Louisville Water Designated ‘Joy Center Heroes’ by Salvation Army

If you look up volunteer in the dictionary, the definition reads that it is a person who performs a service willingly. If you ask most people why they choose to volunteer, it’s because they genuinely feel good being able to either help others in need  or make a difference in their community.

On July 24, Louisville Water Service Board members were honored to accept one of The Salvation Army’s Doing the Most Good Awards. It’s an award the Board shares with the rest of its Louisville Water family. For the last two holiday seasons, the Service Board led a company-wide effort to get involved with The Angel Tree, a program that ensures thousands of local children have a merry Christmas.

Most Good award

“To see such gifted individuals take part in this effort to provide a meaningful holiday season to children and families in this community we serve is truly heartwarming!” shared Metering Specialist Clarence Collins, who co-chaired Louisville Water’s Angel Tree initiative last year.

With more than 40 volunteers, over 200 hours of service, and more than 60 Angels adopted by employees, Louisville Water was the third largest group to participate in 2023- earning a distinction of Joy Center Heroes.


“I was truly surprised, honored, and very grateful when I heard we had won such an awesome award!” Collins said. “To me it’s not about the award as much as it is to see the smiles on the families’ faces as they come to pick up the gifts.”


Commander Mark Hunter with The Salvation Army’s Louisville-area chapter says that’s what it’s all about, recalling his own memories with families on the days they come to pick up the bags of gifts.

“Tears streaming down their faces, saying ‘I would not have been able to provide Christmas for my family had it not been for The Salvation Army.’ Every volunteer is a part of that.”

Hunter says without volunteers, the Salvation Army couldn’t pull off The Angel Tree year after year.

“If you just think about the logistics of bringing together all that information. First, we gotta do applications. Then we’ve got to create Angels and we’ve got to put those out in the community to be adopted, and then we have to collect the toys and we have to bring the toys in and sort through them to make sure that the right child gets the right toy.” Hunter said, “It is just a massive overtaking that only happens during November and December. We could never do all of that without tremendous, talented volunteers.”

Doing the most good awardFor the first time in more than a decade, The Salvation Army hosted an event to recognize companies, organizations, and individuals Doing the Most Good and to spark the energy for another successful Red Kettle and Angel Tree campaign this year.

Louisville Water will be ready and encourages everyone to consider being a part of the magic created for local children and families.

Collins said, “If someone is on the fence about getting involved, I would say to them to just come experience this great opportunity and see for themselves, and I’m sure it will definitely make them want to do more in this great community we serve.”

There’s always room for helping hands and hearts.

“It can be a couple hours or it can be many hours. Don’t think that there’s nowhere for you to get plugged in,” Hunter said. “And if it’s not for The Salvation Army, I encourage you to volunteer somewhere.”