Lutheran Services Carolinas is happy to announce the winners of the Worker of Wonders (WOW) Award for 2020.
The WOW Award honors LSC volunteers who offer exemplary service and demonstrate significant dedication to the LSC ministry. This year, one volunteer in North Carolina and one volunteer in South Carolina were selected as winners.
Those nominated for the award must have volunteered with LSC for at least one year, and nominations must come from an LSC staff member.
Amira Hijazi, who has been volunteering with LSC for 3 years, is the North Carolina WOW Award winner. She is the daughter of Ilham Thurston, a member of LSC’s disaster services team.
She was nominated by the entire team for this award.
“Youth are our future,” the team wrote on her nomination form. “Kind, compassionate, and thoughtful youth make for a positive, equal, all-inclusive, diversified world. Amira is a perfect example of youthful leadership and exemplifies all of these critical skill sets and desires.”
As a volunteer with the disaster services team, Hijazi assists with collecting, prepping, providing, and delivering unmet needs to vulnerable populations who are served by LSC.
Hijazi was responsible for getting LSC a lot of internet attention when she reached out to YouTube icon MrBeas, asking him and his team to help a couple who couldn’t move back into their home that had been damaged by Hurricane Florence until they replaced the furniture. Thanks to Hijazi’s persuasiveness, MrBeast donated $30,000 of new furniture to the couple and the video brought in over 30 million views.
Hijazi is a student at Innovative Early College High School at East Carolina University where she is currently coordinating virtual volunteer opportunities for ECU students with LSC disaster services.
“It is such an honor being named the WOW award winner from Lutheran Services Carolinas, and I feel privileged to be nominated. I have learned through family and faith the importance of giving and caring for the welfare of others. I was nervous and excited at the same time after getting nominated but I am so grateful, and even more grateful to have been able to help others,” Hijazi said.
“We are all truly blessed and should all be thankful for what God has provided and share in God’s love with others. I learned from my parents the importance of giving back, either monetarily or even if it’s giving of our time and effort. It is a gift to be able to help whenever it is called upon.”
