Weaver Awards
Wilkes County 2024
Up to $5000 for Neighbors Building Trust and Community
Some people weave our communities together through care and connection. We count on them when something needs to get done. They bring us together and make sure everyone is included. They are weavers.
The Weaver Awards recognize and celebrate them. If you are spreading care and building trust in Wilkes – or want to nominate weavers who make a difference in your neighborhood – you’ve come to the right place.
Applications close in:
Join a Free Information Session
Do you have questions about the Weaver Awards application process? Could you use some support with submitting your application? Join the Weave Team to learn more about the Awards, get your questions answered, and receive technical support in submitting your application.
Wednesday, October 16 at 7:00pm
Wednesday, November 13 at 12:30pm
All sessions are virtual via Zoom, and last approximately 30 minutes.
Who is Eligible?
If you are at least 18 years old, live in Wilkes County, and are helping neighbors work together to make Wilkes stronger, you are eligible! You need to have a project that welcomes everyone and builds relationships between people as it serves the community. You can apply for up to $5000 to support your work. A group of Wilkes community advocates will select 20 people to receive Awards early in 2025.
You don’t have to have a fancy title or work for a nonprofit. The Awards are for the people who show up, again and again, for others. Last year, Wilkes Awardees included teachers inspiring and supporting students to succeed in school and life. One Awardee turned a quiet public library into a buzzing hub with activities for all ages. Others helped young adults, immigrants, and families feel valued and supported by the community. You can read about prior Awardees below.
Why Have Weaver Awards?
Communities everywhere are facing challenges – the economy is shifting, many people feel isolated and lonely, drug use and mental illness have risen, old ties are fraying, people of different backgrounds are moving in, and politics has gotten more nasty. Yet, in most places, people are not giving up. They’re not waiting for someone else to make things better. They are showing up, again and again, to make their communities better.
You likely know these weavers. They seem to know everyone. They inspire us to support each other. They see a need and fill it. They don’t usually receive grants for their work. We count on them and yet we rarely celebrate how important they are to us.
The Aspen Institute’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project in Washington, DC created the Weaver Awards to honor those neighbors serving their communities and weaving a new, inclusive social fabric. Thanks to a partnership between Wilkes and the Weave project, we are having these Awards for the second year in a row. Why? Because these weavers are showing us how to heal the divides in our communities, and in our country. They are leaders in helping us restore trust in each other… from the ground up
The Advisors
Tiger Posey
Parks And Recreation Assistant Director
Thomas Salley
Director, Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority
Francisco Martinez
EDC Marketing Director
Takiyah McCathern
Assistant Principal
Luke Jarvis
Director, Wyld
Tina Krause
Director, Hospitality House
Elizabeth Conrad
Community Advocate
Belinda Marino
Community Advocate
Greg Brady
Community Advocate
Gary Buffaloe
Wilkesboro Baptist Church
Morgan Price
Independent Insurance Agent
Shaden Dowiatt
Weave Sr. Advisor
Meet Past Awardees
Last year’s Weaver Awardees come from across Wilkes County. Whether helping those without homes rediscover their dignity, welcoming newcomers of other backgrounds, or helping young people find pride in themselves and the community, these weavers connect us and make us stronger. They inspire us to show up and become weavers ourselves. Some of their stories have appeared in newspapers and on TV. Take a minute to see who they are and consider applying for this year’s Awards.
Get Involved as a Weaver
If you care about building a stronger Wilkes, join the Weave Wilkes online group. You’ll get updates on the Weaver Awards, be invited to skill-building and community gatherings, meet others interested in weaving, and more. It takes just a few minutes to join and become connected to a wealth of people, stories, and resources.
FAQs
Anyone who applies or is just interested can join the Weave Community, where they get invitations to gatherings, support from other weavers, and learn about resources and grants that may be available. Join now, even before you apply and choose Wilkes as your subcommunity, at: community.weavers.org/pages/welcome
Send an email to weaverawards@aspeninstitute.org and we’ll respond as soon as possible.
A group of Wilkes community advisors will review and select the Weaver Awardees. In the meantime, join our online Weave Community to stay connected, get invited to Weaver Awards events, hear about other funding opportunities, and meet weavers like you.
Contact us at weaverawards@aspeninstitute.org and we’ll be happy to answer them!
Contact Us
If you have questions about the Awards or have problems using this website, let us know. And if you want to learn more about what weavers across the US are doing to build trust, visit weavers.org.