Courtesy of United Way

Last year's Leading Lights winners were (from left) Ben Webster, Fran Rooker, Karen Cronin, Stephanie Connelly and Rador "Red" Vaden. The awards recognize volunteers from the New River Valley who are making communitywide changes and serving as role models to others.

| Mary Hardbarger

mary.hardbarger@roanoke.com, 381-1679

CHRISTIANSBURG -- Area nonprofit organizations along with the Virginia Tech German Club Alumni Foundation are gearing up to once again honor those who volunteer.

The second annual "Leading Lights: Neighbors Honoring Neighbors" awards will recognize volunteers from all sectors of the New River Valley who are making communitywide changes and serving as role models to others.

The Leading Lights banquet will be held on April 8 at the German Club Manor in Blacksburg.

They were inspired from the numerous stories and accounts of volunteerism that came out of the tragic Virginia Tech events of April 16, 2007.

After April 16, a few members of the GCAF at Virginia Tech began searching for a new way to give back to the community.

They started reaching out to various organizations such as the United Way and YMCA at Virginia Tech, and formed a committee to help create an award that was different from others.

"We wanted this award to be different in that it didn't just represent a person who had volunteered in just one way or with just one organization," said Kymn Davidson-Hamley, executive director of the United Way of Montgomery, Radford and Floyd and a member of the award's steering committee.

"We wanted to find people who displayed they were proven leaders over a period of time."

Last year, nearly 50 volunteers from across the New River Valley were recognized as nominees at the first Leading Lights ceremony. Five were awarded for their selfless efforts.

The first Leading Light was given to Ben Webster of Dalton Middle School, who was active in the Boy Scouts and the Order of the Arrow.

Karen Cronin, Fran Rooker, Rador "Red" Vaden and Stephanie Connelly were also awarded. They were all chosen by the Leading Lights selection committee.

"Almost all of the nominees volunteered in various ways or with various organizations for years, if not decades, of their life," Davidson-Hamley said.

Each year, one youth, one college student and three community members will be recognized.

Award winners are selected based on strong community involvement and dedication, leadership and creativity in initiating and implementing projects that lead to a better quality of life.

The group will honor each award winner with a donation of $1,000 to the nonprofit of his or her choice.

This year, Davidson-Hamley said the selection committee is larger and represents a broader geographic focus than last year.

Also, people will know what to expect, she said.

"Winners this year will understand this is a prestigious award," Davidson-Hamley said. "They'll know they're in the company of outstanding people from across the NRV."