Waste Management of Michigan Awards Prestigious Top Honor for Volunteerism

WIXOM, Mich., March 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its annual recognition of community service, Waste Management of Michigan has selected Thomas Kuderik of Romulus to receive its most prestigious volunteer award as Volunteer of the Year for the Michigan and Ohio region.

"Thomas Kuderik, who works at Woodland Meadows Landfill as a Gatehouse professional, has been a dedicated Waste Management employee for 12 years," said Beth Schmucker, Senior Community Relations Manager for Waste Management. "We are pleased to honor Thomas Kuderik's distinctive service because his values of community service reflect Waste Management's commitment to our communities. As projects such as our sustainability initiatives demonstrate, Waste Management feels a responsibility to leave our planet to future generations in better shape than it exists today."

As part of his Volunteer of the Year award, Kuderik received an distinctive glass award made from 100% recycled bottle glass. Waste Management is also contributing $1,000 to Kuderik's charity of choice.

"Someone once told me if you don't like the ways things are going, then get involved -- and I did just that," Kuderik said. "I started volunteering 23 years ago and haven't stopped."

The numbers reflect his nonstop attitude: Last year alone, Kuderik volunteered more than 1,000 hours and has exceeded 1,000 volunteer hours each year for the last 15 years. Kuderik has been a leader with the Boy Scouts for many years, leading fundraisers and teaching Boy Scouts outdoor skills because he believes it's important to teach young men that you can do more in life than sit in front of a computer and play games.

Kuderik is also heavily involved with Romulus Rotary doing numerous service projects for the community. In addition, he spends a couple hundred hours each year serving as a mentor for senior high school students for Romulus Community Schools and helping with various sports and school events.

Waste Management is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management and environmental services. Waste Management makes it its business to Think Green®, positioning the organization to deliver lasting solutions to the environmental challenges our planet will face in the 21st century.

For more information on Waste Management, go to wm.com.

SOURCE Waste Management of Michigan