INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 22, 2017) — The State of Indiana, through its volunteer service commission, Serve Indiana, selected eight outstanding Hoosiers and organizations to be recognized for service to the community. The Serve Indiana Awards for Excellence are Indiana’s most prestigious annual awards celebrating the accomplishments of dedicated volunteers and service members.

Nominations were submitted from around the state, and the winners were selected by a panel of Serve Indiana Commissioners, community volunteers and previous award winners. Winners were celebrated with an awards ceremony on Nov. 9, 2017, at the Indiana State House where more than 70 guests joined the celebration. The following local individuals and organization received a 2017 Serve Indiana Awards for Excellence award:

Faith-Based Volunteer Award
Reova Meredith left the teaching profession in 1989 to found the Center for Women’s Ministries, Inc, a not-for-profit, faith-based, peer counseling organization serving any woman at no charge. Reova served as the full-time volunteer center director from 1989-97, and then moved into the executive director position as a full-time volunteer upon establishment of corporate headquarters in March 1997. She has seen development from one peer counseling center in Bloomington to up to 34 local centers established in eight states (15 in Indiana), and in six foreign countries on four continents; there are additional counties, states and countries organizing to open counseling centers. Thousands of clients and their families have benefited from improved emotional and spiritual health through Center for Women’s Ministries over the last nearly 30 years, fostered by Reova’s vision and faithfulness.

National Service Member Award
Carlee LaRue graduated from Indiana University Bloomington in 2016 and spent a full AmeriCorps term serving with Healthy Schools Corps in Richland Bean Blossom Community Schools. During her term of service, Carlee has hosted wellness council meetings, ran the Junior High nutrition club, installed ten herb gardens in local school cafeterias, and has written and received multiple playground development grants. She also created a Heart Health Field Day for the Junior High and a Cardio Club for one of the local elementary schools. After her AmeriCorps term ended, Carlee began working as a Prevention Specialist for the Community Capacity for Prevention and Education grant project based out of Centerstone.

Volunteer Program Award
Bloomington Meals on Wheels, founded in 1973, provides nutritious meals to homebound people who are unable to cook for themselves due to illness, injury or disability. More than 200 volunteer drivers deliver over 1,500 meals each month to our MOW clients. In partnership with IU Health Bloomington & Meadowood Retirement Center, our volunteers ensure that our clients receive two nutritious meals a day. Volunteers donate their time and their vehicle to deliver meals to those who would otherwise find it difficult to shop and cook for themselves. MOW also reduces healthcare costs by allowing our clients to remain in their homes. Bloomington Meals on Wheels could not exist without their dedicated volunteers that help keep the cost of our program affordable for our clients.