The Citrus Heights Chamber’s Education Committee honored Tanner Stuhr as the Education Committee’s 2017 Volunteer of the Year. The award was presented at the Chamber’s June 13, 2017, luncheon held at the Citrus Heights Community Center.

Tanner volunteered to lead the Chamber’s School Supply Drive in July and August 2016, during the summer between his sophomore and junior year (he is now entering his senior year). This enterprising young man raised over $7,000 dollars in donations (school supplies, cash, and gift card donations) for school supplies.

Tanner attended Chamber breakfasts and luncheons where he shared information about the school supply drive, provided his contact information, and accepted donations. Tanner went above and beyond to contact Chamber businesses by placing over 100 phone calls to Citrus Heights businesses describing the program, asking for donations, and following up with those that wanted to donate. He also contacted community organizations, spoke at the meetings, and collected donations. One organization he spoke to and collected donations from several times was the Citrus Heights Community Marching Band. In addition to contacting businesses and community organizations, he drove to businesses and Individuals’ homes to collect the donations.

Tanner also made and decorated large collections boxes and placed them in Citrus Heights businesses, then collected and stored the donations as the boxes filled. He organized, inventoried, and valued all donations in his collection center (otherwise known as the garage) and, assisted in coordinating a site for the distribution of the school supplies to the schools. Since he was back in school during the distribution, he solicited assistance from his younger brother Parker to assist with the distribution. Tanner’s mother remembers how he learned to shop with a crazy coupon lady: his mother. Together they found some great deals and clipped some awesome coupons, sometimes getting lots of free items and early bird pricing. One day, they shopped at four different stores to get story boards for the schools.

On behalf of the Chamber and Education Committee, we congratulate Tanner on his devotion and volunteerism in collecting must needed school supplies for Citrus Heights.

Lunches for the student and guests are sponsored by local businesses. Lunch was sponsored by Rosa Umbach, Education Chair, and a gift certificate to Sammy’s Restaurant was provided to Tanner from Stones Gambling Hall, courtesy of Amanda Blackwood.