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Selfless Samaritan Awards

Selfless Samaritan Awards

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THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING The Selfless Samaritan Awards!

The Selfless Samaritan Award recognizes an individual or group who has gone above and beyond their dedication to their profession, co-workers, neighbors and community especially in the past year. Nominate a deserving person or group today!

Watch the 2022 Silent Samaritan Thank You Celebration and Selfless Samaritan Awards:

2022 Selfless Samaritan Nominees

jason havlik

Jason Havlik

Winner of the 2022 Selfless Samaritan Award

A devoted Board Member of the Day by Day Warming Shelter, Jason has given countless hours to this project, utilizing his skills and creativity to push through hurdles to help get the shelter functioning for the community. Jason serves as the Vice President of Safety and Facilities Management at Oshkosh Corporation as his full-time career.

tj hobbs and molly moon

Molly Moon and TJ Hobbs

Founders of the Hope Fridge in Oshkosh and Neenah, Molly and TJ have set up areas to house refrigerators that run year-round, along side an area to supply non-perishable food items, clothing, and hygiene products. By raising funds from donations, and acquiring volunteers to help maintain these sites, the Hope Fridge has become a much-needed addition to the community.

katie kearny

Katie Kearney

Katie, sister of the late Patrick Began, has made it her life’s mission to help prevent suicide and focus on the importance of mental health. As Executive Administrator of the PB&J Fund, she works tirelessly fundraising and issuing grants to help supplement mental health programming in the Neenah School District and surrounding community. Inclusivity and kindness are things she strives for. Katie is an outstanding role model in many facets of the community.

walt zerrenner

Walter Zerrenner

Serving in multiple areas of the Fox Valley, Walt uses his volunteer efforts to help others with cognitive disorders and focuses on caregivers and families who need support and guidance on their own journeys. He is also a dedicated caregiver to his wife, Aline, who lives with Dementia.

2021 Selfless Samaritan Nominees

Ronna Swift

Ronna has helped a Congolese refugee family and has gone above and beyond what many would do. She met the family at the Unitarian Fellowship and immediately became friends with them and helped them feel comfortable in the community. In the past year, she has:

Found out what they needed and outfitted them with mattresses, furniture, bedding, clothing, toys, buying some herself and asking friends to donate. She found 15 bikes for the kids of not only this family but another Congolese family as well.

She acts as a sounding board for them when they have problems or suffer because of what is happening in their home country. Advocated for them with the school district and with Habitat for Humanity so they will have a Habitat Home! They really love her and she loves them!

Monica Clare - St. Joseph's Food Program Inc.

Imagine the problem you would have when a pandemic hits and you as the Executive Director and your agency is responsible for feeding thousands of people, managing backpack programs for school-age children, a diaper program as well as several off-chute food pantries. Well, that’s what Monica found herself dealing with back in March of 2020. She had to take a volunteer staff that normally distributed food indoors and moved them outdoors sometimes in sub-zero temperatures. Not only did she accomplish that in a matter of days, she also constructed a completely new design to keep everyone safe in a system that is state-of-the-art, user-friendly, and standardized for future use. She is remarkable and does not take credit for what she sees as the work of others. I think she is truly selfless and quite remarkable.

Susie Van Ekeren

Susie is mom to 4 homegrown boys… AND 1000s of other children, teens and adults, teaching swim lessons to families in the Fox Valley. Keeping our community and backyards safe is not just a business. It’s been her passion for over 30 years. She graciously donates of her time and resources, offering countless scholarships to area families without the means to afford swim safety lessons. It has been her life’s mission to build strong and confident swimmers, both in and out of the water. And that love extends to her staff of over 60 teens and young adults; offering a shoulder to lean on, an ear to bend and an open heart and home to all that know and work with her. She gives selflessly to her community in doing her part to heal every mind, body and spirit through her love of water. Please consider Susie Van Ekeren as our community Selfless Samaritan.

Ana & Juan Valdez

Ana and Juan are a couple who are big believers in serving others. They make caring for their community a part of their everyday life. They are constantly sourcing beds for children, providing food for hungry families, and assisting those facing evictions or those without furniture or electricity, often out of their own pockets. They serve as Spanish translators. Most of all, they find ways of connecting and comforting others, bringing them hope. They speak up for injustices. They have been doing this actively for over 25 years, and we believe they deserve a Samaritan Award.