Familiar winners of the 2021 WPS Volunteer of the Year program
On April 22, 2021, the Volunteer Center of Brown County hosted the 33rd Annual WPS Volunteer Awards. This year’s event was again held virtually, but, as always, the focus was on recognizing volunteers and the good work they do to support our community. UW-Green Bay is proud to announce two winners in particular, Tricia Adams and Cheryl Grosso.
Tricia Adams, performing arts coordinator for UW-Green Bay’s Theatre and Dance program, received the Arts and Culture Award. Her award description follows:
A well-balanced community will thrive because of a strong foundation and representation in the arts. Evergreen Productions helps to fill this need in the Greater Green Bay area by providing entertaining and educational theater opportunities, all while being volunteer-driven. For the past eight years, Tricia Adams has dedicated herself to bringing the arts to life in our community through her involvement with Evergreen. In her role as the president of the board of directors for the last several years, Tricia provides guidance and motivation to fellow board members and volunteers. Not only has she volunteered in all roles relating directly to theater performances, but Tricia also manages the organization’s website and serves as the head of the development committee, where she works to secure sponsorships, partnerships, and crucial funding for the organization.
Tricia is always willing to take on additional roles, while also encouraging and teaching others to take the reins and find their own passion and spot within the organization. Not only have her efforts helped double the number of volunteers, but programming initiatives and outreach efforts have soared as well. In 2019, she designed and secured funding for a new STEM program for females to learn the technical side of theater. Because of Tricia’s leadership and expertise, Evergreen Productions has a better focus, more direction, and a more creative approach to programming, and we thank her for bringing arts and culture to life in our area.
Faculty Emeritus (Retired) and UW-Green Bay alumna, Cheryl Grosso, received the Adult Volunteer Award. Her award description follows:
For more than 130 years, American Red Cross volunteers have been changing the world through their compassionate service. The Green Bay community relies on these volunteers to help those in need and fulfill the mission to serve those affected by disasters, support military members and their families, collect life-saving blood, and conduct health and safety education and training. For the past three and a half years, Cheryl Grosso has served as the Lead Screener for volunteers for the American Red Cross and manages a team of 12 other volunteers to ensure this mission is brought to life. While reports show that she has clocked more than 1,800 hours in her tenure, this number is not an accurate reflection. Cheryl’s volunteer work is so ingrained in her that she works throughout the day and night, and instead of accurately recording these hours, she incorporates them into her daily life. The Red Cross jokes that screening volunteers is as programmed as brushing her teeth.
Cheryl developed the entire Wisconsin region screening process, which has been recognized around the country and is now used as the national model for screening. She has even traveled to help train teams in other states, bringing the Green Bay community’s expertise and generosity to other regions. She has also stepped in to assist in other roles during this challenging time, taking on additional tasks to help the organization remain proactive and successful. Cheryl’s time and dedication are truly a gift. Red Cross staffers often find themselves asking where they would be today if it weren’t for her. She is a thoughtful leader whose skills and talents help make the Green Bay community and region a huge success. We thank Cheryl for her continued commitment to the American Red Cross and the people they serve.
