HERO Awards

The HERO Awards are a collaboration between VAC and the Columbia Daily Tribune to recognize outstanding volunteers in Boone County. Every year local agencies and community members are asked to nominate outstanding volunteers. Nomination forms become available in mid-January, and are usually due in mid-February. Volunteers may be nominated in one of three Hero Awards categories: Individual, Group (two or more people), and Youth (under 21 at the time of the nomination). This year there will be four new Hero Award categories, sponsored by Landmark Bank: Outstanding Volunteer in Education or Literacy, Outstanding Community Protection Volunteer, Outstanding Healthcare Volunteer and Outstanding Lifetime Achievement. A panel of community leaders unaffiliated with VAC and the Tribune then select winners in each of the categories.

All HERO Award nominees and winners are recognized at an annual reception in April. Every nominee receives a commemorative award, and each first-place winner receives a $500 grant for the organization where they volunteer their time.

Nominations can be submitted online at the Tribune’s website or downloaded and submitted to VAC's office. Nomination forms are also available at VAC.