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Kenny Merritt (center) receives his Volunteers in Place award from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Georgetown President Steve St. Angelo joined by Special Olympics Kentucky Executive Vice President Trish Mazzoni. |
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Kenny Merritt, who has volunteered with Special Olympics Kentucky for more than 18 years, was one of five Team Members honored recently by Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky as part of that company’s Volunteers In Place program.
As one of the five finalists, Merritt was invited to participate in a dinner held to honor all of the Toyota volunteers and a $2,500 check was presented to Special Olympics in his name.
Merritt volunteers in all facets of the Special Olympics program. He has participated in the Polar Bear Plunge in Lexington since 2004 and was a Super Plunger in 2008. He has also been a tireless volunteer at Special Olympics competitions, traveling throughout the state and serving in many capacities at a number of state and local events. In all, Merritt volunteered 275 hours with Special Olympics in 2007.
While Merritt designated Special Olympics as his charity of choice, all five of this year’s Volunteers in Place honorees have Special Olympics ties. Lisa Gilliam has served on the Polar Bear Plunge Committee in Lexington for many years. Kim Sweazy has been a Polar Bear and a Cheerleading Volunteer and James Switzer and Bethany Giordano have both taken the Polar Bear Plunge.
This is the second consecutive year a Special Olympics volunteer has been honored by Toyota. Last year late basketball coach Mark Shaut was the Toyota program’s Volunteer of the Year Award winner.
