McLean Teen, Organization Win Governor's Volunteerism Awards

MCLEAN, VA — A McLean teen and organization were among the recipients of the 2021 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards, Gov. Ralph Northam announced Tuesday.

The annual awards recognize individual volunteers and organizations that benefit Virginians. The awards are coordinated by the Virginia Service Commission, in partnership with the Governor’s Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism and the Virginia Service Foundation.

This year's awards have a particular focus on volunteer efforts during the pandemic.

"These awards highlight the selfless work and meaningful contributions of these remarkable individuals and groups, as well as the ingenuity and determination they faced by serving their community during the pandemic," said Northam in a statement. "It is my privilege to recognize the incredible awardees for their positive impact on our Commonwealth and in the lives of fellow Virginians."

Codefy, an organization that provides free computer programming courses to middle and high school students, won the Outstanding Education Organization award. The organization was founded by Northern Virginia students in response to low female representation in technology fields and lacking computer programming courses in their school. Codedy is run by students to provide courses outside school hours and during the summer. Over two years, the volunteer-led organization grew to over 600 volunteers, over 10 courses and currently 600 students in Virginia and throughout the U.S.

The other McLean winner was teen TJ Kim for the Outstanding Youth Volunteer award. Jim, a teen flight student, created Operation SOS (Supplies Over the Skies) during the COVID-19 pandemic to send personal protective equipment to rural and community hospitals. Kim wanted to use his flight training skills to send supplies during a time when the focus was on sending PPE to larger city hospitals. Kim coordinates the planning, including sourcing PPE, outreach to hospitals, conducting strategic flight planning, and flying the aircraft under dual instruction. To date, he has done 22 missions and has delivered nearly 85,000 PPE and ventilator supplies to 21 locations. Operation SOS now sends supplies to rural and community hospitals in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and West Virginia.

Other winners were:

Outstanding Community Organization: CrossOver Healthcare Ministry, Richmond

Outstanding Faith-Based Organization: Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church and Church of the Incarnation, Charlottesville

Outstanding Small Business: Doswell Limited Partnership, Ashland

Outstanding Corporation: Capital One Coders, Richmond

Outstanding Senior Volunteer: Betty L. Robinette, Wytheville

Outstanding Adult Volunteer: Mechele Hairston, Chesapeake

Outstanding Young Adult Volunteer: Lucy Cummins, Richmond

Outstanding Volunteer Family: George and Kim Melnyk, Jr., Virginia Beach

See more information about the winners here.