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News & Events

Community Member Recognition

The Muskingum County Community Foundation recognizes individuals and businesses for significant contributions to our community by presenting several awards throughout the year.

The Ray Thomas Community Service Award
The Bob Beam Award
The Dick Johnson Civic Leadership Award
The Brian T. Wagner Community Leadership Award


The Ray Thomas Community Service Award
Ray Thomas
(Photo by Joe Clark)


"When you treasure your community, you create a community treasure." -Ray Thomas

The Ray Thomas Community Service Award is given to individuals who have made significant contributions to our community through service. The Award is named after MCCF Founding President, Raymond W. Thomas.

Individuals and organizations are invited to nominate community volunteers from Muskingum County to receive The Ray Thomas Community Service Award. The volunteer should have been instrumental in the success of one particular organization or community project.

The award winner names a local charitable organization to receive a $1,000 grant from the Muskingum County Community Foundation.

Any individual or organizational representative who wishes to enter a nomination for the award may obtain a nomination form online or by calling the Foundation at (740) 453-5192 during March each year. The 2010 deadline will be in late March. The Foundation's Distribution Committee selects the award winner.

The recipient is recognized at the Muskingum County Community Foundation's Annual Donor Recognition and Awards Celebration. A plaque recognizing all past winners hangs in the Community Foundation's lobby.

2009 Recipients:
Carl ArcherDon McKendry

Previous Recipients of The Ray Thomas Community Service Award

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The Bob Beam Award
Attorney J. Robert Beam


The Bob Beam Award is presented to an individual or organization that has made extraordinary efforts in support of the Muskingum County Community Foundation. The award is presented from "time to time" when such recognition is appropriately earned. The award is named for J. Robert Beam, third President of the Community Foundation and Founding Trustee Emeritus whose dedication to the Foundation's progress since 1987 is remarkable and commendable.

The past recipients of the Bob Beam Award are the law firm of Gottlieb, Johnston, Beam, and Dal Ponte (2006) for its fine pro bono work on behalf of the Foundation and Tom Lyall (2007) who spent countless hours devising financial reports that made comprehensible the complexity of community foundation fund accounting.

Dr. William Stewart is the 2009 recipient of the Bob Beam Award for his service to the Foundation's Scholarship Central and GEAR UP programs by teaching ACT Preparation classes to local students. Dr. Stewart was also featured on in Focus on Philanthropy in June 2009.

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The Dick Johnson Civic Leadership Award
Dick Johnson


The Dick Johnson Civic Leadership Award is presented to an individual who exhibits exceptional civic leadership in the tradition of Dick Johnson. Dick Johnson is known for his entrepreneurial spirit, his philanthropic example, and his leadership in civic life.

The purpose of the award is threefold: to recognize the achievements of the recipients, to honor the work of Dick Johnson, and to encourage others to become future recipients of the award.

The award is a permanent fixture in the lobby of the Muskingum County Community Foundation, engraved with the name of each recipient. Each recipient receives a smaller version of the award.

The Dick Johnson Civic Leadership Award is awarded each year at the Community Foundation's Groundhog Day Celebration.

2010 Recipient:
Dick McClelland



View Press Release

Previous Recipients of The Dick Johnson Civic Leadership Award

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The Brian T. Wagner Community Leadership Award

Brian Wagner
(Photo by Dan Olson)
The Brian T. Wagner Community Leadership Award was established by the Muskingum County Community Foundation Council to honor individuals between the ages of 18 and 45.

A nominee may be someone who has successfully led a special volunteer project or has a long history of volunteer service.

Nominations for the award are generally accepted in late November/early December. The nominator must write a letter to the Foundation Council expressing why the nominee should be selected for the award.

The award recipient is recognized each year at the Foundation's Groundhog Day Celebration. Winners of the award choose their favorite nonprofit organization to receive a $1,000 grant from the Community Foundation.

2010 Recipient:
Nan Nolder



View Press Release

Previous Recipients of The Brian T. Wagner Community Leadership Award

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Masthead Photo: Each year, MCCF hosts an anniversary celebration on or near Groundhog Day - Photo by Dan Olson