Governor’s Volunteer Service Awards to Honor 41 Delawareans for Outstanding Service

NEW CASTLE - The 2026 Governor's Volunteer Service Awards will honor 41 outstanding Delawareans - including 21 individual volunteers (youth and adult), 10 groups, six youth leaders, one young environmentalist, one corporate honoree, and two Paul Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement honorees - during a ceremony June 9 at the Modern Maturity Center. These honorees will be recognized for exceptional contributions and dedication to service across Delaware communities.

"Across Delaware, these honorees are doing the hard work that makes a real difference by supporting families, mentoring young people, and meeting needs in their communities," Governor Matt Meyer said. "That is the kind of leadership that keeps our state strong. We are proud to recognize their extraordinary contributions."

The event is expected to host approximately 200 attendees and will begin with a welcome reception and hors d'oeuvres at 5 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-governors-volunteer-service-awards-tickets-1973971914133?aff=oddtdtcreator

This year's honorees have demonstrated commitment across a wide range of service areas, including hunger relief, youth mentoring and leadership development, community outreach, environmental stewardship, animal welfare, public health and emergency response, education initiatives, and philanthropic efforts that strengthen communities throughout Delaware.

The Governor's Volunteer Service Awards are coordinated by the State Office of Volunteerism and sponsored by the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Social Services, and the Governor's Commission on Community and Volunteer Service.

The evening will also feature a musical performance by Olivia Rubini, a Delaware native and former contestant on NBC's The Voice.

For more information on the awards or volunteer opportunities in Delaware, please visit volunteer.delaware.gov or contact Diane Frebert, Volunteer Services Administrator, at [email protected].

Here are the recipients of the 2026 Governor's Volunteer Service Awards:

Paul Wilkinson Lifetime Achievement Honorees:
Babita Jagnanan-Clough
Brennon A. Fountain

Corporate Honoree:
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Young Environmentalist Stewardship Honoree:
Skylar Cummings

Youth Leadership Honorees:
Ruchi Daga
Satya Sriram Kokonda
Lilyan Farris
Trent Wells
Avyn Fuhr
Habiba Hanan Mohammed

Youth Group Honorees:
Charity Crossing's Youth Volunteers
Blood Cancer United Student Visionaries

Youth Individual Honorees:
Ansh Verma
Iqra Ameen
Parker Olivia Cuff
Amanda Lynn Geyer
Hasini Sundarraman

Adult Group Honorees:
The Construction Regulars
Julius and Natasha Mullen
Our Daily Bread Kitchen Team
Historic Lewes Farmers Market
Warriors Competitive Cheer Coaches
Red Cross of Delmarva Sussex County Leadership
RespondDE MRC (Medical Reserve Corps)
Star of Bethlehem #741 Order of the Eastern Star

Adult Individual Honorees:
Corey Staats
Jord'n Fluharty
Stacey Henry
Lois Davis
Dr. Denise Purnell-Cuff
Vanessa Sandlin
Vaishali Ameen
Tonya M. Adkins
Jose Melendez-Hernandez
Chandra Dontaraju
Fred Lentz
Jennifer Barbato
Suzanne Hain
James Howey
Jasmin Black
Michael Sade