The award was established to recognize an individual who has demonstrated a strong commitment to civic leadership – an individual that possesses servant leadership qualities and expresses their servant leadership through volunteer service to our community, to include leadership service with nonprofit and civic organizations in varying capacities. The award first presented to JoAnn Martin shortly before her passing in the fall of 2021 by a group of community leaders including leaders from Ameritas and NRC, who also established an endowment at the Foundation to sustain JoAnn’s leadership legacy.
JoAnn Martic Civic Leadership Award Honorees Include:
Dr. Mae Colleen Jones (2023)
The JoAnn Martin Civic Leadership Award recognizes a strong commitment to servant leadership through volunteer service to nonprofit and civic organizations. The award was established and first presented to JoAnn Martin shortly before her passing in the fall of 2021 by a group of community leaders including leaders from Ameritas and NRC. They also established an endowment at the Foundation to sustain JoAnn’s leadership legacy along with JoAnn’s family.
Jack and Sally Campbell became the third recipients of the award on April 30, 2024. Their story started nearly 80 years ago when they were set up on a blind date in high school by a mutual friend. Jack was from Lincoln and Sally lived in Kearney. Their first date was to see Tommy Dorsey’s Orchestra at the Turnpike.
“Two and a half dollars a ticket too,” Jack remembered with a laugh.
They went on to attend and graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln together. After Jack’s service in the Air Force, they returned to Lincoln to raise their family while Jack enjoyed a 40-year career with Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Leslie Levy, executive director of the International Quilt Museum spoke for many when she reflected on what makes the Campbells so special to this community.
“When you think about Jack and Sally Campbell, you think about them together as this incredible duo,” she said. “They are lively, kind, and compassionate. They live every day to the fullest and when they walk into a room, they just light it up.”
For the Campbells, living every day to the fullest has meant years of service to organizations including The Cooper Foundation, Friends of Lied, Nebraska Cultural Endowment and countless others. They both have a passion for the arts and humanities which is reflected in the opportunities they choose to be involved in.
As a founder of the Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Jack worked tirelessly to bring together the interests of private citizens and elected officials to establish the first public-private trust to fund both the arts and humanities in 1998.
Jack’s college connection to Johnny Carson – who he knew in school as John – led to a $500,000 grant from the Carson Foundation, the first major gift to the Cultural Endowment.
“Johnny Carson saw the good work being done in Nebraska and he knew people like Jack Campbell were involved,” said Chris Sommerich, executive director, Humanities Nebraska. “The Carson Foundation continues to support the Cultural Endowment all these years later.”
Sally is the former president of the Lincoln Quilters Guild and served as president for Junior League. Her love for quilting and people intersected often in her community service. Greg Jensen, former senior director of development for the University of Nebraska Foundation, reflected on how he first got to hear about Sally.
“Spearheaded by Sally, a group of quilters from all over the country put a quilt together and flew to Sweden to present it to the Queen,” he said. “That was really a big deal. It made a lot of press for Lincoln, Nebraska to have many of our own present this gift.”
For Jack and Sally, it is the friendships they continue to make – both in Lincoln and across the state – that inspire their service and keep them so involved.
“Jack and Sally’s presence in Lincoln was in the right place at the right time,” said Laurie Richards, interim film programmer for The Ross. “We are very fortunate, and we should feel blessed that they have been part of all this activity. We honor them today and we thank them so much.”
2024 JoAnn Martin Civic Leadership Award from Lincoln Community Foundation on Vimeo.