Two Utahns were among 20 individuals nationwide who received the 1996 National Caring Award from the Caring Institute during ceremonies in Washington, D.C.
Jon Huntsman and Katy Ballenger both received awards.Huntsman, CEO of Huntsman Corporation, was honored for providing a $100 million endowment to find a cure for cancer, a disease that has affected his family.
He was also lauded for his dedication over the years to such causes as the Jake Garn Institute, Utah State's environmental research center, the Lowell Bennion Center at the University of Utah, Armenian earthquake victims and Catholic Charities, among others.
Huntsman and his family have also volunteered time to the local homeless shelter, St. Vincent De Paul Center and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Ballenger, 18, was one of 10 young adults to be honored by the Caring Institute.
Since her sophomore year, Ballenger has volunteered with a number of service agencies. As a high school junior she created Help Us Give Service, a school-based group to encourage student voluntarism.
In the two years since the program, called HUGS, began, 123 students have given thousands of hours to 150 agencies.
And the program has spread to two other Utah schools. Now Ballenger is forming a nonprofit organization to promote the club nationally.
She also works with children who have Down syndrome and teaches dance to youths with disabilities.
Other award winners included the Rev. Leon Sullivan, Phoenix, founder of Opportunities Industrialization Centers International; Bill and Kathy Magee, co-founders of Operation Smile, Norfolk, Va.; and Mimi Silbert, CEO of Delancey Street Foundation in San Francisco. Jane Goodall, founder of the institute that bears her name, will receive an international caring award.
Nominations were solicited from more than 250,000 Americans. Ten adults and 10 young adults were selected.
The goal of the awards is to highlight selfless acts and create role models for society.
The young adult winners were nominated by junior and senior high schools, which were asked to identify their most caring young person.
The young winners will receive a week at U.S. Space Camp in Hunts-ville, Alabama, as well as an award designed by Heisman creator, the late Frank Eliscu.