Question 1

Tom Hendricks Community Service Award

Accepted Answer

The 2025 Tom Hendricks Community Service Award was presented to Bags of Blessings for their incredible work in addressing children's food insecurity. As part of the award, the Faith United Church of Christ received an $8,000 grant to support the program's continued impact.

To honor Tom’s decades of volunteer service and leadership, the annual Tom Hendricks Community Service Award is awarded to a local non-profit organization.

Muscatine Charities, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable tax-exempt non-profit organization, has established this Endowment Fund within the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine to honor Tom Hendricks’ volunteer leadership and service to the greater Muscatine community. Hendricks, a founder and charter member of Muscatine Charities, Inc., was inducted into the 2016 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame by Governor Terry Branstad during the ceremony at the State Capitol as part of the National Volunteer Week celebration activities.  In concert with the award, Hendricks also received the People’s Choice Award by recording the largest total vote of all candidates considered. This voting by Muscatine area residents is indicative of our community’s high esteem for Tom Hendricks.

Award Criteria:
 • Be a non-profit organization* successfully implementing an important initiative which addresses critical needs or enhances quality of life. The initiative should be consistent with their mission.
 • Serve Muscatine County residents.
 • Have utilized volunteers in the initiative.
 • Focus on quality initiatives and may encompass any charitable aspects of non-profits including programs, services, capital, organizational, or other needs.
 • Positively impact one or more important areas, listed here in priority order:
   1. Youth: their safety, health, education, pursuit of excellence, physical activity
   2. Seniors: their safety, health, physical activity
   3. Health and/or well-being
   4. Disaster response
   5. All others

*Non-profit organizations must be charitable organizations described in sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code or have a component fund within the Community Foundation.

Recipient:
The award recipient will be recognized by the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and will receive up to a $8,000 stipend to be directed to the recipient organization.

Past Recipients:
 • Bags of Blessings for their incredible work in addressing children's food insecurity in the Muscatine community.
 • Friends of the Fairport Fish Hatchery for their work to preserve Muscatine's unique natural and historical resources at the Fairport Fish Hatchery.
 • Muscatine Church of Christ for their donation garden, Garden of Eden. 
 • Weed Park Zoo Garden for their efforts to bring walking paths and gardens to life while educating visitors and residents on the history of the Muscatine Zoo and Weed Park. 
 • Riding for Success for a therapeutic horseback riding program which helps riders of all ages with cognitive, physical, and emotional limitations through equine facilitated activities.
 • West Liberty Dream Catchers for empower children ages 8-18 through mentoring and financial aid to complete secondary education and enroll in, and graduate from, institutions of postsecondary education. 
 • Keep Muscatine Beautiful for Almost Friday Fest engaging Muscatine County residents to take greater responsibility for improving and enhancing the community environment through beautification programs and quality of life opportunities.
 • Muscatine Children and Youth Choir for implementing an initiative beneficial to the health and well-being of the children in our community, as well as providing enriching and educational opportunities.
 • United Way of Muscatine for taking on the Summer Lunch Program to ensure the children of our community receive the nutrition they need during summer months. 
 • Agricultural Learning Center for providing an affordable situation for every Agriculture student to have and care for livestock and agriculture products.

2025 Award Recipient - Bags of Blessings 
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Question 2

Shirley Jean Drake Great Initiative Award

Accepted Answer

The 2025 Shirley Jean Drake Great Initiative Award was presented to Freda Sojka. As founder and co-director of Cedar River Haven, Freda has poured her heart into creating a recovery community where women can heal, grow, and rebuild. We were proud to present her with this year's award, which includes a $1,500 stipend that Freda selected to be directed to Cedar River Haven.

Does your nonprofit organization have a volunteer that puts their heart and soul into their charitable work? Perhaps they were the “spark” that got a charitable project or program off the ground. The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine wants to help recognize those “one-in-a-million” citizens through the annual Shirley Jean Drake Great Initiative Award.

Criteria & Eligibility:
 • Will be awarded to a person who exemplifies the kind of personal determination and ability of the Inaugural Award Recipient, Shirley Jean Drake – always ethical, cheerful, and inspirational – a leader of great initiatives.
 • Will be awarded to a person who primarily served as the impetus behind the Great Initiative and who championed it, resulting in a plan, program, service, or organization that improves quality of life in our community.
 • Will positively impact one or more important areas like cultural, educational, environmental, financial, health, social, and/or public that have proven meaningful for our area and people.
 • Will focus on quality initiatives, not necessarily evidenced by “bricks and mortar.”
 • Nominee must have performed volunteer activities, services, or assistance in Muscatine County in the last twelve months, however, the Great Initiative sparked by this individual may have taken place prior to the last twelve months.
 • Groups and organizations are not eligible for nomination.
 • Those who received a wage or payment to devise or implement the Great Initiative are not eligible.
 • Current members of the Selection Committee or Community Foundation Board of Directors are not eligible.

