Easter Seals Crystal Lily Award presented To Ginger Judge

MANATEE--Easter Seals Southwest Florida held its annual Donor Recognition Event on January 13 at Sara Bay Country Club, honoring more than one hundred donors and volunteers.  Ginger Judge, a longtime Easter Seals Board member and supporter, received the organization’s first-ever Crystal Lily Award in honor of more than 35 years of service at both the local and national level.

Judge was the founding president of Happiness House Foundation and won Easter Seals National Distinguished Service Award. She was also a Charter Inductee into the Easter Seals Hall of Fame. Ginger Judge established the Judge Family Fund in honor and memory of her son, Tim and her husband, Dan.  She is the owner of Honeycomb Company of America.

Others recognized at the luncheon included Volunteer of the Year, Robert Vecchione, architect and principal of COBROOKE Ideas I Architecture I Design who donated more than $10,000 in pro bono architectural services and is the co-creator of the new International Design Competition, DesignMatters2 in which artists, designers and architects will compete to design a concept or idea that transforms or revolutionizes the way teens and young adults with disabilities experience the world.

Stuart J. Roth of Center for Faith and Freedom, was recognized as the ”Sowing a Seed“ Donor of the Year for contributing $10,000 as the lead gift in remodeling the rooms at Easter Seals in which clients with multiple disabilities receive therapies, programs and services.  Roth recently also won the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund’s Humanitarian of the Year Award. 

Easter Seals four primary programs also presented awards to donors and volunteers of the year:

Children’s Therapy – Donor of the Year – Drapcynzski Memorial Fund in honor of Frank Drapsynzski, represented by his wife, Kathy.

Volunteer of the Year – Larry Heiny whose endless volunteer hours helped transform the Children’s Center lobby.

Project Rainbow – Donor of the Year – Applebee’s Corporation recognized for years of donating toys for children during the holidays and holding special in-store events on behalf of Easter Seals.

Volunteer of the Year – Ed Cauley, also known as Santa Claus, a passionate ambassador for Easter Seals who is constantly coming up with ways to surprise and delight the children of Project Rainbow and their families.
 
VIP Academy - Donor of the Year – The Fresh Market for steady contributions of food for students participating in the alternative high school program.

Volunteer of the Year – Carole Hopkins who volunteers for the program including holding a month-long crafts class for the students so that they can make holiday presents for their loved ones.
 
Adult Day Training - Donor of the Year – Roger and Mary Rex whose regular contributions help fund exciting and new experiences and opportunities for adults with disabilities.

Volunteer of the Year – Ken Braley, also known as Elvis, for his countless hours of entertaining Easter Seals program participants, his endless energy and enthusiasm for making our participants smile and for bringing joy to everyone.
 
Easter Seals Southwest Florida provides disability services to children, teens and adults throughout their life spans.