The often unseen changemakers who work to benefit their communities every day gathered Thursday to be recognized and honored at the 10th Delaware Salute to Service awards.
The awards celebrated Delawareans for their outstanding service and efforts to spur change across the state at its first in-person ceremony since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ceremony, which was presented by the nonprofit Multiplying Good, recognized 10 local “unsung heroes” who have championed service in the First State at the Chase Center on the Wilmington Riverfront. These residents join the ranks of hundreds of others who have been recognized by the organization over the past decade.
“In this time of extraordinary division, these individuals remind us that all across Delaware, people are leaning in with kindness and empathy and helping each other,” said Hillary Beard Schafer, CEO of Multiplying Good.
“It is these stories we need to pay attention to, elevate, celebrate, and use for the basis of coming back together.”
Major John Treadwell
Major John Treadwell believes in paying it forward.
Treadwell was honored with the Outstanding Service by Employees in the Workplace award during Thursday’s ceremony and will go on to represent Delaware at the National Jefferson Awards later this year.
“I’m truly humbled and honored by this award,” Treadwell said during the ceremony. “I’m just driven by the need to continue to help and to pay it forward.”
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The quote “To whom much is given, much is required” strongly resonated with the man who began his career with New Castle County Police Department in 1994 and has since been committed to improving the community at each subsequent juncture.
Treadwell’s volunteer efforts include serving on the Board of Directors for National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), running events for Charity Crossing and teaching at the Citizens Police Academy on his own time.
He also volunteers on the statewide Crisis Intervention Committee where he trains law enforcement on how to deal with citizens in crisis and promotes whole-person wellness focusing on mental health initiatives for law enforcement officers as well as community members.
Shelby Farris
Shelby Farris founded the organization HeartArt in 2015 in an effort to “turn creativity into compassion.”
Since then, Farris has spearheaded the creation and donation of more than 60,000 creative comfort items including over 55,000 greeting cards and thousands of kindness rocks, port pillows and fun pillowcases for cancer patients.
“This is obviously not why I do what I do but it’s just amazing to get the word out there about community service and to inspire other youth to get involved in their communities,” Farris said.
At the start of the pandemic, 16-year-old Farris provided activity kits to local school districts and sent project plants to students and teachers across the country. Her Valentines for Veterans campaign collects valentine cards and candy to send to veterans and active-duty service members.
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In 2021, she collected more than 5,000 valentines and was able to distribute more than 1,000 gift bags. As a result of her efforts, Farris was recognized with the Outstanding Service by a Young American award Thursday.
Delilah Colon
As the pandemic ravaged the country with rising COVID-19 cases and deaths, Delilah Colon helped provide testing and food to people residing in motels, the Sunday Breakfast Mission, and campgrounds.
Colon, a licensed master social worker for the Behavioral Health Unit with New Castle County, partnered with New Castle County Police officers responding to mental health crisis calls. Her work with police is supplemented by her volunteer efforts alongside Dr. Sandra Gibney at St. Francis Hospital and with the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health.
“If I could connect with one person to get them to the right support that they need to ensure their safety and that their needs are being met – I feel my day is fulfilled,” Colon said.
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Through her service, Colon supported and connected people to necessary resources in an effort to show that they are not alone and that there is help available to support them in Delaware.
Colon was honored with the Outstanding Service by Employees in the Workplace award during Thursday’s ceremony. Colon will continue to volunteer when there is a need to provide support and guide individuals to the resources they need.
Audrey Eubanks
Audrey Eubanks, alongside her family and employer, helped support a Jamaican family staying at the Ronald McDonald House due to a liver transplant for their 14-year-old daughter.
For Eubanks, service “is part of her DNA.”
With the promise to interact with New Castle County residents daily, Eubanks joined the Community Services Unit of the New Castle County Division of Police in 2013. In her job, Eubanks provides office operations expertise and customer service support.
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Outside of work, Eubanks volunteers in different capacities at her children’s schools, continuously seeking another opportunity to serve where she is needed. Eubanks was honored with the Outstanding Service by Employees in the Workplace award during Thursday’s ceremony
Daniel Hafich
Many of the people who Daniel Hafich grew up with were involved with drugs or struggling with addiction. Some childhood friends and family members continue to live with addiction, while others recover.
