‘Stars of Space Coast’ Program Honors Nonprofits
By Belinda Stewart, 2-1-1 Brevard // March 5, 2015
2-1-1 Brevard to honor stellar work May 1
BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The organization, 2-1-1 Brevard, will present the “Stars of the Space Coast Awards” on May 1, honoring the “stellar work” of local nonprofits.
Nominations will be accepted through midnight March 24 for three awards.
• Health First Supernova Award: The explosion of a star when its “luminosity increases by as much as 20 magnitudes,” this award recognizes a nonprofit for magnifying impact.
• Central Florida Hand Center Lodestar Award: Meaning “a star that shows the way,” this award recognizes the board of a nonprofit for exceptional leadership.
• All Pro Garage Doors Superstar Award: This award recognizes an employee who has had significant impact on the nonprofit employer and the people it serves.
The award names reflect local sponsors that have stepped up in support of the event. First-place winners in each category receive a cash award, as do finalists for Supernova and Lodestar awards.
ABOVE VIDEO: 2-1-1 volunteer board member Terri Gust of Oz Design Studio tells story of how 2-1-1 Brevard helps people solve problems when they “Answer the Call.”
“Nonprofits are mission-critical partners in our work connecting people with resources,” said Libby Donoghue, executive director.
“This calls for a ‘jargon alert,’ but I’d say we’re very excited to launch this event.
“It was very important to us that these awards are more than another plaque to gather dust on a shelf,” she said.
“Every minute matters to dedicated nonprofits, and we didn’t want this recognition to be perceived as a waste of precious time.
“We felt we wanted to honor those organizations and individuals that help us help our callers, but we wanted to make sure it wasn’t anything burdensome.”
Donoghue said the emphasis on making this event special is being considered at every step of the planning, including the selection of venue, Exploration Tower at Port Canaveral.
Volunteer judges will select the winner and two finalists from nominations for each of the three awards.
A fourth award, the Community Star Award, will be presented to a nominee not chosen as a finalist for Superstar or Supernova and will be selected in April in a digital “people’s choice” vote.
