In honor of National Volunteer Week, Fishers celebrates the dedicated individuals who have donated their time and talent to our community with our 2021 City of Service Awards celebration. Winners were nominated by the community and selected by the Fishers City Council through a blind process.
Meet the winners through our blog posts this week, and check out our website to see all of the winners and nominees.
Meet Art Hennig, Fishers Police Department Volunteer of the Year Winner
This year’s Fishers Police Department Volunteer of the Year goes to Art Hennig, who has volunteered with the department since 2010, and helps with several tasks including making victim advocate calls and more.
The purpose of this award is to honor an extraordinary volunteer whose dedicated service to the Fishers Police Department had a significant impact on community at large.
How did you get involved?
After taking the Fishers Town Government Academy (now City Government) and then the Fishers Police Department Citizens Academy, I was asked if I would like to volunteer to work every Tuesday making victim advocate calls. Through time, that became all day, five days a week and morphed into many other tasks.
What motivates or inspires you to serve your community?
As a citizen living in a community, it is one’s obligation to give back in whatever way you are able.
What’s your favorite part about serving?
Working with the people. The Fishers Police Department is blessed with a wonderful group of individuals, and they make it a pleasure to get up and “go to work” every day. With so much negative press about the police in general these days, I’m proud to say that I am associated with the Fishers Police Department and pleased to be able to tell anyone who will listen about the fine men and women who help keep our community safe.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and feel made the biggest difference in the community?
One of the things the Police Department did this past December was in lieu of the normal shopping trip with kids through the Cops & Kids program (which wasn’t able to happen due to COVID-19), we hosted a drive-through Christmas giveaway for the children of Fishers. Being able to help transform the police sally port into a winter wonderland with lights, packages, blow-ups, snow, Santa Claus, and the Grinch created a magical space. As the families drove through, every child received gifts that had been donated by local businesses. Working with the officers to make this happen and working the day of the event was heartwarming.
Also, being able to make sure the officers had plenty of hand sanitizer, masks, sanitizing wipes, and more during the pandemic was a goal that required some creativity at the start of the pandemic. And then hand warmers during the cold weather – it’s the small things that make life easier for our officers.
How did COVID-19 impact your work?
Very little. Other than the days that we were completely shut down in the office, I was able to continue with my work.
What advice would you give someone looking to give back to their community through volunteerism?
Definitely find something that you enjoy doing – whether it’s working outdoors, by yourself, with a group, working indoors – whatever it is, there is a place where you can enjoy what you are doing as well as make a difference in your community. Every piece of trash you pick up, every weed you pull, every phone call you make checking on a neighbor, they all make a difference and help make Fishers a special place to live and work.
What do you hope to accomplish through your service in 2021?
As someone who works in the Police Department office, is a member of the Fishers Police Corps, and on the board of the Fishers Police Foundation, I hope to be able to continue to serve in whatever capacity presents itself.
Meet Boy Scout Troop 199, Fishers Parks & Recreation Group Volunteer of the Year Winners
This year’s winner of the Fishers Parks & Recreation Group Volunteer of the Year goes to Boy Scout Troop 199, who completed an Eagle Scout project at the Fishers AgriPark.
The purpose of this award is to honor an extraordinary group of volunteers whose dedicated service to the Fishers Parks Department had a significant impact on community at large.
How long and how did you get involved with Fishers Parks?
The troop has been involved since November of 2020, and we first got involved when I did my Eagle Scout project at the Fishers Agripark.
What motivates or inspires you to serve your community?
The tangible difference I can make in our city, and actually seeing people get enjoyment from the things that I made motivates me the most.
What’s your favorite part about serving?
My favorite part would be how my whole scouting community bonds over a project and how we get a little closer to each other giving back to the parks.
Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of and feel made the biggest difference in the community?
I am most proud of my Troop’s work in restoring the huge greenhouse at the Fishers Agripark. It was a huge undertaking to get back in order after a storm in the fall, but it’s well worth it now for how much joy it’s given people this spring.
How did COVID-19 impact your work?
COVID-19 made it a little harder to coordinate our work at the parks, but we handled it with some extra precautions and being conscious of safety.
What advice would you give someone looking to give back to their community through volunteerism?
I would tell them to work on something they’re already passionate about. When you’re already doing something you love, volunteering is as simple as having a good time.
What do you hope to accomplish through your service in 2021?
Through 2021, I’m looking to further invest my Troop in several other Fishers Parks’ opportunities, because we have a huge need for a project that tangibly improve the community and plenty of manpower to do it.
Meet Johna Coffey, Fishers Parks & Recreation Youth Volunteer of the Year Winners
Johna Coffey is the Fishers Parks & Recreation Youth Volunteer of the Year winner for his work at the Fishers AgriPark.
The purpose of this award is to honor an extraordinary volunteer whose dedicated service to the Fishers Parks Department had a significant impact on community at large.
How long and how did you get involved with Fishers Parks?
The troop has been involved since November of 2020, and we first got involved when I did my Eagle Scout project at the Fishers Agripark.
What motivates or inspires you to serve your community?
The tangible difference I can make in our city, and actually seeing people get enjoyment from the things that I made motivates me the most.
Cassidy Robertson is a former Community Engagement and PR Intern for the City of Fishers. She enjoys shopping and eating local in downtown Fishers, and in her spare time, she loves working on puzzles and reading a good book. She also enjoys playing with her three dogs and loves watching Fishers continue to develop both as an economic and social hub.