2025 FORSYTH COUNTY
GOVERNOR’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS RECEPTION
INTRODUCTIONS and WELCOME
Amy Lytle, Executive Director, HandsOn Northwest North Carolina
OPENING REMARKS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE
René Castellanos, Regional Outreach Advisor, Office of Governor Josh Stein
REMARKS FROM THE PREMIER SPONSOR
Lori Timm, Community and Financial Wellbeing Manager, Allegacy Federal Credit Union
AWARDS PRESENTATION
Kenneth Pettigrew, Executive Director, YMCA REACH Center at Winston Lake
CLOSING COMMENTS/ADJOURNMENT
Dr. Antonia Monk Richburg, President and CEO, United Way of Forsyth County
EMCEE BIO
The Rev. Kenneth A. Pettigrew is a sought-after preacher, scholar, and nonprofit professional. Kenneth is the Executive Director at the Winston Lake Family YMCA & REACH Center, having previously served with the Winston-Salem Urban League as Chief Operating Officer and the United Way of Forsyth County in Faith-Based Community Engagement and leading the Place Matters Initiative. His work is dedicated to building relationships with faith communities, bridging the gap between sacred and secular for intentional partnerships for the building of strong communities. He holds the Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, the Master of Divinity from the Wake Forest University School of Divinity, and received his Doctor of Ministry from the Columbia Theological Seminary (Decatur, GA) in 2024. He is a CoCurator of The Gathering—an emerging, inclusive worship experience curated for servant-leaders in helping professions.
Campus Kitchen at Wake Forest University
– Group/Team
In 2024 alone, hundreds of student volunteers with The Campus Kitchen at Wake Forest University rescued over 37,000 pounds of prepared, but never served, food from on-campus dining and local grocery stores. They transformed food that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill into thousands of nutritious meals for local nonprofits and the community members they serve, including Samaritan Ministries, DEAC Clinic, The Shalom Project, Hope to Thrive, Azalea Terrace, Forsyth Backpack Program, Latino Community Services, Downtown Health Plaza, NC Faith Health, and Una Bendición. Entirely student-led, with a ninemember executive team and more than 60 shift leaders, Campus Kitchen exemplifies what it means to come together as a team and benefit the community in ways that no one volunteer could do alone. Their ongoing commitment to sustainability, hunger relief, and equitable community partnerships makes them an indispensable force for good in Forsyth County.
Karen Blaylock – Health & Human Services
Since joining greeNest as a volunteer shortly after they were founded in 2015, Karen Baylock has poured her people skills and creative talent into every facet of the organization—from sorting donations to chairing major fundraising efforts and nurturing partnerships that have generated over $1 million to support families in need. Her efforts have helped furnish over 2,000 homes of greeNest’s clients and provided nearly 3,000 children with beds of their own. With more than 10,000 hours of volunteer service given over the past 9 years–1,000 hours alone in 2024–Karen’s multiple threads of service are woven together in ways that allow greeNest to continue to offer comfort and dignity to those transitioning from homelessness.
Deirdre Bland – Historically Underserved Populations
As the sole Women's Health doctor volunteering with the Community Care Clinic, Dr. Deirdre Bland not only provides direct care to patients but also leads and supervises a team of nurse practitioners and a physician assistant to ensure comprehensive, compassionate gynecological care for uninsured and lowincome women. Her dedication to cancer prevention, early detection, and health equity has changed lives, most notably helping one high-risk patient receive a timely mammogram and critical treatment that led to a cancer-free outcome. Since 2019, she’s dedicated more than 500 hours to service. At a time when health care for the most vulnerable is under threat, Dr. Bland continues to provide accessible, quality healthcare for all.
Antwaun Clemmons – Individual
Antwaun embodies the very definition of a top volunteer—reliable, passionate, collaborative, and always willing to go above and beyond to support his community. As a volunteer with the United Way of Forsyth County, Antwaun is passionate and deeply committed to the mission of the organization. Whether volunteering for over 30 hours at their Hurricane Helene Relief Donation Center, mentoring teens during HandsOn NWNC’s MLK Day of Service that promotes Dr. King’s message of service and literacy, or lending a hand at Moonlight Madness, the United Way’s annual 5K fundraiser, Antwaun shows up with enthusiasm, humility, and a spirit of generosity. His dedication, empathy, and consistent presence make him a vital and uplifting force in Forsyth County’s volunteer landscape.
Jenny Braden Hobbs – Lifetime Achievement
As a co-founder and driving force behind Advocates for Medically Fragile Kids NC (AFMFKNC), Jenny has spent the past eight years fighting to preserve and strengthen the Medicaid waiver program, ensuring that thousands of medically vulnerable children remain safely at home with their families. Through her strategic stewardship and deeply personal commitment—often exceeding 40 to 50 hours a week—Jenny has helped shape state policy, educate families, and elevate the voices of these often-invisible neighbors. Her unwavering dedication has created an impact that continues to improve lives across North Carolina.
Sid Subramanian – National Service
Over the past five years, including two as an AmeriCorps member with The Shalom Project and three as a college volunteer, Sid has shown extraordinary commitment to improving health equity for underserved populations. Noticing a rise in Hispanic/Latino patients in their free medical clinic, Sid sharpened his Spanish language skills to better serve the community, graduating with a double major, one of which was Spanish. Sid’s ability to provide empathetic interpretation skills has bridged communication gaps to ensure every client is met with dignity and care. Whether supporting patient navigation or jumping in wherever he is needed, Sid's deep compassion, leadership, and maturity have left a lasting impression on The Shalom Project and the broader Winston-Salem community.
2025 FORSYTH COUNTY
GOVERNOR’S VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS
WINNERS SELECTION COMMITTEE
Special thanks goes to our volunteer committee members for their attentive and thoughtful consideration of the nominations to determine each of our category winners.
April Durr
Alexa Edwards
Sharee Fowler
Shawan Gabriel
Mary Herbenick
Katherine Hoffman
Latasha Lane
Nanu Pardo
Renee Rohrer
Lori Timm
Thank you to Steve Bird for his donation of graphic design expertise.
A special thanks to Sharee Fowler, Associate Professor at Salem College, and her student, Katherine Hofmann, for their help with communication and social media promotion of this year’s nominees.
And lastly, a big thanks to Alan Shelton, Mixxer Community Makerspace Founder, who created an original design and then handcrafted the physical awards.
HandsOn Northwest North Carolina presents these awards each year as part of our mission to mobilize people and organizations that inspire community change. To learn more about HandsOn NWNC, our other services, and all of the different ways that you can make a civic commitment to our community, please scan the QR code or visit www.HandsOnNWNC.org
