The Kathleen W. Richardson Community Service Award

also known as The Kate Award

***The 2026 Application    Window Is OPEN***

Applications for the 2026 Kathleen Walsh Richardson Community Service Award are now being accepted.

Download the 2026 Application:

• Kathleen Walsh Richardson Citizenship Award – 2026 (Word Document)

• Kathleen Walsh Richardson Citizenship Award – 2026 (PDF File)

Applications may also be picked up in person.
Please call (757) 789-3990 in advance to make sure we are here.

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Eligibility & Application Overview

This award is open to residents of Accomack and Northampton Counties who are enrolled in high school (grades 9–12). Home-schooled students at the high-school level are eligible.

Applicants must submit:

• A minimum of four (4) photos, each with captions

• Three (3) character references (on the official No Limits form)

Photos should demonstrate the applicant’s community service, such as:

• Volunteer activities

• Environmental or recycling efforts

• Church, school, or neighborhood service

• Participation with rescue squads, nonprofits, or civic groups

Photos do not need to include the applicant, as long as they clearly show the service being performed.

📌 Photos are required to make applications easier to review for our judges, many of whom are survivors of brain injury.

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About the Award

Kathleen “Kate” W. Richardson was an Onancock resident and a founding member of No Limits, a day program for survivors of brain injury on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. A survivor of brain injury herself, Kate was known for her intelligence, humor, and deep dedication to serving others. She volunteered for many organizations, including the Eastern Shore Public Library, the Foodbank of the Eastern Shore, Shore Memorial Hospital, and the Salvation Army.

Kate passed away far too soon in July of 2012. To honor her life and her spirit of service, No Limits Eastern Shore established the Kathleen Walsh Richardson Citizenship Award in 2014, affectionately known as “the Kate.” The award is supported by generous donations made in Kate’s memory by the Richardson family.

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Awards & Selection

Winners are chosen by members of No Limits Eastern Shore and announced in March.

Awards are based on:

• Strength and clarity of photo submissions

• Demonstrated commitment to community service

• Three (3) verifiable character references

Applicants retain full rights to their photos but grant No Limits Eastern Shore permission to use submitted materials (including images) on its website and in promotional materials related to the award.

Contest entrants must be legal residents of the United States.
Immediate relatives of No Limits employees, participants, and Board members are not eligible due to conflict-of-interest considerations.

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