Texanthropy Spotlight: Micah Pinson – 2017 Governor’s Volunteer Award Winner
This week’s Spotlight is on the winner of the 2017 Governor’s Volunteer Award titled the “First Lady’s Rising Star Award”. This award honors an individual 18 years or younger for their service to their community.
Micah Pinson wanted to find a way to give back to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, the hospital that has helped him over the years with a hand deformity. So in 2011, at the age of seven, Micah conceived a community service project that today stands as the largest single toy donation for the hospital. Each year, through Micah’s efforts, the toy drive attracts more businesses and participants to the cause. In 2016, over 10,000 toys arrived at the hospital in an 18-wheeler! And 12,000 toys were collected this year. In total, more than 37,000 toys have been collected over the last seven years. Each year, Micah seeks ways to involve more community and business leaders in this project, and he is already planning how to increase and sustain the toy drive for future years, hoping to involve younger patients so the project continues. Micah sees this project not only as a way of giving back to the hospital that helped him so much, but also as a blessing in his life.
Micah’s superpower skills were honored in a recent local news segment that named him a Hometown Hero. And earlier this week I had the pleasure of visiting Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children with Micah. At only 13 years old, Micah has already performed several years of volunteer service and is giving back to the community that provided help to him in a way that is inspiring to me, and that I know will continue to inspire others.
Congratulations to Micah Pinson, the 2017 Governor’s Volunteer Awards “First Lady’s Rising Star Award” winner.
