Good as Gold Springfield Volunteer Awards

Heart of Gold Award recipient, Shauna Hayes was nominated by United Way of Central Illinois. Shauna volunteers at United Way Days of Action, leads fundraising campaigns at BUNN, organizes volunteer activities, and supports programs like The Salvation Army Angel Tree Christmas, ensuring local children receive gifts. Shauna actively serves on the United Way Vision Council, reviewing grants and contributing to funding decisions, while also helping at events like trivia night and decorating the United Way office. Her commitment and compassion continue to positively impact those served by United Way

Heart of Gold Volunteer award recipient, Amy Green was nominated by the American Association of University Women (AAUW). Amy has been a dedicated leader and volunteer with the Springfield AAUW since 2006, serving as Branch President, Co-President, and chairing key fundraising projects for scholarships. Her commitment includes leading major events like Garage Sales, Book Sales, Food Drives, and the Fall Coffee Silent Auction, often taking on demanding roles to ensure their success. Amy’s reliability and positive attitude have helped foster a welcoming, engaged community, directly supporting scholarship fundraising and member retention. Her ongoing initiative and warm presence have made a meaningful impact on AAUW!

Jeff and MaryAnn Gebauer were nominated together by the Capital Chapter of Fishing Has No Boundaries for the Heart of Gold Award. Fishing Has No Boundaries is a national nonprofit, aiming to provide recreational fishing for anglers with disabilities of all ages and backgrounds. In 2016, Jeff and MaryAnn established the Central Illinois chapter, organizing an annual full-day fishing event each September. The event involves meticulous planning, from accommodating 65 participants—including meals and accessibility—to prepping equipment and recruiting nearly 220 volunteers. Over the past decade, their dedication has made a lasting impact in our area.

Wayne Carlson was nominated by Central llinois Foodbank as another of our Heart of Gold award recipients. Wayne has volunteered with the Foodbank for more than 10 years, contributing over 1,400 hours of service. Every Thursday morning, he tackles the “retail route,” collecting donations from multiple Springfield stores, spending
four hours sorting, boxing, and loading goods. In 2025, Wayne helped recover over 528,700 pounds of items. He often trains new volunteers, fills in as needed during the week, and supports food distributions, including managing traffic at a recent event that served over 650 families.