Chamber of Commerce: Young Life, Richard brothers honored with Citizen of the Year awards

Service to the Youth Award - Young Life

Young Life is Christian organization that is committed to reaching teenagers with support and encouragement that they may need during their tumultuous teenage years. Young Life is a volunteer-led community organization that is celebrating 72 years of existence and is active in 50 states and 63 countries overseas.

On Grand Island, there are seven volunteer leaders and one area director, Kevin Kulikowski, who go out of their way to work with teens. Kulikowski has been the area director for Young Life Ministries for the past 20 years. The volunteer leaders spend their time running weekly outreach meetings, Bible studies before school, weekend and weeklong camping experiences, and spending time with teens on Grand Island, in their world and at their events. Young Life has been actively reaching teens on Grand Island since the late 1960s and because of the community support it is still active today and many teens have been blessed.

There are 12 active committee members on Grand Island, and various faithful donors and churches who support financially and are willing to do anything to help the teens of this community. They are the backbone of Young Life on Grand Island. There is nothing that the committee, leaders, staff, or our donors would not do to help the teens of Grand Island.

Submitted by the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce.

Grand Island Chamber of Commerce

2012 Citizen of the Year Awardees

Profiled this week:

•Service to the Youth: Young Life

•Athletic Persons of the Year: Jeff and Gregg Richard

In Coming Weeks:

•Community Service Person of the Year: Francine McMahon

•Organization of the Year: One Island, One Team, One Dream, To Be Drug Free

•Business of the Year: Dick & Jenny's Bake & Brew

•Educator of the Year: Bruce Benson

These citizens, organizations and businesses will be recognized at the Citizen of the Year awards ceremony on Thursday, April 26, at the Holiday Inn Grand Island. They have been chosen because of their contributions of time, energy and service to the community which has made Grand Island a better place to live, work and play.

Tickets for the dinner are available at the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce office, 2257 Grand Island Blvd. Adult tickets are $45 and a child, 12 years or younger is $18.

A program booklet is being put together by the chamber for distribution the evening of the ceremony. Those interested in placing an ad or sending congratulations to this year's recipients may call 773-3651 by April 13 for more information.