Kudzu Warrior Wins Statewide Award
Greg Miner is a Recipient of the North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award
The North Carolina Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service has presented the 2022 Governor’s Volunteer Service Award to Conserving Carolina’s submission for Polk County, Greg Miner.
Conserving Carolina is thrilled to announce that Greg, a regular Kudzu Warriors Volunteer in Polk County, is a recipient of this prestigious volunteer award.
The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors people who have shown concern and compassion for their neighbors by making a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service. The award was created in the Office of the Governor in 1979.
Each county selects up to ten individuals, businesses, groups and/or teams and one paid Director of Volunteers to be recognized for their outstanding contributions to their communities. One of these nominees is nominated for the Governor’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service, which is awarded to the top 20 volunteers in the state. A local committee evaluates the nominations.
When presented with the opportunity to nominate volunteers, Conserving Carolina immediately thought of Greg Miner. As a retired E.R. nurse, Greg has been working with Conserving Carolina’s Southeast Stewardship Manager, Pam Torlina, to eradicate Kudzu from Norman Wilder Forest for more than 10 years. Not only does Greg contribute to the weekly Kudzu Warriors volunteer workday, but he’s a regular volunteer at many Conserving Carolina workdays and volunteers his time to many other local organizations.
As an influencing factor in the creation of the Kudzu Warrior volunteer team at Norman Wilder, Greg has been a leader from the start of his volunteerism. At the Monday morning volunteers workdays at Norman Wilder Forest, AmeriCorps Member, Karsten Griffo, remarks that:
“Greg displays excellent leadership skills by taking the initiative to educate and train new volunteers. His Non-Native Invasive Species (NNIS) identification experience, friendliness, and abiding drive to improve wildlife habitat makes him an invaluable volunteer.”
Throughout the years, Greg has shown concern and dedication to conservation work, acting as a driving force and boots-on-the-ground in his quest to restore native habitat by managing NNIS. We are proud to announce him a recipient of the North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Service Award!