Volunteering with the Arbutus Recreation and Parks Council football program is in Matt Kuhn's blood.
His father, Steve, did whatever was necessary to ensure the games were played.
His mother, Sherry, sold concessions at the games.
His late uncle, John, coached.
On Dec. 13, Kuhn's 11 years continuing his family's tradition of involvement with the program were recognized by Baltimore County with a Shining Star award.
"It was a great honor," said Kuhn, who started playing football with the Arbutus Golden Eagles program at age 7 and coaching in the program at 18.
"You don't do these kinds of things to get recognition," said the president of the Arbutus Athletic Association since 2010 and coach of the 11-13 football team. "You just do it to help kids."
Kuhn credited his wife of four years, Jaime, for caring for the couple's two sons, 3-year-old Brandon, and 11-month-old Nicholas, while he heads to the football field and to meetings five months out of the year.
Chad Kendrick, a recreation assistant with the Arbutus Recreation and Parks Council, marveled at Kuhn's dedication to a program that his kids are too young to play in.
"He lives, eats and breathes Arbutus football and cheerleading," said Kendrick, who has known Kuhn since they played rec football together as young boys. "Matt's the guy that would do anything for anybody."
Kendrick noted how Kuhn revived the football program by reaching out to former coaches and members of the Arbutus Big Red and getting them to volunteer.
Before each season, Kuhn said he tells coaches that he cares more about them being role models than NFL-caliber coaches.
"There couldn't have been a better person at the helm," Kendrick said. "Things have changed 100 percent in the right way with Matt at the helm.
"If we didn't have Matt Kuhn in Arbutus, I don't know what would happen."
Kuhn's passion for helping started as a young boy when he would help his father prep the fields or sort equipment, he said.
His explanation for pitching in was simple.
"If there was work that needed to be done at the field, you couldn't play until it was done," Kuhn said. "I was always there working with my parents. It's natural to me. I don't know (how) to not be involved."
This year, his involvement with the program earned him another honor.
On Dec. 2, Kuhn, along with his mother and uncle, joined his father in Arbutus Athletic Association's Hall of Fame.
Despite the recent recognition for his work, Kuhn will likely remember 2011 for a sadder reason.
Two boys who played in the program died in a Baltimore house fire, along with their mother, in September.
Kuhn recalled how he felt completely overwhelmed after hearing the tragic news about Tyquis Moore, 11, Jaquis Manigo, 7, and their mother Michelle Manigo, 33.
"I didn't know what to do," said Kuhn, noting that the program had lost parents but never players. "(I realized) we needed to be together to get through it."
Kuhn helped organize a candlelight vigil at the football field and led an effort to start a fund for the surviving Golden Eagles player, Marquis Manigo, 13, who lost his two brothers and mother in the fire.
"That was the only thing I could say where I did something that could help," Kuhn said.
Kuhn recently transferred the fund over to the Marquis' grandfather and discussed using the money to enroll the teen into a private school.
Despite the ups and downs in his 11 years volunteering , Kuhn said he doesn't have plans of stopping any time soon.
"I can't say at some point that I won't burn out or need a break, but that hasn't come yet," Kuhn said. "I'm in it for the long haul."
Lansdowne-Riverview Rec Council
During the sixth annual Shining Stars awards ceremony in Towson, Baltimore County recognized 46 other volunteers, one from each rec council in the county.
Among them was William Brophy, who recently returned to the post of chairman of the Lansdowne-Riverview Recreation and Parks Council softball program after a nine-year layoff, the release from Baltimore County stated.
Brophy, who served as chairman from 1999 to 2002, has worked to obtain sponsors from local businesses, spends 14 hours a week providing softball instruction and can often be found working the concession stand at the games, the release stated.
He and his wife of 30 years, Patty, have two children and six grandchildren, many of whom participate in the recreation council programs, the release stated.
Baltimore Highlands Rec Council
In 2011, the county saw 68,500 volunteers donate 1.5 million hours to support 1,945 nature and recreation council programs, according to a release from Baltimore County.
For the past two years, Eric Knott has donated his share beyond his main role as a baseball coach in the Baltimore Highlands youth baseball program.
Knott acts as grounds crew, equipment manager and event organizer as he maintains the fields, orders the trophies and uniforms for the players and helps plan the Opening Day Parade, the release from Baltimore County stated.
A 17-year resident of Baltimore Highlands, Knott played in the Baltimore Highlands Recreation Council program for five years, the release stated.
Therapeutic Recreation
Ten years ago, Angela Schwartz and her son TJ joined Champion Baseball, a league consisting of players ages 5 to 18 that have disabilities.
The Arbutus resident and mother of four began volunteering as a coach in 2003 and has acted as chairwoman for the league since 2004.
Last week, her efforts with the league, which plays its games behind Catonsville Elementary School and includes players with and without disabilities, earned her recognition as a Shining Star.