Volunteers Recognized for Philanthropy

After being named Philanthropist of the Year for his work with Lakeland Community Theatre, Bob Macey appropriately accepted his award with a dramatic poetry recitation. (See video below).

The award was one of six given this morning by the Polk County chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals at a breakfast ceremony at First United Methodist Church attended by 120 people.

Macey has been the theater group’s longest-serving board member, Artistic/Managing Director Alan Reynolds said in a nominating video. He has donated to the troupe through thousands of hours of technical assistance as well as monetarily.

Macey accepted the award with a seemingly off-the-cuff, memorized rendering of the poem “It Couldn’t Be Done” by Edward Albert Guest:

Other winners were:

Volunteer of the Year in Philanthropy: Matthew Cantrall for his work with Kiwanis Stuff the Bus
Spirit of Philanthropy: Jennifer Kincart Jonsson for her work with United Way of Central Florida
Philanthropic Small Business of the Year: Baron Realty (Tom Petcoff and Cory Petcoff), nominated by four organizations.
Philanthropic Corporation of the Year: The Mosaic Company for support of United Way of Central Florida
Youth in Philanthropy: Kristen Howe, a 15-year-old Tenoroc High School student, for her work with Polk Equine Rescue

Winners, from left: top row, Cory Petcoff, Cantrall; bottom row, Howe, Jonsson, Callie Neslund of The Mosaic Company, and Macey.

Here are videos produced by Indie Atlantic Films in which nominators describe the winners:

Bob Macey

Matthew Cantrall

Jennifer Kincart Jonsson

Baron Realty

The Mosaic Company

Kristen Howe

We’re up bright and early at the Polk County AFP National Philanthropy Day breakfast! pic.twitter.com/Fw5wb9IT3T

— qgiv (@qgiv) November 3, 2016

The event, in its third year, is the local AFP chapter’s way of celebrating National Philanthropy Day. Presenting sponsor is the GiveWell Community Foundation.

Check event photos and more videos on the AFP Polk Facebook page.