SELBYVILLE — The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation volunteers were one of 30 recipients to receive the 2016 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award on Oct. 19 at Dover Downs Hotel in Dover.
The volunteer corps, which features more than 200 individuals, was honored as best volunteer group in the arts and culture category. Volunteer tasks include office work, arts in education programming assistance and day-to-day operations at The Freeman Stage. This year, volunteers served more than 9,000 hours and ranged in age from 15 to 82.
“Our volunteers are a huge part of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation and The Freeman Stage at Bayside experience,” said Executive Director Patti Grimes. “Without these dedicated individuals, it would not be possible to further our mission, which is ‘partnering to present memorable performances and provide inspired arts education for all.’ We are so thrilled our deserving volunteers were recognized with this honor.”
“As a person who feels so strongly supportive of The Freeman Stage’s programs, it is an honor to me just to be able to be a part of (the organization) as a volunteer,” said Linda Federman, a Joshua M. Freeman Foundation donor and volunteer. “It means so much to me that the whole corps received this recognition from the Governor’s Office, because the whole team works so hard to make it all happen.”
The Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Awards are sponsored by the Office of the Governor, the Department of Health and Social Services, the Division of State Service Centers, the State Office of Volunteerism, as well as the Governor’s Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.
The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was established in 2007 to honor Josh Freeman, the former chair of the Carl M. Freeman Foundation, after his untimely death in December of 2006. The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation seeks to honor his passion and commitment to excellence by creating programs that he would have been proud of.
With The Freeman Stage at Bayside, an outdoor performing arts venue located near Fenwick Island, the foundation acts on that mission by providing unique arts experiences to over 50,000 visitors a year. This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.