Every year at the Annual Meeting the Y recognizes individuals who have gone above and beyond in our community.
Vern Emery Award
Each year, the YMCA gives the Vern Emery award to an extraordinary volunteer who has made a long-term commitment to the Y and whose influence has helped shape our future. Vern enjoyed helping people grow and succeed . . . he lived the YMCA philosophy and made achieving the Y mission his own personal goal. He is remembered as a caring man whose genuine warmth inspired the best in those around him. To honor Vern’s legacy, the Y recognizes volunteers who demonstrate the personal qualities so characteristic of Vern:
- Caring and compassion
- Strong leadership and initiative
- An optimistic, positive attitude
- A sense of humor
- Quick to praise and build self-esteem in others
- A role model for others
- A friend to all
The 2011 Vern Emery Recipient is Steve Skaggs.
Service to Youth Award
At the Annual Meeting, we honor several of our outstanding volunteers with a "Service To Youth" award. Recipients of this award are volunteers who have supported the YMCA mission through their time, money or influence. These individuals have had a growing commitment to the Y through the years and have given of themselves to help the Y promote the healthy development of youth and to help develop the values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility in all those we serve. Those who have been honored with this award in the past have been role-models both of these positive values and in the services they have given to the Y and to the community.
The 2011 Service to Youth Recipients are:
Martha Emery
Martha Emery is a busy person, especially when it comes to the Y. On the Board of Directors for four years, Chair of the Child Development Advisory Committee since 2001, a previous member of the Finance Committee and current Stewardship Chair for the Child Development Strong Kids Campaign, Martha has a great passion for the Y, Child Development and Camp. She loves to help families but, most importantly, she loves to get youth in our community into Y programs and really believes in the Y’s ability to positively impact lives.
Martha grew up in the Y and spent many summers at camp. These past summers were no different as Martha and her husband put in many hours building most of the bunks beds for each new cabin and organizing and working at a camp work weekend. Martha has shown the same type of dedication to the Child Development Branch.
Craig Storti
Craig Storti started his Y involvement more than 30 years ago with noon ball. After playing for 15 years he was inducted into the YMCA Basketball Hall of Fame at the Downtown Y. He became very active in our Y Ball and youth sports programs. His interest was always in serving as a voice and a champion for keeping the Y values foremost in our minds and in helping us to remember that Y sports are about youth development first and athletic development a distant second or third. Craig understands that the Y is all about tapping into and nurturing the potential of everyone. Craig has a heart of gold.
Craig now serves on the Y’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, chairs the Strategic Planning committee and is an active campaigner and generous donor to the Strong Kids Campaign. He and his wife Tanya have been generous contributors to the new Y Camp at Horsethief and he has provided legal counsel on a pro bono basis on numerous occasions. He is very humble and always leads by example. Craig is a wonderful ambassador for the Y and our cause.
Theresa Madrid
One of the greatest values exemplified by the Y is volunteerism...and Theresa Madrid personifies this value. Theresa has served two terms as President of the Boise Y Swim Team, throughout which she has had an active role in the leadership of the Y Swim Team. Simply stated, the Y Swim Team would not be as successful as it is today without the 5,000 annual volunteer hours rallied by Theresa’s enthusiasm.
Civic Engagement Award
Twelve years ago, Dottie and Ed Stimpson helped establish the YMCA Civic Engagement Scholarship. This endowment scholarship was created to recognize young people for their outstanding community service and to encourage more youth to serve.
Ed and Dottie established the YMCA Civic Engagement Scholarship in their belief that Civic Engagement in all its forms, is the most unique and important of all of the characteristics that have made the U.S. what it is and is worthy of honor and recognition.
The 2011 Civic Engagement Recipients are:
Alysha Van Zante
A $5,000 scholarship will be awarded to Alysha Van Zante, a senior at Boise High School. The majority of Alysha’s volunteer time is focused at St. Luke’s and the VA Medical Center Research Lab where she combines her commitment to improve the world around her with her interest in pursuing a career in the medical field. She is very passionate about protecting the environment and is a voting member of the Foothills Conservation Advisory Committee. Alysha is a student representative on the Teacher Grant Committee of Boise Education Foundation where she gives her student perspective. She also volunteers to improve her community through the Idaho Food Bank, the Humane Society, Key Club, and the National Honor Society. Alysha plans to attend the University of Idaho this fall.
Madeline Duskey
A $3,000 scholarship will be awarded to Madeline Duskey, a senior at Capital High School. Maddie has volunteered in many areas, but One Stone, by far, is the most impactful / rewarding service experience she has had the opportunity to be a part of. She also volunteers to improve her community through the American Lung Association to promote being tobacco free, Magical Moments: Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Idaho Fish and Game. Maddie will be attending the University of Montana this fall.
Dustin Wood
A $2,000 scholarship will be awarded to Dustin Wood, a senior at Vallivue High School. He single-handedly brought Start Strong to his high school. This is a national program that helps youth understand and combat abusive relationships. Dustin has grown up with service projects through church and Scouts and has had additional leadership opportunities: Group Leader for the PEAK program (Peers Encourage Abstinent Kids), Varsity Tennis Team Captain, President of Young Men’s Youth Organization at Church, Patrol Leader of Boise Scout Troup, Eagle Scout, and Youth Advisor / Sports Commissioner for Idaho Youth Games. Dustin plans to attend Brigham Young University in the fall.