Recipient:
The award recipient will be recognized by the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and will receive a $1,500 stipend to be directed to the recipient’s charity or charitable cause of choice within Muscatine County.

Past Recipients of the Great Initiative Award:
 • Freda Sojka for founding Cedar River Haven and pouring her heart into creating a recovery community for women. 
 • David Ales for his years of service spearheading events such as the Eagles and Ivories Ragtime Festival with the Muscatine County Arts Council. 
 • Charles Rickey for his hard work as one of the founders who obtained a 100-year lease with the County to establish the Muscatine Arboretum, and for volunteering for over 20 years to keep the gardens beautiful. 
 • Jean Meyer for her work as a dedicated volunteer for the Wilton Public Library.
 • Megan Zalzala for the upgrade to the playground at Kimberly Park, the oldest park in West Liberty.
 • Mel McMains for his many years in leading the Community Foundation’s Investment Committee.
 • Jim Sammons for fostering the Laundry of Love initiative.
 • Dr. Carol Moreno for her work in establishing, developing and sustaining the West Liberty Dream Catchers program.
 • Jim Weigand for a program delivering Thanksgiving meals to those in need.
 • Frank Illiff for bringing Rebuilding Together to Muscatine County.
 • Santos Saucedo for creating the Muscatine County Boxing Club.
 • Maryrose Peterschmidt for the Zoo Garden at Weed Park.
 • Lee Miller for the Civil War Memorial.
 • Shirley Jean Drake as our inaugural year recipient for leaving a legacy of great initiatives across our community, county and state.

2025 Award Recipient - Freda Sojka
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Question 3

Giles Joslyn Youth Initiative Award

Accepted Answer

The 2025 Giles Joslyn Youth Initiative Award was presented to Emmery Drake. What started as a simple idea that stemmed from her experience as a reading buddy grew into a community-wide effort that collected and donated books across our community. Her initiative has helped students feel seen, supported, and excited about reading. This award includes a $1,000 stipend that Emmery selected to be directed to United Way Muscatine County.

The Giles Joslyn Youth Initiative Award was created to recognize the talented, generous youth in our communities. The award is eligible for youth aged 18 and under who were the primary organizers of a charitable program or project.

Giles Joslyn received the first award for creating “Stringfest” concerts to raise money for new band instruments and music lessons for students who might not otherwise be able to afford them.  The passion, persistence, enterprise, and leadership he demonstrated will continue to be honored through the Youth Initiative Award.

Criteria & Eligibility:
 • The charitable program or project must serve Muscatine County residents. 
 • The initiative must have taken place in the last three years.
 • Those who received payment to work on the charitable initiative are not eligible. 
 • Immediate family of the Selection Committee or Community Foundation Board of Directors are not eligible.

Recipient:
The award recipient will be recognized by the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and will receive a $1,000 stipend to be directed to the recipient’s charity or charitable cause of choice within Muscatine County.

Past Recipients:
 • Emmery Drake for initiating a community-wide effort that collected and donated books across our community to help students feel supported and excited about reading.
 • Harper Wittmer for starting a philanthropic program called "Painting the World Teal for Food Allergy Awareness" to spread awareness and educate our community about food allergies. 
 • McKenna Schumaker, Claire Schumaker, Maddox Warren, Brynn Castle, Addie Weggen, and Grace Kreitner (Faith United Church of Christ Youth Group) for planning a music bingo fundraising event to raise funds for the Kids First Fund at United Way of Muscatine. 
 • Ethan Mattes for coordinating projects and building ramps for individuals in need with Rebuilding Together Muscatine County.
 • Silas Hoffman for printing and donating PPE to local nursing homes, hospitals, and more.
 • Vanessa Calderon and Isabelle Hartman for their leadership in founding Scouts BSA Troop 1127.
 • Grace Longlett for fundraising and spreading awareness for the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
 • Kyle Hoffman for developing and delivering STEM education programs at the Flickinger Learning Center Summer Camps.
 • Caleb Hoffman for initiating and developing STEM education programming.
 • Emma and Abigail Yerington for Coins for Christmas to assist the homeless.
 • Erin Lagone and Katie Friederichs for a mentoring program for elementary students by high school students.
 • Hart Goldman for expanding the Muscatine High School’s library nonfiction holdings.
 • Giles Joslyn for String Fest concerts to purchase instruments for students in need.

2025 Award Recipient - Emmery Drake
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