Clearwater resident Sam (Leonard) Samuelson was awarded the 2020 Mike Gifford Community Service Award this past summer for all the ways he’s given back to his community over the years.

The award was presented by APi, the company that owns the Garage Door Co. where Samuelson has been employed for 35 years. The award was started in 2016 in honor of Mike Gifford, a vice president of another of APi’s companies who, along with numerous other volunteer work, founded and runs the nationwide charitable organization, Living With A Cause. Gifford was the inaugural winner of the award.

According to APi, “This award honors an individual who truly embodies what it means to live life with a cause greater than oneself every moment of every day.” 

This past spring Samuelson was named as one of three finalists, all who were nominated for the award by the presidents of their respective companies. During APi Group’s annual Leadership Summit in June Samuelson was announced as the winner.

“I was very honored and humbled by the award,” said Samuelson. “Especially when you think about all the people who work for the company.”

Samuelson began donating his time and talents in the community with the Clear Lake Area Youth Baseball Association (CLAYBA). Along with being a head coach for the league, he was president from 1998 to 2008. As lead fundraiser he approached organizations such as the Lions and cities of Clearwater and Clear Lake for donations. 

During the same time Samuelson also served on the Clearview Elementary School Site Council. He was instrumental in the building of four new Little League baseball fields, a concession stand, and a playground behind Clearview School. To cover costs he procured funds through the school district, city organizations, and ING. Along with contributing his own sweat equity, he arranged for the labor and equipment to help in the construction of the fields.

Most kids and young adults in the community refer to Samuelson as “coach”, as he has coached youth baseball, hockey, football, and basketball for 25 years. He also started full pad football for the fifth and sixth graders with borrowed equipment and help from the high school football coach.

In his church he services in the ministries of ushers, money counters, and Eucharistic Ministers, and is a committee chair for their church festival. He is active in veteran’s organizations and donates hand crafted flags made of baseball bats to many silent and live auctions throughout the year.

For the past 15 years Samuelson has volunteered to run Clearwater’s annual Heritage Days parade. In 2019 he not only ran the parade, he and his wife, Candy, were honored with the title of Senior King and Queen of Clearwater to acknowledge all they have contributed to the community.

Samuelson’s latest endeavor for the past few years has been Anna Marie’s Women’s Shelter. Each fall he hosts the Jessie’s Wish BBQ Cook-off & Benefit at his home, from which all proceeds are donated to the shelter. The event has raised over $45,000 along with other household items needed for the women and children who take refuge at the shelter.

Samuelson’s service doesn’t just include organizations. Two years ago a relative was in desperate fear of her son committing suicide. The son had a felony conviction for drugs, a ninth grade education, and was $5,000 behind on child support. Samuelson took him into his home and helped him obtain employment. He’s since been working at the job for over a year, is paying back child support, and should be off probation soon. Most importantly, he’s now looking forward to the future.

Samuelson’s community service work doesn’t look to be slowing down any time soon. In fact, his two young granddaughters have already started playing hockey and basketball, and there is now speculation if “Coach Sam” is in for another round.