Volunteer Awards
Uncover Greatness
Nominate A Volunteer Today
Nominations are now open for the 2024 Operation BBQ Relief Awards, Presented by Phillips 66
Do you know a fellow Operation BBQ Relief volunteer who consistently goes above and beyond? Has someone made a lasting impact on your experience with our organization? We want to hear about them! Nominate exceptional volunteers who have motivated and inspired you.
Click the button below to submit your nominations. We’ll be accepting nominations throughout 2024, so whenever you see an outstanding volunteer in action please share their story with us so we can celebrate them in 2025!
2023 Volunteer Awards
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Gary “G5” Brownsberger
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies volunteerism and is recognized for their outstanding contributions to Operation BBQ Relief. Rod Cramer was one of the nicest guys in competition BBQ. He was always so positive and everyone’s biggest cheerleader. Rod was one of the first volunteers to arrive in Joplin nearly 13 years ago, and through Rod, Operation BBQ Relief got its first corporate gift after becoming a 501c3. Rod stayed engaged up to the very end when he lost his battle with leukemia. This award was named after Rod because of the heart, work ethic, friendship, and respect he embodied. These are key traits of our volunteer of the year!
Whether he’s driving a forklift, counting pallets, or digging in the garden, serving on disaster deployment, at Camp OBR, or a “Blue Sky” event, G5 works tirelessly and demonstrates a dedicated work ethic. He also makes friends wherever he goes. He truly embodies what it means to be an Operation BBQ Relief volunteer.
Congratulations, G5, on this well-earned recognition. Thank you for your incredible dedication and service to Operation BBQ Relief.
The Heart Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Don Edwards
The Heart Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary level of giving spirit.
Don embodies the spirit of an Operation BBQ Relief volunteer and what the Heart Award is all about. He consistently goes above and beyond, offering his time and effort without hesitation. Whether assigned a task or spotting a job that needs to be done, Don always steps up. His outstanding dedication and work ethic sets an example for everyone who has the privilege of working with him.
Congratulations, Don, and thank you for your remarkable contributions to Operation BBQ Relief!
To learn more about Don, check out his volunteer spotlight here.
The Motivational Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Gene Boldman
The Motivational Award is presented to an individual who has made a remarkable impact on morale at a deployment or event.
Gene personifies the spirit of motivation and resilience. Always polite and with a kind word for every person he meets, Gene’s positivity uplifts everyone. Despite facing personal challenges in 2023, Gene’s relentless determination to continue supporting Operation BBQ Relief never wavered. His incredible resilience and enthusiasm inspires and motivates all of us to give our best.
Congratulations, Gene, and thank you for all that you do for Operation BBQ Relief!
Read more about Gene in his volunteer spotlight here.
The Road Warrior Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Randy Hartmann
The Road Warrior Award is presented to an individual who has not let travel, distance, and/or time hinder their participation in deployments or events.
Randy was King of the Road in 2023, from traveling to almost every deployment and many “Blue Sky” events to helping us relocate equipment, there is no doubt that Randy logged hundreds of hours of volunteer time and thousands of miles to provide the “One Hot Me
al That Matters” to those in need.
Congratulations, Randy, and thank you for your unwavering dedication to Operation BBQ Relief!
To read more about Randy Hartmann, check out his volunteer spotlight here.
The Quecomer Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Victor “Vic” Lockwood
The Quecomer Award is presented to an individual who made a huge impression as a brand-new volunteer with Operation BBQ Relief.
Vic came to Operation BBQ Relief in a different way than most of our volunteers. He joined us in July 2023 at Camp OBR for our first-ever Gold Star Men’s Retreat. He quickly embraced the Camp OBR spirit, serving alongside other families of our fallen military heroes.
He stepped up to lead every service project. He was always the last volunteer working to clean up at night, and the first up to help prepare breakfast in the morning. After Camp OBR, Vic was hooked and eager to do more. Just a few weeks later, he served on his first disaster deployment after Hurricane Idalia hit Florida. .
Since then Vic has been unstoppable, participating in many “Blue Sky” events, helping out at Camp OBR, and much more. Vic has become a beloved presence in our community. As Vic volunteers, he honors the legacy of his daughter, Katie Jo, by continuing her life of service.
Congratulations, Vic, and thank you for your exceptional service to others and your commitment to our mission.
The Innovation Award
The Innovation Award is presented to those who make life a little easier by introducing an idea or invention that has been put into service at deployments, events, and/or behind the scenes.
Jet Blue is known for his creativity and practical solution-finding skills. His inventive mind led to the development of a ground-breaking process for cleaning and filling the tilt skillets. He implemented overhead water lines at each kettle to clean and fill them for one-pot meals, which saved time, increased efficiency, reduced tripping hazards, and improved sanitation.
Congratulations, Jet Blue, and thank you for your innovative approach to problem-solving and commitment to our mission!
The Behind the Heart Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Jim Rude
The Behind the Heart Award is presented to an individual who works tirelessly, and often unseen, behind the scenes at Operation BBQ Relief to make the organization successful.
Jim truly exemplifies The Behind the Heart Award, dedicating hundreds of hours each year to volunteering behind the scenes. He is a cornerstone volunteer at our warehouse in Peculiar, Mo. and serves as a key team lead on the Virtual Volunteer Team. Recently, Jim stepped up to take on even more responsibility by joining the Volunteer Services team as a Volunteer Coordinator, where he manages volunteers and oversees various aspects of events for The Always Serving Project and disaster deployments.
Congratulations, Jim, and thank you for your outstanding contribution to our organization!
To learn more about Jim, check out his volunteer spotlight here.
The Grassroots Award
The Grass Roots Award is presented to those who put their BBQ skills and knowledge to work outside of Operation BBQ Relief deployments/events to serve and inform their own communities in an exceptional manner.