It was these experiences that influenced Hafich to attend a public naloxone – often referred to as Narcan – training in his community in order to learn how to use it to reverse an opioid overdose. The meeting spurred Hafich to become a volunteer and work to better the communities around him.
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Over the years, Hafich has paired with many organizations where he collects gently used clothing, prepares food and snacks, and gathers medical supplies and toiletries. The organizations he works with serve all walks of life, with all sorts of needs and at all hours.
He has walked the streets of Baltimore, Wilmington and Philadelphia in an effort to help. He has donated across states for natural disasters, and recently, across countries for war.
Today, Hafich is a telecommunicator for police with New Castle County. Hafich was honored with the Outstanding Service by Employees in the Workplace award Thursday afternoon.
Robert Moley
Robert Moley’s commitment to service began when he was a boy, volunteering as an altar boy for his church and as a boy scout. As an adult, he became a major advocate for donating blood products through the Delmarva Blood Bank. He started when he was in the military and continued donating whole blood until 1990.
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As the years passed, he became the second person to reach 300 platelet donations and the first to reach 400. He has now given close to 450 platelet donations and is still the all-time leader for donations.
Following a 30-year career with Verizon, Moley began his time as a 911 call taker with New Castle County. He is now in his 11th year. Moley was honored with the Outstanding Service by Employees in the Workplace award Thursday afternoon.
Lt. Autumn Tuxward
Autumn Tuxward became New Castle County’s first Black paramedic in 2005. Today, Tuxward, a paramedic lieutenant with the county, maintains a strong spirit for advocacy and service, fueled by a desire to connect people to resources they need to succeed.
“We’re all created to be an answer to a problem,” she said following the ceremony. “To see so many people walking in that space where they are serving their purpose and being fulfilled by giving back and being a blessing to other people is really inspiring and motivating.”
Tuxward is currently working on a community health block party to bring little to no cost health resources, such as mental and addiction services, to underserved communities in New Castle County.
Tuxward was honored with the Outstanding Service by Employees in the Workplace award Thursday.
Charlotte King
King has been a longtime leader in fighting for social and racial justice, constantly working to address the inequities she’s seen all of her life.
In 2015, she formed the Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice, building the organization to become an essential tool in informing the public about racial injustice and its impact on Delaware’s communities.
The organization provides a slew of initiatives, including regular town hall meetings that focus on excessive use of force by police and racial inequality in housing and healthcare. The organization has also established scholarship programs that are aimed at helping Black high school students heading to college and paraprofessionals seeking teacher certifications.
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King was honored with the Outstanding Service Benefiting Local Communities award Thursday.
Rep. Dave Wilson
State Rep. Dave Wilson was honored with the Outstanding Service Benefiting Local Communities award Thursday for his service and impact on organizations such as the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, Delaware Burn Camp, Wreaths Across America and the Delaware State Fair.
Wilson volunteers his time and talents as an auctioneer at fundraising events and conducts the livestock auction to support youth raising and displaying farm animals at the fair.
Each Christmas, he delivers meals to homebound seniors at CHEER, a Sussex County organization focused on helping seniors.
Christina Haynes
Christina Haynes lost her child, Troy, to Renal Medullary Carcinoma in September 2019, months after he helped take his high school football team to a state championship for the second time in three years.
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Following his death, Hayes created the 4Troy Foundation in January 2020 to help bring awareness to the condition. The organization aims to help families who are navigating their battle with the condition, provide housing support and build a youth mentoring program for student-athletes in Sussex County.
Hayes also spearheaded the Troy Haynes Jr. Community Day, which provided Thanksgiving dinner to the families of three local teens who were going through chemotherapy and radiation. The day also gave several local children toys and clothes on Christmas morning alongside holding a blood drive.
Hayes was honored with the Outstanding Service by a Delaware Hero award during Thursday’s ceremony.
Contact the reporter at jcastaneda1@delawareonline.com or connect with him on Twitter @joseicastaneda.
