Direct Energy and ThisWeek Community News Announce Three Finalists for Annual Columbus Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award

Local volunteers from various nonprofits will be honored at a special event

Columbus, OH (November 12, 2013) - In its second year, Direct Energy and ThisWeek Community News' Columbus Volunteer Citizen of the Year award program has named its three finalists: Ruth Krumm of the Johnstown-Northridge Community Food Pantry, Jim Caronis of Operation Buckeye and Maren Roth of the Jack Roth Fund. All three finalists have been invited to a special award event at HandsOn Central Ohio's offices on Wednesday, November 20th, where the winner will be announced. The winner will receive a $5,000 donation and the two semi-finalists will receive $500 donations to their charities from Direct Energy.

 

At 91, Ruth Krumm has been volunteering for the Johnstown-Northridge Community Food Pantry for more than 40 years. Despite her age, Ruth can be found at the pantry most weekdays and sometimes on the weekends collecting and organizing canned goods to fill boxes for local families in need, all without government support. Ruth serves approximately 175 needy families and when a person is unable to come to the pantry to pick up their food, Ruth is the first to volunteer to deliver the food to them. Further, the whole community of Johnstown has rallied behind Ruth's efforts to help the less fortunate. From nearby students to youth camps, everyone is inspired by Ruth's goodwill. Ruth is considered to be a blessing to the small rural town of Johnstown and views feeding the hungry as not just the right thing to do, but a necessity to maintain a happy, prospering community.

As the founder and president of Operation Buckeye, Jim Caronis has given to more than 25,000 U.S. service men and women over the past six years. Jim, a U.S. Army veteran himself, is all too familiar with the challenges that deployed troops face. Therefore, Jim gathered his friends and family to begin Operation Buckeye, a nonprofit that sends care packages to troops overseas. Under Jim's guidance, Operation Buckeye has grown steadily and to date, over $700,000 has been raised to support its mission. In his nomination, Jim is described as an action-oriented person with contagious enthusiasm and drive. When he hears of troops having hardships, he springs into action to develop a campaign that will help them get through it, even while being thousands of miles away. Additionally, Jim has used Operation Buckeye as a tool to teach young people about the importance of giving back by hosting various community service and fundraising initiatives. As a result, seventeen athletic teams from Ohio State University, local Girl Scout troops, fraternity and sorority students and other service groups have become integral contributors to Operation Buckeye.

Maren Roth is said to be a nonprofit advocate. To honor her father who lost his battle with lung cancer nearly 10 years ago, Maren started the Jack Roth Fund and has raised more than $700,000 for charity since its inception. Funds raised go to the Arthur G. James Cancer and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at Ohio State University to support research and treatment that is vital to combatting lung cancer. Funds also go to Camp Netaim, a camp for special needs children in Israel, a cause that was very dear to Maren's father. Maren organizes several events throughout the year to contribute to the Jack Roth Fund, such as the Jack Roth Rock n' Run, a 5K run and walk that features food, music, awards and prizes for the whole community. As the owner of a local business, Rowe Boutique, Maren hosts an annual fashion show where all proceeds benefit her father's fund. Maren spends her days making others feel confident and beautiful, yet uses her generosity and dedication to her father's memory to help others who are affected by cancer.

?All of these finalists are extraordinary in what they do for others and it's clear that they are a valuable asset to the city of Columbus and its surrounding communities,? said Rob Comstock, senior vice president and general manager for Direct Energy. ?Choosing one winner will be difficult but just being able to recognize these remarkable individuals and their charities is an honor for us.?

A special event honoring Ruth Krumm, Jim Caronis and Maren Roth will be held at HandsOn Central Ohio on Wednesday, November 20th at 6:00 pm. Representatives from Direct Energy and ThisWeek Community News will be on hand to announce the winner and present the award donations. HandsOn Central Ohio is located at 195 North Grant Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43215.

About ThisWeek Community News
ThisWeek Community News is comprised of 25 weekly editions spanning Columbus and the surrounding areas of Delaware, Union and Licking Counties. Award-winning journalists report in-depth news on the hyper-local level: government and civic organizations, education and high school sports, business and lifestyle features.
www.thisweeknews.com

Contact:
Julie Hendry
Direct Energy
1-412-925-6773
Julie.Hendry@directenergy.com