2026

Held April 16, 2026 at

The Inn on Maritime Bay, Manitowoc

AWARD NOMINEES

2025 UP & COMING VOLUNTEER AWARD
Casper Guyton
Maddie Black

2025 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Karen Bauknecht Vansistine
Betty Bittner
Michael Brunet
Michael Miller
Jacque Moriarty
Mark & Suellen Reiff
Jenine Soucoup

2025 VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP AWARD
Karen Bauknecht Vansistine
Heather Nixon
Daniel Palama

2025 TEAM VOLUNTEER AWARD
Allen & Bonnie Kracht
Ascend Services
Gracious Givers
Kohler Credit Union
Magical Trolley Volunteers
Paul Kraynek & Phil Walters
Rotary Club of Two Rivers

2025 LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT VOLUNTEER AWARD
Judy Lavicka
Oliver Larsen
Lisa Stolp
Alice Weyenberg

And the Winners are...

Maddie Black

2025 Up & Coming Volunteer Award Recipient

Maddie Black is the kind of person who seems to say “yes” to life—and then somehow follows through on all of it.

A student at Lincoln High School with a 4.0 GPA, Maddie balances an incredible range of commitments. She’s active in tennis and U.S. Figure Skating, where she recently achieved her second Gold level. She serves as President of the Green Club, is involved in Rising Phoenix, and was even nominated by her peers as Prom Queen this spring.

And alongside all of that, she shows up for her community again and again.

Maddie volunteers with CASA’s Magical Trolley and the Girl Scout Skating event. She helps with school concessions, Boo Fest at the Rahr-West, and local beach clean-ups. She tutors, teaches others how to skate, and even spent part of her holiday season going around the community singing Christmas songs—just to bring a little extra joy.

She does all of this while working at Hartman’s Greenhouse, bringing the same energy and positivity into her job.

What stands out most is not just how much Maddie does—it’s how she does it. With kindness, enthusiasm, and just enough spark to make a lasting impression wherever she goes.

For her initiative, her generosity, and the example she sets for others her age and beyond, we are proud to recognize Maddie Black as this year’s Up and Coming Volunteer Award recipient.

Betty Bittner

2025 Volunteer of the Year Award Recipient

If you’ve spent any time in Two Rivers or Manitowoc County, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Betty Bittner’s quiet, steady impact.

For more than 21 years, Betty has lived the Rotary Club of Two Rivers motto: Service Above Self. She’s served as Chair of the club and as Chair of the Rotary Foundation Board, where she helps lead the annual dinner that raises important funds for local causes.

She currently serves as Treasurer of the Rotary Foundation, putting her banking and finance background to work for the community she loves.

Betty doesn’t stop there. She delivers Meals on Wheels, rings bells for The Salvation Army, reads to first graders in Two Rivers Elementary Schools, sings in the choir at St. Peter the Fisherman, and volunteers for countless church and community events.

She’s helped clean up parks, planted trees, placed hundreds of wreaths for Wreaths Across America on cold winter days, and jumped in to tutor children in reading and math alongside her husband Mark.

Whether it’s serving on the Business and Industrial Development Committee for the City of Two Rivers, supporting Two Rivers Educational Horizon, 100+ Women Who Care, or stepping up wherever she’s needed, Betty consistently gives 20 to 25 hours every month.

She shows up, works hard, and brings others along with her.

At a time when many people slow down, Betty keeps showing up with energy and heart.

She’s become a trusted mentor to new Rotary members and proves every day that volunteering isn’t just something she does — it’s who she is.

For her decades of selfless service, her leadership, and her unwavering commitment to making our community better, we are proud to present the Volunteer of the Year Award to Elizabeth (Betty) Bittner.

Karen Bauknecht Vansistine

2025 Volunteer Leadership Award Recipient

When you walk into Lakeshore Humane Society, you immediately feel the difference Karen Bauknecht Vansistine makes.

