March 25, 2024 Off-duty Florida paramedics win Never Quit awards for rescuing tornado victims AFSCME Florida members Heath Schmidt and Paul Tucker, who are both critical care paramedics, are the latest winners of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
March 11, 2024 Helping some of Hawaii’s most vulnerable, Never Quit winner embodies can-do spirit Mary Akimo-Lu’uwai, who works for the Hawaii Department of Health, is the latest winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
February 27, 2024 Washington state probation counselor makes a difference in girls’ lives Melanie Kaegi’s work is guided by a simple fact: It takes one caring adult to make a difference in a youth’s world Read More
February 12, 2024 In Alaska, a nurse’s aide eases elders’ paths Alaska’s Crystal Basnaw is a source of “limitless” kindness at the Fairbanks Pioneer Home. Read More
January 26, 2024 Never Quit Award winner teaches inmates to develop a green thumb Amy Coonce is a horticulture instructor at the minimum-security Robinson Correctional Center in Robinson, Illinois. Read More
January 08, 2024 With a ‘heart of wisdom,’ hospital housekeeper Greta Glenn advocates for her co-workers With 27 years’ experience under her belt, psychiatric hospital housekeeper Greta Glenn helps new employees learn the ropes. Read More
December 18, 2023 Never Quit winner is Miami waste collector who ‘takes the extra time’ to serve residents Robert Dyer, a waste collector for the city of Miami who is a member of Local 871 (AFSCME Florida), is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
November 13, 2023 At a Texas prison, a ‘drill instructor’ sergeant motivates, inspires rookies Learn how Sgt. Christina Williams, a member of AFSCME Texas Corrections, motivates new corrections officers. Read More
November 02, 2023 Daring boat rescue shows Connecticut police officers’ commitment to public safety Boat rescue highlights Connecticut police officers’ commitment to serving their community. Read More
October 26, 2023 Her mission is to make life safer for victims of domestic violence Kirsha Haverlah, a member of AFSCME Local 1624 in Travis County, Texas, is the latest winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
October 16, 2023 Massachusetts park rangers win Never Quit award for heroic response to State House fire Four Massachusetts park rangers who responded heroically to a fire at the State House are the latest winners of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
September 27, 2023 An L.A. native’s calling: helping others find their path to service Melissa York, our latest Never Quit winner, thrives on creating service opportunities for L.A.’s Jewish community. Read More
September 21, 2023 A Never Quit winner realizes his dream of honoring Native Americans Never Quit winner Charles Smith, Jr. has fulfilled his dream of honoring Rhode Island Native American veterans. Read More
September 11, 2023 With selflessness and ‘sunlight,’ Jennifer Espino brightens the lives of people with disabilities The latest Never Quit winner, Massachusetts’ Jennifer Espino, brightens the lives of those in her care. Read More
August 29, 2023 ‘Working in a man’s field’: Never Quit winner is Pennsylvania heavy equipment operator Michele Reich, a heavy equipment operator for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and member of AFSCME Local 2151 (Council 13), is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
August 14, 2023 Never Quit winner shuns the spotlight even as it shines on her, again and again Mel Newton of New York is the latest winner of the Never Quit Service Award. Read More
July 31, 2023 Never Quit winner helps co-workers have tough conversations on race Sona Shah, equity and inclusion program manager for the City of Austin’s Parks and Recreation Department and a member of AFSCME Local 1624, is the latest winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
July 10, 2023 An airport carpenter is flying high in Detroit At Detroit Metropolitan Airport, a carpenter leads his team to new heights. Read More
June 12, 2023 He beat the best surfers in the world, but he’s still a lifeguard at heart Luke Shepardson is a world champion surfer and a winner of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
June 06, 2023 Never Quit winner is New Mexico civil engineer who loves a challenge Chris Rodela, a New Mexico civil engineer technician who is a member of AFSCME Local 3199 (Council 18), is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
May 22, 2023 ‘Kind, smart and loving’: Connecticut school secretary wins Never Quit award Brooke Carta, a Middletown, Connecticut, school secretary and a member of AFSCME Council 4, is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
May 08, 2023 In a Maryland elementary school, a staff member lights a path for kids and their families For Maryland’s Jeniffer Morales Jimenez, helping her students means helping their families. Read More
April 27, 2023 She put her dreams on hold, but now she’s making a big difference in her community. Shahida Balaparya, a senior vascular technologist at UMass Medical Center and member of SHARE/AFSCME Local 3900, is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
April 10, 2023 School security officers put their lives on the line to save students from being shot Two Rochester, New York, school security guards won the Never Quit Service Award for preventing a potential school shooting. Read More
March 27, 2023 With labor in his bones, a jack-of-all-trades calls it a career Massachusetts’ Mark Smith, of Local 1700 (Council 93), is our latest Never Quit Service Award winner. Read More
February 23, 2023 ‘Nurse Bob’ recognized for helping vulnerable Ohioans access health care they need Robert Holomuzki, a community nurse in Ohio, is a winner of AFSCME’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
February 21, 2023 Never Quit winner is an Indiana Head Start teacher determined to help others Tekeyla McCracken, a teacher in Richmond, Indiana, and president of AFSCME Local 2077, is a winner of our union’s Never Quit Service Award. Read More
February 06, 2023 NYC dispatcher wins Never Quit Service Award after stopping shooter in subway A Local 1549 911 dispatcher saved lives through her quick actions as a man opened fire in the NYC subway. Read More
January 23, 2023 Never Quit winners who learned CPR just in case save two students from choking Rhode Island Never Quit winners had learned CPR just in case. They ended up saving two elementary school students from choking to death. Read More
March 23, 2023 A stickler for safety brings a smile to the needle-wary Learn how our latest Never Quit Service Award winner, Minnesota’s Ashley Peterson, keeps blood donors smiling. Read More