Sustainability student recognized as Hands On Nashville's 'Volunteer of the Year'
Lacey Klotz |
Amanda “Andy” Myers, a student in Lipscomb University’s Institute for Sustainable Practice, was honored as the Hands On Nashville Volunteer of the Year at the 29th Annual Mary Catherine Strobel Volunteer Awards Ceremony presented by HCA/TriStar on April 7.
The ceremony was held at the Marriott Cool Springs conference center where over 600 volunteers and agency representatives gathered together to honor and celebrate the service and support of Hands on Nashville “HON” volunteers. A total of 102 nominations were made and of that, only nine were awarded for their efforts throughout the past year.
The HON Volunteer of the Year award was given to one adult and one youth volunteer who demonstrated a deep commitment to improving the community through Hands on Nashville programming. Myers received the adult honor for her efforts working on HON’s Urban Farm and aiding the youth in their volunteer efforts. She has been an instrumental part in implementing experimental gardening techniques at the HON Nashville Urban Farm by working on a special type of composting called Hugel Kulture. Myers has also been instrumental in helping write a youth program curriculum that empowers the youth to explore local agriculture and discover the benefits of healthy eating.
Myers began volunteering with HON after discovering her online certification program in holistic nutrition and urban farming, through the Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, required an externship. Two years later, Myers is still volunteering and has seen many of her efforts come into fruition and benefit the local community.
“I really like to see the harvest; it goes to the Nashville Food Project,” Myers said. “I also love to see the kids that come to the farm and learn about where the food comes from. This is my passion - helping people learn about food and creating local affordable sources for fresh food.”
Myers says she was both surprised and grateful to have been chosen for this honor over all of the deserving volunteers.
“The Hands on Nashville Volunteer of the Year award was unexpected,” Myers said. “I was just doing something I love to do.”
The awards were presented by Hands On Nashville’s President and CEO Brian Williams and Advance Financial’s Tina Hodges. Nashville Mayor Karl Dean was also in attendance and in his speech he declared April 7, 2015, as the “Mayor’s Day of Recognition for National Service in Nashville.”
Hands on Nashville works to address critical issues facing the Middle Tennessee community through volunteer-centric programming. They connect thousands of volunteers to service opportunities supporting local nonprofits as well as urban agriculture, home energy savings, youth leadership development and support of public education.
Myers has also brought her passion for volunteering to Lipscomb and appreciates the way the university encourages her to serve.
“I was volunteering before I came to Lipscomb, but I love that the school offers other ways for me to serve,” said Myers. “I am a member of the Campus Veterans Organization, and they are a very active group and look for ways to serve other veterans.”
Myers plans to continue her education at Lipscomb as well as her volunteering efforts with HON with a goal to better the Nashville community.
“My goals for my education at Lipscomb University are to further my understanding of the local food system in Middle Tennessee,” Myers said. “I am interested in working with other small local growers to produce affordable, ethnically familiar foods and to make them available for diverse, low-income communities.”