Lovin' Scoopful Honors Youth
Lovin' Scoopful is excited to collect nominations for the 2013 Lovin' Awards. The Lovin' Award recognizes young visionaries who are involved in programs that foster respect, inclusion and a true personal connection for people with differences.
Award recipients will be selected from students ages 8 to 18 who are involved with Special Olympics programs such as Unified Sports®, the Spread the Word to End the Word® campaign, Young Athletes, Get Into It® and Project UNIFY®, as well as Best Buddies and other organizations that are designed to create more accepting communities. Through program involvement, recipients must have exemplified characteristics that promote human rights, inclusion, equality and leadership through education.
"The Lovin' Award celebrates young people who embody strength in character, leadership and compassion for those with different abilities," states Lovin' Scoopful co-founder Maria Shriver. "We are excited about the Lovin' Award that honors young men and women who foster understanding and respect and set an inspiring example for us all."
Lovin' Award hopefuls can be nominated below by family, peers or a representative from Special Olympics or other qualifying nonprofit organizations that promote human rights, equality and inclusion. Four regional winners from the West Coast, South, New England and Mid-Atlantic regions, as well as one national winner, will be selected from the online nominations.
The four regional winners will each receive the following prizes:
- Certificates for a two month supply of Lovin' Scoopful ice cream
- Feature on the Lovin' Scoopful blog, Facebook and Twitter pages
- Letter of commendation from Maria Shriver
- The opportunity to compose a blog posting about their chosen nonprofit
- $250 donation for their chosen nonprofit organization
- Lovin' Scoopful logo gifts (based on availability)
One national winner will also receive:
- Engraved award
- Year supply of Lovin' Scoopful ice cream certificates
- $100 gift card
- The opportunity to compose multiple blog postings throughout the year about their chosen nonprofit
- $500 donation for their chosen nonprofit organization
Nominations will be accepted until approximately May 1, 2013 (date to be finalized by March 2013). Winners will be selected by a panel of judges including Maria Shriver and Tim Shriver and will be announced within one month of the official close of nominations. Public announcement of winners will be made thru media outlets. Nominators and nominees will be notified directly as quickly as possible. Award gifts will be mailed within 4-6 weeks of official announcement by press release.
"We are really excited about this award that recognizes young people in our country that are changing attitudes and fostering communities of respect and inclusion for all people," says Lovin' Scoopful co-founder, Tim Shriver. "Many young people have found that they have a voice and they're using it to speak out against intolerance and bullying by promoting inclusive activities where they stand united alongside their peers with special needs, acting as role models to show that only by working together can we build a better world where every person counts."