For the past four years, Karen has served as the organization’s Volunteer Coordinator — completely as a volunteer.

She schedules volunteers, supports them, and creates a warm, encouraging environment where people feel genuinely valued.

That sense of belonging has helped grow a stronger, more committed volunteer team.

She consistently gives 50 to 60 hours every month, often adding extra time for special events.

While doing so, she’s taken on everyday tasks like dishwashing and laundry — chores the staff used to handle twice a day — freeing them up to spend more time caring for the animals.

Karen leads by example and by heart. She wears her Lakeshore Humane Society shirt everywhere she goes, quietly spreading awareness about the mission to aid, advocate, adopt, and give a voice to animals who cannot speak for themselves.

Her compassion, reliability, and quiet leadership have strengthened both the volunteer program and the entire staff.

At 78 years old, Karen is putting in nearly full-time hours — all as a volunteer — because of her deep passion for animal welfare.

For stepping up as a true volunteer leader, creating a welcoming culture, and making a lasting impact on both people and animals at Lakeshore Humane Society, we are proud to present the Volunteer Leadership Award to Karen Bauknecht Vansistine.

Paul Kraynek & Phil Walters

2025 Team Volunteer Award Recipient

Some projects take planning. Others take persistence. And a few—like moving a World War II submarine—take both, in extraordinary measure.

For the USS Cobia Dry Dock Project, Phil Walters and Paul Kraynek stepped into critical roles as assistant project managers, helping guide one of the most complex and important preservation efforts in the Wisconsin Maritime Museum’s history.

They weren’t just part of the plan—they were part of the execution, every step of the way.

Week after week, often three to four days at a time, Phil and Paul were onsite at the shipyard. Each of them spent nearly two full weeks in Sturgeon Bay, stepping in to oversee operations, solve problems, and give project leadership the support—and even the occasional day off—needed to keep everything moving forward.

Phil brought over 25 years of volunteer experience, with deep mechanical expertise. Paul, with nearly 15 years of service and an estimated 300 hours a year, contributed his electrical knowledge and steady commitment. Together, they formed a team that could take on just about anything the project demanded.

And when the dry dock work was complete, they didn’t step away—they kept showing up, continuing their hands-on role in maintaining and preserving the USS Cobia for future generations.

What stands out here is not just the scale of the project—it’s the consistency, the trust, and the willingness to go far beyond what was asked.

For their leadership, their partnership, and their extraordinary commitment to preserving history, we are proud to recognize Phil Walters and Paul Kraynek with the Team Volunteer Award.

Lisa Stolp

2025 Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

For nearly 17 years, Lisa Stolp has been a steady, powerful voice for children in Manitowoc County who have no one else to speak for them.

As a Court Appointed Special Advocate with CASA of East Central Wisconsin, Lisa has dedicated herself to 19 children and their families.

Month after month, she makes weekly home visits, checks in at school or daycare, talks with parents, foster providers, teachers, and therapists, attends meetings, writes reports, and shows up in court — all to advocate for what is truly best for each child.

That consistent commitment adds up to more than 2,000 hours of her time over the years — time she has given freely while facing some of the most difficult situations a child can experience.

Beyond her advocacy work, Lisa regularly spends extra hours in the CASA office handling clerical tasks to keep everything organized and running smoothly.

For the past three years, she has also poured her energy into the steering committee for CASA’s Magical Trolley event, helping create joyful, magical experiences with crafts and games for the children and families who need it most.

Lisa’s greatest joy is watching a CASA child finally find permanency — especially the powerful moment when a child is adopted by their foster family.

She approaches every challenge with determination and heart, and she has become a trusted mentor to new advocates coming into the program.

After more than 20 years of selfless service — including her earlier work as a Chamber Ambassador and youth bowling coach — Lisa continues to show up with passion and purpose.

For her extraordinary dedication, her thousands of hours of advocacy, and the lasting difference she has made in the lives of vulnerable children and families, we are proud to present the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Award to Lisa Stolp.

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