council. She is truly amazing! In addition to all she does, Lisa is a major organizing force behind the Council’s  Thin Mint Sprint fundraising event held at Camp McCormick each fall. And she gives countless hours to the council’s scholarship program for graduating senior Girl Scouts as well as the Young Women of Distinction event the council holds each year to honor our scholarship recipients and those girls who have earned the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. Lisa has gone way above and beyond her role as Board chair-something that is noticed and appreciated by girls, their leaders, and the council staff.

Mariah Jones, Boys and Girls Club of Rockford, Northwest Unit, 4 years (Youth)

Mariah Jones has six words she often uses, “What can I do to help?” Currently a junior at Auburn High School, Jones has been an active member of the Key Club for at least 2 years, as active member of the Delta Gems, a tutoring program for other students who need extra help, member of Upward Bound, a pre collegiate program at NIU and a member of the CAPA Alliance, which raises money for the performing arts at school.  She is a member of the National Honor Society, a member of ROTC and maintains a 3.7 GPA in her honors classes. Mariah is hoping to attend Western Illinois University after graduation.

A 4-year member of the Boys and Girls Club, Jones is President of Keystone Club, a program the mentors younger members, assists staff in daily activities and helps chaperone and implement all major events at the club.

In the community, Mariah volunteers at Rockford MELD, a program for young parents up to 21 years of age, their children and youth in the community, passes out Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to those less fortunate at and volunteers with the Rockford Park District for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. She also attends the Faith Center where she speaks to youth in the ministry about the importance of being drug free and of abstinence.