Donna Caloia from Lincoln Investment was chosen by a judging committee as one of the inaugural awardees for the Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award. She received this award during a moving luncheon awards ceremony at the 2020 NTSA Summit in Denver.
Caloia served as the Chair of the NTSA Summit committee for 2020; she also has volunteered on various NTSA committees in the past and promotes volunteer engagements for all NTSA committees. Donna also has a long and strong history of community service. “This is my way of giving back to my local community,” she explains.
Caloia donates her time with Hand of Hope, a local nonprofit organization run mostly by volunteers. Hand of Hope provides therapeutic horseback riding sessions to children with special needs. The positive impacts on the kids and their families are tremendous. As with many volunteer positions, the impact on the volunteer is sometimes unexpected, but rewarding.
Caloia is passionate as she talks about her experiences and describes how watching the children who face challenges that many would not understand go on to achieve goals that they never thought were possible. One of the stories she told when she accepted the award was about a 15-year-old child who learned to hug her mom through the program – something we all take for granted but was finally something her mother could experience.
Richard Ford had a lifelong history of industry and community volunteer efforts. He was a dedicated volunteer with NTSA since its founding over 30 years ago. Ford passed away suddenly in March of 2019 and this award has been named to honor his dedication to NTSA and community volunteerism.
The Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award recognizes NTSA members’ works in two key areas:
- Volunteerism: Activity with NTSA standing committees and projects through the member’s donation of time and talent with innovative excellence.
- Service: Local and or national community or governmental works through the NTSA member’s donation of time, talent and/or treasure.
NTSA will soon be opening nominations for the 2021 Richard Ford Volunteer Service Award. If you know of a NTSA member who you think may be worthy of this award please consider nominating them when the nominating period begins!
Sue Diehl, QKA, CPC, ERPA, is President of PenServ Plan Services. She has been an NTSA member since 1989.
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