Troy Tyloch, a volunteer with the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, was named as the 2002 Community Quarterback Award winner Tuesday by the Green Bay Packers.
A volunteer with the ARCW for the past 11 years, Tyloch, has helped more than 200 infected people cope with the ramifications of having HIV. HIV positive himself, Tyloch decided to turn a negative into a positive by speaking to numerous groups in the area, including high school classes and medical students, about the disease. Since 1991, Tyloch has logged nearly 10,000 hours of volunteer time.
By receiving today's honor, Tyloch and the ARCW were presented with a $10,000 grant from NFL Charities, in addition to $1,000 for being named a finalist for the award. He is now eligible to receive the NFL's national Community Quarterback Award and a $25,000 grant, presented in late December to one of the league's 32 local winners and his/her charity.
In addition to Tyloch's award, Bette Anderson of the Bay Area Humane Society and Bill Collar of the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association were named runners-up and received $2,500 grants for their organizations.
Anderson has been a volunteer for the Bay Area Humane Society since its beginning 43 years ago and created the lost and found program, among her many projects at the Green Bay shelter.
Collar, a long-time football coach at Seymour High School, has been a member of the WFCA since 1976. A district representative for the organization who also has served as president, Collar has demonstrated leadership that has led to the organization to grow to over 3,000 members and developed projects that raised its yearly budget from $75,000 to $500,000.
The ten finalists for the award and their affiliations are as follows:
Phil Hendrickson - Encompass Child Care, Inc. - Nominated by Jan Priewe
John Franken - Cerebral Palsy, Inc./CP Center - Nominated by Deborah Mertens
Christin Root - AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin - Nominated by Steve Matteson
Troy Tyloch - AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin - Nominated by Roma Hanson
Bette Anderson - Bay Area Humane Society - Nominated by Sue Teddy
Coach Bill Collar – Wisconsin Football Coaches Association - Nominated by Dick Rundle
Pat O'Keefe - United Way of Brown County - Nominated by Toni Loch
Gary Williams – Rawhide Boys Ranch - Nominated by John Dery
Sue Olmsted - The Salvation Army - Nominated by Major Robert Fay
The Green Bay Senior Optimist Club - Special Olympics - Nominated by Terri Refsguard
Each finalist received a $1,000 grant, to be donated to his/her non-profit group.
Funded by NFL Charities, the NFL Community Quarterback Award recognizes community and youth volunteers who demonstrate leadership, dedication and a commitment to bettering their communities. The nomination process is fulfilled by charitable organizations that nominate their distinguished volunteers, and a selection committee then is appointed by each NFL team to select its finalists and winners.
