Tooele residents honored with Heart of Service award

TOOELE — Tooele Valley residents have been working hard over the past year to serve their community. On Wednesday, the Tooele City Council will honor 18 of those residents with the Heart of Service award.

The award this year honors 31 people who have chosen to serve across the country as part of the America250 initiative, encouraging Americans to give back through acts of service.

Annalese and Cameron Thorpe, who work with JustServe in Tooele Valley, helped nominate recipients from across the county. They also said that while this year's Heart of Service award is tied to the 250th celebration of America, the Heart of Service award is given out annually.

Of the 31 recipients, 18 of them will receive the award during the upcoming Tooele City Council meeting on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Five other recipients have already been honored in individual presentations.

"One of the greatest blessings of honoring people with the Heart of Service award has been hearing their service stories," Annalese Thorpe said. "There are so many good people quietly serving in the community. Seeing this has given me so much hope and a deeper love for my neighbors."

One such service story comes from a volunteer at Switchpoint Tooele who volunteered at the food pantry twice a week. Switchpoint Tooele helps operate the Tooele Emergency Food Pantry, the Harris Community Village, Switchpoint Thrift Store, Switchpoint Coffee and Stepping Stones Childcare.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints delivered 20 tons of food to Switchpoint Tooele in May to help feed approximately 2,000 individuals who come through the shelter each month.

When Annalese Thorpe asked the volunteer why she served, the volunteer explained that her husband had passed away. The volunteer said she could either sit on her couch all day to mourn and grieve her loss, or she could get up and serve. The Thorpes presented her award at the Switchpoint Thrift Store.

The city of Tooele also recently became recognized as a JustServe City, with the city of Grantsville close behind. JustServe Cities have formally committed to promoting and supporting service and volunteering.

"There's so many opportunities that my wife and I have had to serve," Cameron Thorpe said. "Right now, being exposed to all the things happening in Tooele County, speaking with leaders here and recognizing what needs to happen, it's really changed why and how I choose to serve."

The Thorpes said they plan to deliver the remaining eight awards by the end of November.