CKF Awards Presented by Clark’s Market

Awarded to 3 trailblazers in the donation & transplant community.

Logo for CKE Awards featuring a sunburst background, silhouettes of buildings, and bold text in yellow, red, and green.

The CKF Awards replaced the Bounce Back, Give Back Awards. Now, we recognize 3 members of the donation and transplantation community with our Hero Award, Bounce Back, Give Back Award, and Community Champion Award. These individuals are lights of the donation and transplantation community and strive to promote organ, eye, and tissue donation. They have achieved incredible accomplishments and blaze the way for those in the community and beyond. 

Nominations are now closed for the 2025 CKF Awards!
Check out the winners on our fifth episode of
The Unspoken.

CKF Awards Categories

  • Two hands holding a paper heart colored with red crayon, outdoors with a blurred green background.

    Hero Award

    This award is for someone who has helped change or save someone’s life. They could be either a donor or an individual who chose for their loved one to become a donor when they passed. They may even be a donor friend or family member who was inspired by their loved one’s decision to become a donor. The winner’s journey will be inspiring and encourage others to register as donors. The recipient of this award will be a strong advocate for organ, eye, and tissue donation, and help others to decide to save lives.

  • Paper cutouts of human kidneys and ureters held in hands on a marble surface

    Bounce Back, Give Back Award

    This award is for an individual who has received an organ, eye, or tissue transplant. The award recipient will not only have bounced back from their transplant, but they will also be someone who works to give back to the community. They live a healthy and active lifestyle and work to support others going through the transplant process. They will have achieved greatness by inspiring and motivating others to thrive post-transplant.

  • Person in white medical coat holding a red heart-shaped object

    Community Champion Award

    This award is for someone in the donation and transplantation community, whether a caregiver, transplant doctor or nurse, hospital or OPO staff member, or a community advocate. They will be an example to others in the community, and support those undergoing the transplant or donor process. They will also advocate for organ, eye, and tissue donation, and promote living a healthy and active lifestyle post-transplant.

CKF Awards Prizes

gold trophy with two handles on a black base placed on a plain surface

The three winners and one guest each will win a trip to Aspen, Colorado, for the Chris Klug Foundation’s annual Wine & Dine gala event on Friday, August 22, 2025.

CKF will host the winners and their guests in Snowmass Village and provide flights, lodging, and tickets for all Wine & Dine weekend events.

Award winners will be honored at Wine & Dine and given the opportunity to share their stories with event attendees.

CKF Awards Nomination Rules

Click the button below for rules and regulations.

Rules and Regulations

Thank you to our 2025 Sponsors!

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

Weihs Family

BRONZE SPONSOR

The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present our 2025 Hero Award, Bounce Back, Give Back Award, and Community Champion Recipients:

A photo of Randall Stafford wearing glasses, a wide-brimmed straw hat with a black band, and a light blue collared shirt outdoors.

Dr Randall Stafford
2025 Community Champion Winner

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A professional portrait of Ahmad Anouti with dark hair, glasses, wearing a black suit, white shirt, and patterned tie, smiling against a textured gray background.

Dr Ahmad Anouti
2025 Bounce Back, Give Back Winner

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A photo of Patty Graham with long blonde hair and blue eyes sitting at a table in a cafe or restaurant, smiling at the camera. Background includes red chairs, a counter, and a person with a black jacket.

Patty Graham
2025 Hero Winner

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Meet Our Previous CKF Awards Winners!

The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present our 2024 Hero Award, Bounce Back, Give Back Award, and Community Champion Recipients:

Abby Gray
2024 Community Champion Winner

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Denise Redeker
2024 Bounce Back, Give Back Winner

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Mark & Lynn Scotch
2024 Hero Winners

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present our 2023 Hero Award, Bounce Back, Give Back Award, and Community Champion Recipients:

A photo of Maria Fernanda Filizola with black wavy hair, glasses, and makeup, smiling at the camera against a plain background.

Maria Fernanda Filizola
2023 Community Champion Winner

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A photo of Dave Galbenski in a blue Nike shirt standing outdoors near a stone wall with trees in the background.

Dave Galbenski
2023 Bounce Back, Give Back Winner

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A photo of Katrina Erskin with long hair and glasses holding a poster that says 'Long Live Jaleel' with a photo of a newborn baby, standing in front of a wall with overlapping squares.

Katrina Fountain
2023 Hero Winner

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present our 2022 Bounce Back, Give Back Award Recipients:

A photo of Bill Soloway with glasses standing outdoors in front of green trees, wearing a light blue polo shirt with a logo that says "LIFE."

William “Bill” Soloway

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A photo of Jen Lentini with shoulder-length black hair and hazel eyes, smiling, wearing a black and white patterned top, standing indoors.

Jen Lentini

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present the 2021 Bounce Back, Give Back Award Recipients:

A close-up photo of Jim Gleason, smiling with gray hair and wearing a black shirt.

Jim Gleason

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A photo of Zach Brooks in a business suit and a plaid tie smiling at the camera, with a nametag that says Zach Brooks.

Zach Brooks

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present the 2020 Bounce Back, Give Back Award Recipients:

A photo of Joelle Atkinson with long blonde hair wearing a blue sports jersey and multiple medals around her neck inside a modern building with large glass doors.

Joelle Atkinson

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A photo of Tracy Copeland with curly black hair smiling, wearing a colorful dress with a necklace and earrings, and a button with a person's face on her dress.

Tracy Copeland

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present the 2019 Bounce Back, Give Back Award Recipients:

A photo of Derek Fitzgerald in a beige suit holding a microphone and smiling, sitting on stage against a blue background.

Derek Fitzgerald

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A photo of Lauren Shields with long dark hair, wearing a green off-the-shoulder top with buttons, smiling at the camera against a pink background.

Lauren Shields

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present the 2018 Bounce Back, Give Back Award Recipients:

A photo of Brian Hinsley smiling with a bald head and a mustache wearing a light-colored plaid shirt, standing on a wooden deck outdoors with trees, a house, and a playground in the background.

Brian Hinsley

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A photo of Samantha Rick smiling and holding a map and a piece of paper outdoors in a parking lot with a forested mountain in the background.

Samantha Rick

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The Chris Klug Foundation is proud to present the 2017 Bounce Back, Give Back Award Recipients:

A photo of Jim Brien with white hair and beard, wearing a blue dress shirt and patterned tie, outdoors with trees in the background.

Jim Brien

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A photo of Valen Keefer with blonde hair smiling outdoors on a sunny day.

Valen Keefer

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Sponsor Our CKF Awards Program!

There are opportunities to sponsor our CKF Awards Program at the Gold, Silver, Bronze & Community Level. Click the button below to learn about sponsorships.

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