Volunteer Awards
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Nominate a Volunteer Today
Nominations are now open for the 2025 Operation BBQ Relief Awards
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 2025, so whenever you see an outstanding volunteer in action, please share their story with us so we can celebrate them in 2026!
2025 Award Nominations will be accepted until January 31, 2026.
2024 Volunteer Awards
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Don Edwards
The Rod Cramer Award is named after one of OBR’s most beloved early volunteers—someone who brought joy, integrity, and selflessness to every event. This year, we presented it posthumously to Don Edwards, whose spirit embodied the very same values.
Since 2017, Don gave his all to OBR—deploying 34 times to disaster zones and supporting 28 ASP events. Wherever help was needed, he showed up—no matter the distance or task. Just last November, he delivered Thanksgiving meals by helicopter to rescue teams in North Carolina, calling it one of the most meaningful moments of his life.
That’s who Don was: humble, kind, and always thinking of others. His quiet leadership made every deployment stronger. He made all of us better.
We lost Don this year, and it broke our hearts. But this award honors a life lived in service and love.
Thank you, Don. We miss you deeply.
Read more about Don in his volunteer spotlight here.
The Heart Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Gene Boldman
The Heart Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated an extraordinary level of giving spirit.
Gene shows up again and again—after disasters, at ASP events, and especially at Camp OBR, where his compassion has touched so many lives.
During the TAPS Siblings Retreat, he went above and beyond to make every moment meaningful and healing.
Gene, thank you for giving your all—always. Congratulations! You are truly the heart of this mission.
Read more about Gene in his volunteer spotlight here.
The Motivational Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Mary Todd
The Motivational Award is presented to an individual who has made a remarkable impact on morale at a deployment or event.
Mary brings light to every deployment. Her kindness, warmth, and steady encouragement help carry teams through the hardest days. She doesn’t just motivate through action—she reminds people they matter.
Mary, thank you for being that spark for so many. Congratulations!
The Road Warrior Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Lori Lewis
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.
Lori truly owned the road in 2024. From Pennsylvania to North Carolina, Maryland, and even Kentucky, she’s logged serious miles in service to Operation BBQ Relief.
Whether answering the call for deployments, supporting events, or stepping into her new role as Pennsylvania Area Coordinator, Lori has gone above and beyond—both literally and figuratively—to support our mission.
Lori, thank you for your incredible commitment and dedication. Congratulations!
The Quecomer Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Roxanne Dirnberger
The Quecomer Award is presented to an individual who made a huge impression as a brand-new volunteer with Operation BBQ Relief.
Though Roxanne registered earlier, 2024 was her breakout year. She started strong at the Windy City Smokeout, followed it up with an event in Michigan the next day, and soon after deployed for Hurricane Milton—where she stepped up as Onsite Volunteer Coordinator and crushed it.
Roxanne, you’ve set the bar high. Congratulations on an incredible first year—we’re so glad you’re part of the OBR family!
The Behind the Heart Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Cheryl Baylie
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.
Cheryl’s dedication stands out in a big way. As a Senior Volunteer Manager, she supports ASP events, jumps in during deployments, and leads our Virtual Volunteer Team—a massive effort on its own.
She’s the person who gets things done—quietly, consistently, and without needing the spotlight.
Cheryl, thank you for being the heart behind so much of what we do. Congratulations!
The Grassroots Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Alan Nichols
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 is a true OBR ambassador. At BBQ competitions and small community events, he shares our mission, recruits new volunteers, and uses his skills to serve others.
He brings the heart of OBR with him everywhere he goes.
Alan, thank you—and congratulations!
Read more about Alan in his volunteer spotlight here.
The Leadership Award
Meet our 2024 recipient: Scott Jarrett
The Leadership Award is presented to an individual who displays the utmost in leadership characteristics. Someone others willingly follow, trust, and seek to emulate.
Scott leads with kindness, calm, and a deep respect for others. Whether running a deployment or helping at an event, he brings clarity, compassion, and a team-first mindset.
He’s the kind of leader who never asks more than he gives—and always leads by example.
Scott, congratulations—and thank you for all you do!
2023 Volunteer Awards
Congratulations to all the 2023 nominees and recipients!
The Rod Cramer Volunteer of the Year – Gary “G5” Brownsberger
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
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!!