Volunteer Center of East Central WI

Youth Alliance Awards are presented each Spring!

The Youth Alliance Awards presentation is one of the Volunteer Center's signature events.  This awards presentation was started in 1994 by a group of representatives that worked with amazing youth that they wanted to highlight and thank for all the service they provide in our community.

The structure has not changed much since that first event. The Fox Cities Youth Service Award is presented to one individual and one youth group in recognition of service to the Fox Cities community. The awards seek to recognize the spirit of volunteerism, as found in future leaders of our community, and to encourage young people and adults to take hold of that same spirit in their own lives. All individuals and organizations throughout the Valley are encouraged to nominate any youth or youth group who has demonstrated a commitment to helping others and has succeeded in positively impacting the lives of others during the period from the January of the previous year to the nomination period prior to the spring event. 

 Youth Alliance Awards 2013

 (Scroll down to view pictures)

Fox Cities Youth Alliance celebrated twenty years of youth volunteerism at Liberty Hall on Thursday April, 25th. 

The Fox Cities Youth Alliance Awards seek to recognize the spirit of volunteerism as found in the future leaders of our community and to encourage young people and adults to take hold of that same spirit in their own lives.  All individuals and organizations throughout the Valley area were encouraged to nominate any youth and youth group who have demonstrated a commitment to helping others and have impacted positively the lives of others during the period from January 1, 2012 to March 15, 2013.  A young person nominated must be in grades 1 through 12 and the service provided benefit the greater Fox Valley region. 

This is the 20^th celebration of the Fox Cities Youth Alliance Awards luncheon. The event was  held at Liberty Hall in Kimberly,WI from 12:00pm-2:00pm. Bill Jartz from WBAY TV 2 was  the master of ceremonies.   The event was sponsored by the Volunteer Center of East Central WI, Cellcom, Capital Credit Union, and Badger Plug.  

 The Fox Cities Youth Alliance 2013 Individual nominees:

 This year’s individual award recipient  is a junior at Appleton East High School, Allie Broeniman.  Allie founded  Operation: A Sister’s Love five years ago. She has a sister with NF1 (a genetic disorder thatcauses tumors along the nervous system. NF-1 often comes with scoliosis, learning difficulties, eye problems, and for Allie’s sister, numerous brain tumors requiring chemotherapy on and off for the past five years). Operation: A Sister’s Love is a project Allie started as a result of her  sister spending much time in the hospital. Her sister was given a blanket while there and it gave her so much comfort. After that experience, Allie decided other kids needed a blanket when they stay in the hospital. Allie and her family began to raise money to purchase the fleece for the blankets. Not long after, she made her first donation of  50 blankets to the American Family Children's Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Since then, she has donated over 750 blankets and over 400 toys to children in such hospitals as University of Wisconsin-Madison Children’s Hospital, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Milwaukee,  and the University of Wisconsin Outreach.

Allie and her family applied for  501C3 status through the state of Wisconsin, which allows Operation: A Sister’s Love to be a fully functioning non-profit organization with tax exempt status. Allie has been fundraising over the past five years through word of mouth, by her webiste www.operationasisterslove.org , at sporting events, by selling chocolate bars and by applying for and receiving the Get Well Soon Grant through dosomething.org. Since starting the organization at age 12, Allie has made over 750 blankets (often with others, by organizing “blanket parties” or through her school’s Key Club). Each blanket costs between  $20.00 and $50.00 in materials and takes one person over one hour to complete. In addition, she has donated over 400 toys to area hospitals and children, often sending blankets or toys in the mail if she and her family hear of a child in need.

The impact of Allie’s service is truly immesurable. One can only assume she has provided much comfort, care, and warmth  to children and families in a time of extreme need. In addition, through the Mirable League and Sib Days of Summer, Allie has provided love, support, and education to children or siblings of children with significant learning and/or medical needs.

The Fox Cities Youth Alliance 2013 Group nominees: 

Appleton East DECA

Brownie Troop 2254

Fun Recreation and Organized Games (FROG) Volunteers at YMCA Horizons Programs

Outagamie County Buchanan Badgers 4-H

St. Mary Central High Lunch Mentors

United Way Youth Board

Woodlawn 4-H

YMCA Jefferson-FRA 21st CCLC 2nd Grade Helpers

Youth Go Youth Board

Zero Tolerance 

The group winner for 2013 is Zero Tolerance, a performance troupe advised by Carla Hales, former Prevention Education Coordinator for Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs, dedicated to educating their peers about bullying, oppression and dating abuse (in all its forms) through the use of song, dance, drama and spoken word.  The majority of skits and poems are written and directed by Zero Tolerance members. Each participant has been trained in the areas of dating abuse and bullying and have a deep understanding and commitment to preventing both. Zero Tolerance hopes to inspire and empower their audiences with their message of anti-violence, inclusion, acceptance and positivity!

Members of Zero Tolerance have visited 6 middle schools and 4 high schools in Outagamie County, in the last two years, as well as being the featured performers at the state Teen Summit Against Dating and Sexual Violence and also hosted a workshop on racism and privilege.  In November, they attended the Youth as Partners in Civil Leadership Conference where they educated their peers on dating abuse, in a 90 minute workshop.  In addition, Zero Tolerance has twice performed for members of the Domestic Violence Intervention Team (DVIT).