Press Releases
ATLANTA – March 11, 2022 – The American Cancer Society (ACS) is honoring an outstanding volunteer with the 2021 Volunteer Leadership Award, a national honor presented in recognition of distinguished service and leadership at the national level. The 2021 recipient is Joseph Gillette of Brooklyn, NY.
The Volunteer Leadership Award is presented to volunteers who have provided distinguished service to ACS at all levels of the organization. Nominees must have guided a major project or program to its completion, served as a role model for other volunteers, represented the ACS before other groups in the community, demonstrated commitment, and is currently serving as an ACS volunteer.
“We are honored to award Joe Gillette with the American Cancer Society’s Volunteer Leadership Award. He continuously prioritizes our mission when engaging in new and diverse fundraising initiatives and serves as a leader to volunteers across the globe. We are grateful for his support, and appreciative of the countless donors and partners he has connected to the ACS.” said Dr. Karen Knudsen, CEO of the American Cancer Society.
Joseph Gillette, Joe began his involvement with the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life of Brooklyn, and quickly positioned himself as a national leader. As an active member of the Greater New York City Board of Advisors, Joe brings his passion for fundraising to all aspects of the ACS mission. In the patient support space, he recognized and acted on an opportunity to develop new partnerships in the New York area to support the organization’s transportation programs. As a social media enthusiast, Joe continually generates innovative ideas and rallies volunteers across the globe to bring them to fruition. During the pandemic, Joe partnered with another volunteer and launched a Facebook call series to continue the personal connection that people were missing – providing an opportunity for all ACS volunteers, to connect, share ideas, and gather inspiration for fundraising. Joe also initiated the American Cancer Society’s Relay First Lap, which spread across the Globe via social media. The first Saturday of the year is now Relay First Lap – a day when Relay For Life enthusiasts gather their teams to take the First Lap of the season together, while encouraging new participants to sign up online and start their fundraising efforts. Not only does Joe serve as a mentor to others, but he quite literally puts his money where his mouth is, achieving almost half a million dollars in personal fundraising to date across a variety of ACS programs and events.
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