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Willis Award/YMCA of the Chesapeake. Pictured from the left are, Graham Lee, Blenda Armistead, Tom Hill, Robbie Gill
Town Watch Inductees, Pictured from left are Richard Granville, Richard Marks
Special Recognition, Pictured from left are David Nagel, Ken Wood
Easton, Maryland - December 9, 2010
Nonprofits and Volunteers Honored by Mid-Shore Community Foundation
At its annual awards reception, the Mid-Shore Community Foundation presented the 2010 J. McKinney Willis, Jr. Community Service Award to the YMCA of the Chesapeake and inducted two new members into the Town Watch Society. In addition, a special award was presented to Ken Wood, a Caroline county resident and businessman, for his extraordinary service to the citizens of Ghana.
On behalf of the Willis family, Moorhead Vermilye, board chair of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, presented the J. McKinney Willis, Jr. award to the YMCA. For more than 60 years, J. McKenny Willis, Jr. devoted his time and personal resources to improving the quality of life for all who lived on the Mid-Shore. The award honors a nonprofit organization in the region that has provided outstanding service and a volunteer identified by that organization that has played a significant role in its success.
In presenting the award, Vermilye congratulated the YMCA on their extraordinary record of service over the years and, most recently, on their efforts to extend their mission into Caroline and Queen Anne’s counties. In recognition of that commitment to regional service, Vermilye explained that the YMCA of Talbot County is now the YMCA of the Chesapeake. Currently the YMCA has over 13,000 members and, within Talbot County, one of every two children uses its facilities.
Robbie Gill, CEO of the YMCA of the Chesapeake, nominated Tom Hill for his volunteer service that has played an important role in the success of the organization. Gill noted, “We are delighted to honor Tom Hill for his outstanding leadership of the Y Capital Campaign. The YMCA has been a part of his family for three generations and he cares a great deal about the future of our youth.” As chair of the Capital Campaign, Tom Hill led a very successful effort that to date has raised more than $4.5 million for a new Teen and Family Center that is now under construction.
John Dillon, Vice Chair of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation, inducted Richard Granville into the Town Watch Society. The Town Watch Society was created by the Foundation in recognition of Thomas J. Bullitt, the first owner of the Bullitt House who formed the Town Watch in 1813 to protect the local community. The Bullitt House is home of the Mid-Shore Community Foundation.
The Foundation honors individuals who have helped nurture the Mid-Shore community through their volunteer leadership in one or more nonprofit organizations. Richard Granville served as chair of the Board of Directors of the Foundation and through his leadership the Foundation has expanded its services and broadened its focus to fully address the diverse needs of the community. Dillon noted, “Dick is passionate about the needs of this community and the importance of the Foundation in addressing those needs.” Beyond his work with the Foundation, Richard Granville has been an advocate, volunteer, and supporter for numerous Mid-Shore nonprofits and for the important community needs they serve.
The Foundation also inducted Richard Marks into the Town Watch Society. Stuart Bounds, President of the Foundation, commented, “Richard is an individual whose extraordinary energy and passion for service make exceptional things happen in this community.” In conjunction with the Women and Girls Fund of the Mid-Shore, Marks organized the week long event, Return to Afghanistan that featured a panel discussion led by Khaled Hosseini, author of the bestselling novel, “Kite Runner,” as well as photography exhibits and a screening of the film based on the book. Marks has also chaired the board of the Avalon Foundation and has worked behind the scenes to support other nonprofits in the region.
The awards ceremony concluded with a special award for Distinguished Achievement in Service by a Mid-Shore Resident. David Nagel, Treasurer of the Foundation, presented the award to Ken Wood. As the owner and operator of Lifetime Well Drilling Company in Denton, Wood was featured on NBC’s Today Show for his humanitarian efforts to expand access to good drinking water in the poor West African nation of Ghana. At his own expense, he has drilled 492 wells and made 18 trips to Ghana, and provided clean water to over 350,000 people in various villages throughout the country. Wood is committed to continuing his efforts to meet this most basic human need.
