Student United Way of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls President Liz Stolte was awarded the 2011 River Falls Youth Emerging Legend Community Service Award at the River Falls Community Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Breakfast.

The award recognizes those under 21 who are either living or attending college in River Falls and have shown exceptional leadership as well as provided community service to the River Falls community. As UW-River Falls Student United Way President, Stolte has organized projects such as a school supply drive for River Falls schools and United Way agencies, trick-or-treating for canned goods, visiting senior citizens, painting United Way agency Turningpoint, caring for foster animals and helping children in the slums of Kenya through another project of the former Student United Way faculty advisor.

Stolte has also volunteered as an Americorps Vista at the Eastside Boys and Girls Club in St. Paul, where she and the other volunteers read to hundreds of children during the summer of 2010. Stolte then developed a presentation about starting a volunteer reading program and presented it to other Student United Way leaders at the annual Student United Way Leadership Retreat at United Way Worldwide in Washington, D.C. this past September.

Student United Way President Liz Stolte with her 2011 River Falls Youth Emerging Legend Community Service Award

Stolte was nominated for the service award by United Way St. Croix Valley staff member Kate Smith. Said Smith about Stolte’s work with United Way, “Liz has been an inspiration to her peers by leading the Student United Way and encouraging them to make a difference. The organization now has more active members than ever before, and I don’t doubt a huge reason for that is Liz’s enthusiasm for service.”

For more information about the Student United Way of UW-River Falls or United Way St. Croix Valley, call 715-377-0203 or visit http://www.unitedwaystcroix.org.