Alan truly epitomizes the spirit of The Grassroots Award. When Alan isn’t volunteering with Operation BBQ Relief, he spends his time giving back to his local community. Whether it’s in partnership with local Pinellas fire and police stations to deliver food to those in need or giving back to first responders and underserved communities through the firemen’s union, Alan consistently demonstrates a deep commitment to helping and caring for others.
Congratulations, Alan, and thank you for your relentless dedication to Operation BBQ Relief and carrying forward the mission of giving back to those in your community!
The Leadership Award
Meet our 2023 recipient: Steve Anderson
The Leadership Award is presented to an individual who displays the utmost in leadership characteristics. Someone others willingly follow, trust, and seek to emulate.
Steve has shown exceptional leadership throughout 2023. Across four deployments last year, Steve consistently stepped up to provide guidance to new volunteers and organize the protein operation, from preparing to processing. Always calm under pressure, Steve excels at organization and effectively communicates what needs to be done. He’s taken a leadership role in numerous events and deployments throughout the year, continuously challenging himself to improve and leading by example.
Congratulations, Steve, and thank you for your outstanding leadership and dedication!
2022 Volunteer Awards
Congratulations to all the 2022 nominees and recipients!
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year – Michael “Jet Blue” Schwirian
The Heart Award – Harry & Sharon Leonard
The Motivational Award – Alan Jones
The Road Warrior Award – Tom “Doc” Barowsky
The Quecomer Award – Ann Birk
The Innovation Award – Calsey “CC” Cross
The Behind the Heart Award – Joy Lloyd
The Grassroots Award – John David Wheeler
The Leadership Award – Louis Pratt
2021 Volunteer Awards
Congratulations to all the 2021 nominees and recipients!
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year – Louis Pratt
The Heart Award – Scott Guy
The Motivational Award – Tom “Doc” Barowsky
The Road Warrior Award – Stephen Campbell
The Quecomer Award – Calsey Cross
The Innovation Award – KC Warehouse Team
The Behind the Heart Award – Mike “Jet Blue” Schweerian
The Grassroots Award – Mike and Elaine Moore
The Leadership Award – Jason Perrigin
2020 Volunteer Awards
Congratulations to all the 2020 nominees and recipients!
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year – Rob Lee
The Heart Award – Chris Creech and Family
The Motivational Award – Nelson Creech
The Road Warrior Award – Mike Moore
The Quecomer Award – Donnie Paul
The Innovation Award – Mike “Jet Blue” Schwirian
The Behind the Heart Award – Abby James
The Grassroots Award – David Keith
The Leadership Award – Mike Richter
2019 Volunteer Awards
Congratulations to the following volunteers!
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year – Alan Nichols
The Heart Award – Chris Wilson Sr. And Family
The Motivational Award – Mike Richter
The Road Warrior Award – Robert Lee
The Quecomer Award – Harry & Sharon Leonard
The Innovation Award – Scott Guy
The Behind the Heart Award – Cheryl Baylie
The Grass Roots Award – Donnie Paul
The Leadership Award – Brian Polak
Alan Nichols, center, The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year
2018 Volunteer Awards
Laurie Polak, center, The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year
Congratulations to the following volunteers!
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year Award – Laurie Polak
The Leadership Award – Joey Rusek
The Heart Award – David Keith
The Que’ Comer Award – Cheryl McDonald
The Road Warrior Award – Michael Moore
The Innovation Award – Paul Carnell
The Motivation Award – Leigh Carnell
Volunteer of the Year Past Recipients
All Past Awards
The Heart Award – Don Edwards
The Motivational Award – Gene Boldman
The Road Warrior Award – Randy Hartmann
The Quecomer Award – Victor “Vic” Lockwood
The Innovation Award – Mike “Jet Blue” Schwirian
The Behind the Heart Award – Jim Rude
The Grassroots Award – Alan Jones
The Leadership Award – Steve Anderson
The Heart Award – Harry & Sharon Leonard
The Motivational Award – Alan Jones
The Road Warrior Award – Tom “Doc” Barowsky
The Quecomer Award – Ann Birk
The Innovation Award – Calsey “CC” Cross
The Behind the Heart Award – Joy Lloyd
The Grassroots Award – John David Wheeler
The Leadership Award – Louis Pratt
The Heart Award – Scott Guy
The Motivational Award – Tom “Doc” Barowsky
The Road Warrior Award – Stephen Campbell
The Quecomer Award – Calsey Cross
The Innovation Award – KC Warehouse Team
The Behind the Heart Award – Mike Schweerian
The Grassroots Award – Mike and Elaine Moore
The Leadership Award – Jason Perrigin
The Heart Award – Chris Creech and Family
The Motivational Award – Nelson Creech
The Road Warrior Award – Mike Moore
The Quecomer Award – Donnie Paul
The Innovation Award – Mike “Jet Blue” Schwirian
The Behind the Heart Award – Abby James
The Grassroots Award – David Keith
The Leadership Award – Mike Richter
The OBR Heart Award – Chris Wilson Sr. And Family
The Motivational Award – Mike Richter
The Road Warrior Award – Robert Lee
The Quecomer Award – Harry & Sharon Leonard
The Innovation Award – Scott Guy
The Behind the Heart Award – Cheryl Baylie
The Grass Roots Award – Donnie Paul
The Leadership Award – Brian Polak
The Leadership Award – Joey Rusek
The Heart Award – David Keith
The Que’ Comer Award – Cheryl McDonald
The Road Warrior Award – Michael Moore
The Innovation Award – Paul Carnell
The Motivation Award – Leigh Carnell
Leadership Award – Dewayne Daniels
Founders Coin Recipients
Caught Doing Good Stories
Keep it up!!