2018 Spirit of Gemma Awards Recipients

Humanitarian of the Year: Thomas Poole, Mechanicsburg, PA, Owner, Testing Services, Inc., was recognized as a long-time financial supporter of Gemma’s Angels and for recently securing a grant from the Carlisle Corvette Club;

Volunteer of the Year: Tina Hornberger, M.S., R.D., L.D.N., Harrisburg, PA. Hornberger, a nutritionist, developed the concept of and constructed the Gemma’s Angels Truck Farm Trailer, a traveling, edible garden-on-wheels that teaches young children the job of growing food and about sustainability.

Heroes for the Homeless: Vickie Shutt, Communications Manager for Penn State Health Human Resources, Newport, PA: Vickie led a purse collection project for Gemma’s shelter holiday program, collecting nearly 50 purses filled with cosmetics and toiletries for homeless shelter residents at Christmas.; 

The Gap Outlet, Hershey, John Fisher, manager. John led his store employees to purchase toys for an entire shelter for Gemma’s shelter holiday program and arranged a support grant from The Gap Foundation.

“Spirit of Gemma” Awards: CocoaPacks, of Hershey: Cocoa Packs, founded in 2015, distributes supplemental food providing nutritious breakfast, lunch and dinner items to students in the Hershey area on weekends, holidays and summers when they are not able to access school food programs; 

Margie Groy & RSVP of the Capital Region: Margie conceived and operated, with the help of Gemma’s Angels Mobile Farmer’s Market, the “Fruit & Fun” Program in Lebanon City Playgrounds in the Summer of 2017;

Shirley McGowan, Lebanon, PA: Shirley was recognized as the founder of the first Little Free Pantry in Lebanon. Little Free Pantries are a grassroots, crowdsourced answer to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, the Little Free Pantry assists neighbors helping neighbors. Through her efforts, there are now three pantries in the city of Lebanon.

Shirley McGowan, Lebanon, PA
Founder, first Little Free Pantry of Lebanon City

Shirley was recognized as the founder of the first Little Free Pantry in Lebanon. Little Free Pantries are a grassroots, crowdsourced answer to immediate and local need. Whether a need for food or a need to give, the Little Free Pantry assists neighbors helping neighbors. Through her efforts, there are now three pantries in the city of Lebanon.

New Volunteers of the Year: Eugene Pasquale, Harrisburg and Melissa Fritchey, also of Harrisburg. Pasquale serves as the organization’s official event photographer and provided hundreds of hours volunteering in the Mobile Farmer’s Market. Fritchey, Gemma’s Angels new Manager of Social Media, has boosted the organization’s profile on social media, resulting in significantly increased exposure and funding from the public.  

For more information about the breakfast or Gemma’s Angels, visit their web site at www.GemmasAngels.org.

Special thanks to the following sponsors who are generously donated to make our annual fundraiser a success:

Platinum Sponsorships $500 +

• Mike Macchioni Birthday Fundraiser - $620

Gold Sponsorships $200 - $499

• Jeremiah Jones Birthday Fundraiser - $300
• Drayer Physical Therapy Institute - $250
• Thomas Poole - TSI Testing, Inc. - $200
• Jeff Stoudt, Stoudt Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning - $200
• Kristine Walmer Stern Birthday Fundraiser - $250
• KSKJ Life Insurance - $250 - Mike Macchioni, National Service Award

Silver Sponsorships $125 - $199

• Ryan Kelly, Kelly Remodeling
• David Edwards and Associates
• John & Mary Kelly, Hummelstown
• John & Judy Dunn, Hershey

Bronze Sponsorship $75 - $124

• Ryan Kelly, Kelly Remodeling
• David Edwards and Associates - $125
• Dale & Elvira Ebling, Hershey

Friends of Gemma up to $74

• Michael Macchioni, The Web Experience
• Jay & Hilary Reitz, Chambers Hill
• Caleb Evans, Australia
• Mary Ettel, Hummelstown
• Carl Jr. & Thais Gries

2017 Award Recipients

Humanitarians of the Year

Jessica & Tim Demopoulos, Proprietors,
The Chocolate Avenue Grill & Smoke Bar & Grille.

Jessica and Tim have given generously to Gemma's Angels over the past several years, making our continued operation possible. We appreciate their past and ongoing support of the homeless, the poor and the working poor of Dauphin and Lebanon Counties.

2017 Volunteer of the Year

Jill Carpenter, Schaefferstown, PA
Jill was named Volunteer of the Year because of her work as volunteer manager of Gemma’s Angels HersheyPark Volunteer Program. Jill puts in hundreds of hours per year managing the program and volunteers. Through her efforts, the program revenue increased from the hundreds to the thousands.

Sponsored by Eden Resort & Suites, Lancaster, PA

“Spirit of Gemma” Award

·      Dr. Bhargav Patel, DMD, Hershey Dental Care, Hershey, PA

·      Support Connections of Lebanon County, Palmyra, PA

“Heroes for the Homeless” Award

·      Students of Milton Hershey School Student Home Green Hill and
Mr. & Mrs. Scott and Kim Schuyler

·      Students of Milton Hershey School Student Home Harpers and
Mr. & Mrs. Jesse and Jennifer McLucas

·      Lebanon Tri-Hi-Y, Lebanon High School

·      Daniel Ioffreda, Hershey High School Garden Club

·      Kobie White and Contega Hodges, Downtown Daily Bread soup kitchen, Harrisburg

·      Level Four and Level Six Gymnasts of the Gymnastics Center of Hershey
and Coach Gabi Phillips

Directions to the venue. Click on the red marker for turn-by-turn driving directions.

2015 Award Recipients

The 2015 award recipients are below: