EARTH HERO AWARDS

Each year Earth Day Staunton recognizes one or more individuals or organizations for their outstanding efforts towards the improvement of our local environment.
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2025 - Individual
Matt Sensabaugh
​As Staunton's City Horticulturalist, Matt went above and beyond his prescribed duties ensuring the preservation of Staunton’s tree canopy, providing beauty for residents, habitat for wildlife, and reinforcing our natural buffer against climate change. He provided invaluable assistance to the Staunton Legacy Tree Project and oversaw the planting of 2,746 trees in 2019-2020, one for every school child in Staunton.  

Shenandoah Green Board present award to Matt Sensabaugh, 2nd from right.

2025 - Organization
Augusta County Public School & 
Superintendent Eric Bond
For forward-thinking leadership in making Augusta County Public Schools a model of the use of renewable energy to power education for the future. By overseeing the installation of solar panels on 11 school buildings and the addition electric buses and vans to the school transportation fleet, Mr. Bond demonstrated to his students that renewable energy is a practical and important tool in solving the climate crisis.

Here are some of our past recipients:

2024 - Individual
Joseph McCue​
In recognition of his years of passionate effort to improve the environment of the Shenandoah Valley, including as a founding member of Friends of the Middle River & owner of Conservation Services, assisting farmers with better practices for cleaner streams and planting trees & shrubs to provide habitat and create riparian buffers.

2024 - Organization
Jones Garden
In recognition of their beautiful and educational community gardens, ensuring that all members of our community have access to fresh, affordable food and have a place where they can learn to grow vegetables using sustainable gardening techniques.

2024 - Youth
Grace Gardner
In recognition of her many accomplishments in the environmental field as a young adult, including co-founding the Mary Baldwin University Net Impact group & establishing composting on campus; lending her many talents to the Sustainable Shenandoah Valley and Earth Day Staunton events; and wielding a shovel to help plant trees with unreasonably large root balls with Staunton Tree Stewards.

​2023 - Organization
Alleghany Mountain Institute 
An educational non-profit working in our community promoting future farmers and teachers to be good stewards of the land. And creating gardens in Augusta & Highland Counties to support general wellness programs and dietary education.

2023 - Individual
​ Bruce Dorries 
For his many years of support in the planning of Earth Day Staunton, and commitment to the environment, including planting 20 acres of his property with native plants for pollinators and a pond for frogs and dragonflies. And his years spreading environmental awareness among students at Mary Baldwin University.

2022 - Organization
Project Grows

​An educational nonprofit organization
​with a mission to improve the health of children and youth in Staunton, Waynesboro, & Augusta County. ​

2022 - Individual
​Bobby Whitescarver

Whitescarver Natural Resource Management Bobby has made soil & water conservation on Valley Farms his life work.

A SPECIAL MEMORIAL AWARD was presented honoring
JOEY REECE of Shenandoah Valley Stargazers.
Joey shared the wonders of stars with children at Earth Day Staunton for many years with the large solar telescope. Joey also worked to preserve the beauty of our night sky with local Dark Sky initiatives.
Joey passed away in 2022.
His widow, Sandy Reece, accepted the award.

2021 - Organization
Refill Renew Store of Staunton

For bringing practical, everyday alternative products without plastic packaging to Staunton,
enabling our community to reduce the use of single-use plastics to help restore Planet Earth.

Visit their website by clicking on the logo.

Refill Store owner, Mandy Drumheller (left), receives her award.

Sandy Greene, left, receives award during Earth Day Staunton 2021.

2021 - Individual
​Sandy Green

Environmental Educator & Solar Organizer.
In recognition of her lifetime of work devoted to educating children and their families about how to love and restore Planet Earth. And for her many years creating magic at Earth Day Staunton.

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2018 - Organization
​Red Wing Roots Music Festival 

Our 2018 organization recipient was recognized for their efforts to create a plastic-free festival event, and raise awareness of the environmental impact of single-use plastic waste at large gatherings. Their festival is a role model for making stewardship of our planet a priority over convenience.

You can visit them by clicking on the logo.

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Caroline Sheridan of Earth Day Staunton presents the 2018 Earth Day Hero Award to Michael Weaver of Red Wing Roots Festival

Steve Grande of Sustainable Shenandoah Valley is presented with the 2018 Earth Day Hero Award.

2018 - Individual
​Steve Grande
Chair, Sustainable Shenandoah Valley

Our 2018 individual recipient was recognized for his efforts to raise environmental awareness and action in our region. He has helped protect the Shenandoah Valley through founding the Sustainable Shenandoah Valley RCE, Staunton Green, and his many other endeavors. 

You can visit Sustainable Shenandoah Valley by clicking on the logo below.