BY JEROD CLAPP
newsroom@newsandtribune.com
> SOUTHERN INDIANA —
Big or small, short or tall, 32 people were honored for sharing their faith in Christianity with their community and the world.
Inerfaith Community Council revealed this year’s recipients at its Giants in Faith: Celebrating Christian Role Models event at Huber’s Country Picnic Building Sunday afternoon.
The honorees were recognized for service ranging from donating to local charities to helping missionaries and locals in other countries. Cindy Kanning, co-chair for the event, said regardless of what each honoree did to be honored, they all serve as role models.
“The commandment is to share the faith,” Kanning said, “and that’s what all these ‘Giants’ are doing.”
Kanning said the recipients aren’t nominees. Each person nominated was honored as a Giants in Faith. A cap on the number of people awarded is used as a guideline, but not necessarily a final number. ICC encouraged people to submit names of people who either lived or worshipped in Floyd County.
“It’s a slip of the tongue for a lot of people, but we stay away from that word [nominee],” Kanning said. “How would you determine whose Christian impact is greater? They affect other people in all sorts of ways.”
People from 18 different churches and all over Kentuckiana were awarded in this year’s ceremony.
Joyce Woller from New Albany was recognized for teaching in her niece’s mission school in Guatemala, and also taught for 35 years. She said she felt dignified to be recommended for the award.
“I am mostly humbled because I don’t think I’m any more a giant than anyone else,” Woller said. “But I am also greatly honored.”
Stephanie Ann Piotrski from Corydon works with Soldiers in Christ Medical Missions, which helps provide medical supplies and other basic supplies for mission trips all over the world.
“Knowing that, when you submit your life to the lord, people can see that in you,” Piotrski said. “Really, it’s the love of Christ that they’re seeing.”
Kanning said the event continues to grow every year.
“Site-unseen for the first year, we had close to 350 people [at the event],” Kanning said. “I think there’s a real spirit out there to affirm people who are doing God’s work.”
This year, 425 people attended the event. The Tribune was the title sponsor.
Kanning said she hasn’t come across a recipient who was looking for recognition since the inception of the event.
“The number-one focus is to give back the glory,” Kanning said, “and after four years of interviewing every honoree, they all say, ‘I don’t want the spotlight.’”
