On Tuesday, December 10th, Marshall County Joint Economic and Community Development Board hosted the local 2024 Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards (GVSA) presentation. Nominations were submitted in September and winners were chosen by committee. This year’s award recipients are Emery Masson and Shelia McMillin.
(L to R) Marshall County Mayor Mike Keny, GVSA Adult Honoree Shelia McMillin and GVSA Youth Honoree Emery Masson.
Emery is a 3rd grade student at Marshall Elementary School. She enjoys soccer, chorus, cheer, gymnastics and pageants. She loves to volunteer for her community with her Nala, Shelia McMillin. Emery began doing community service projects and fundraising at the age of six. “Emery’s Hope” raises money and awareness for drug prevention, rehabilitation and basic necessity bags for people heading to rehab. She fundraises for supplies for her bags by selling cotton candy, lemonade, snow cones, baked goods and holiday bows. Emery’s Hope “basic necessity bags” include: flip flops, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb/brush, pads, body wash, shampoo, stationary and a handwritten note from Emery with love. Bags usually have around $16 supplies in each. These bags go to those struggling with addiction, heading to rehab.
Shelia is the driving force behind her granddaughter Emery’s community service project, Emery’s Hope. Shelia and Emery also regularly visit local nursing homes on holidays providing residents with goodies and cheer. Shelia is an active member of Lewisburg Rotary and volunteers her time with school PTAs, Marshall County Art Guild and Maximum Velocity Youth Sports, where you will often find her running the concession stand. Shelia is fantastic cook, baker, florist and decorator and frequently uses her talents to help assist fundraisers for those in need in the community!
After presenting the awards, Mayor Keny stated, “It’s always an honor for me to present these awards each year recognizing two Marshall Countians for their volunteer service to our county. There are a lot of good people who do a lot of great things for the benefit of others in Marshall County. They don’t do it for recognition, praise or pay. They do so because they have a passion for their cause and they put their whole heart and volunteer spirit into the projects they undertake. Our honorees for 2024, Shelia McMillin and Emery Masson, are perfect examples of what it means to give back and serve others. They are very deserving recipients of this award. Their selfless efforts are for the greater good of our county and its citizens. I applaud them for all they do and congratulate them on being recognized as Marshall County’s Governor Star Award recipients.”
Our local award winners will be recognized at a state-wide presentation on February 15, 2025 in Franklin, Tenn. The Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards is an initiative from Volunteer Tennessee that seeks to recognize outstanding volunteers from each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. With the program now in its sixteenth year, participating counties conduct a call for nominations and recognize one outstanding youth and one outstanding adult volunteer. For more information, contact Marshall County GVSA Coordinator Emily Darnell.
