Ham & Eggs Awards

honoring marriages that have had a positive impact on those around them

This award honors the sacrifices that many couples have made over the years to make United Marriage Encounter what it is today. The Award was started in 1986 to give international recognition to deserving couples who have had a positive impact on other married couples as a result of their involvement in Marriage Encounter. It is presented to recipients at the Valentine's event in their local UME Community.

The Ham & Eggs Award Story

The chicken and the pig were walking down the street one day and noticed some poor children who looked as if they hadn’t eaten anything for days. Moved with compassion, the chicken said to the pig, “I have an idea! Let’s give those children a nice breakfast of ham and eggs.” The pig contemplated the chicken's suggestion and said, "Well, for you, that would be a DONATION - but for me, it would be a SACRIFICE!"

2019 Ham & Eggs Award Recipients

JIM & CARALEE JOLIN

HEART OF NORTH CAROLINA

Jim & Caralee Jolin earned the 2019 Ham & Eggs Award. Jim & Caralee were married November 12th 2005 and first encountered March 3rd, 2006.

GARY & MIRIAM UPCHURCH

HEART OF ILLINOIS

Gary & Miriam Upchurch earned the 2019 Ham & Eggs Award. Gary & Miriam were married June 12th, 1999 and first encountered April 12, 2002.

2018 Ham & Eggs Award Recipients

JAMES & JUDY YOHE

SMOKY MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS

James and Judy Yohe accept the 2018 Ham & Eggs Award from Orval and Suzanne LeJeune. James and Judy were married Nov. 2, 1991 and were first encountered April 26, 2002.

JIM & LORRAINE CHRISTIE

ROCHESTER

Jim and Lorraine Christie were married March 18, 1989. They were first encountered May 3, 1991.

2017 Ham & Eggs Award Recipients

2018 Ham & Eggs Award Recipients

PAUL & LINDA CARTER

ALOHA

Paul and Linda are members of the Aloha Hawaii Community. They were married Feb. 25, 1972 and were first encountered Aug. 13, 2004 in Hawaii.

DANIEL & MARION GOETZE-LAMBES

WEST CENTRAL OHIO

Daniel and Marion are members of the West Central Ohio UME Community and were married April 27, 1990. They were first encountered on Feb. 24, 2006 in West Central Ohio.

DAVE & KATHY KANALEY

ROCHESTER

Dave and Kathy are a team couple for the Rochester Community. They were married on July 4, 1986 and were first encountered on March 19, 1993 in Rochester, NY.

FRED & DARLENE REINER

HEART OF ILLINOIS

Fred and Darlene are members of the Heart of Illinois UME Community and were married on Dec. 8, 1961. They were first encountered April 14, 1989 in the Heart of Illinois Community.

2016 Ham & Eggs Award Recipients

JACK & MARY THRALL

SMOKY MOUNTAIN FOOTHILLS

Jack & Mary Thrall, from Cosby, Tennessee, were encountered in Plantation, FL in May of 2000. The Thralls moved to Tennessee, which is part of the Smoky Mountain Foothills Community in Hayesville, NC. They have faithfully served as SMF Registration Couple since January 2009.

PETER & MATTI WONG

AUSTRALIA

Peter & Matti Wong were encountered in February 2005 in Shanghai, China. They served as Financial Couple. After moving to Sydney, Australia, they wanted to bring UME to Australia. The Australia Expansion held its first Weekend in 2012.

PHIL & CLAUDIA CARGILL

WISCONSIN

Phil and Claudia Cargill were married Oct. 13, 1963. They were first encountered in 1987 in Iowa/Illinois. They have served as staff, administration, Deeper Lay, Assistant Executive Couple and Secretary. Their status is retired team and they live in Muscatine, IA.

MIKE & JO ANNE RUBY

IOWA/ILLINOIS

Mike and Jo Anne Ruby were married March 22, 1969. They were encountered in May 1976 on a Worldwide Catholic Weekend in Kansas City, MO. They became active in Spiral and quickly made new friends. Two years later they moved to Muscatine, IA to accept a new employment position for Mike. Not knowing one soul in Muscatine heightened their realization of how much they missed their M.E. friends in Kansas. In Muscatine, they saw two choices: (1) keep their Weekend as a nice memory, or 2) seek to have M.E. Weekends in the area so they could develop a Core. With God’s nudging, they went with option 2, which soon led to the birth of the Iowa-Illinois UPEME Community.

Ham & Eggs Hall of Fame

2025 RECIPIENTS

Eu Michael & Amy - Australia

Lim Ai Kok & Patricia - Australia

Gainer Larry & Pat - Iowa / Illinois

Sim See Tian & Joo San - Malaysia

Price Wayne & Joy - Remote Memebers

Comstock Bob & Debby - Western New York

2022 RECIPIENTS

Tanaka Grant & Nikki - Aloha

Ashley Richard & Martina - Australia

Leong Ivan & Tracy - Australia

Hawotte Paul & Cheryl - Iowa / Illinois

Knipe Frank & Jo - Mid-Atlantic

Leong Ivan & Theresa - Singapore

2020 RECIPIENTS

Upchurch Gary & Miriam - Heart of Illinois

Jolin Jim & Caralee - Heart of North Carolina

2018 RECIPIENTS

Carter Paul & Linda - Aloha

Reiner Fred & Darlene - Heart of Illinois

Goetzes-Lambes Daniel & Marion - West Central Ohio

Kanaley Dave & Cathy - Western New York

2015 RECIPIENTS

Brittingham John & Lisa - Heart of Illinois

Welch Jim & Donna - IA/IL

Oubre Jim &Judy - WNY

2013 RECIPIENTS

Ed & Betty Call - Southeast Florida John & Belinda Katon - Harley & Kim Stephan - West Central Ohio Jim & Cathy Walker - UK Bob & Denise Welter - Southeast Florida

2011 RECIPIENTS

Jim & Becky Buckman - South Carolina

Eddy & Aly Cheah - Malaysia

Derrick & Tina Emuang - Malaysia

Mike & Brenda Johnson - Heart of Illinois

Kent & Elisabeth Kitagawa - Aloha

Gary & Rosemary Shannon - West Central Ohio

2009 RECIPIENTS

Steve & Pam Chapman - Kansas City

Joe & Lee Freese - Southeast Florida

Aaron & Vivian Ong - Malaysia

2007 RECIPIENTS

KK & Julian Tam - Hong Kong

Sandy & Marcia Way - Rochester WNY

Harry & Mary Weigandt - Iowa-Illinois

2005 RECIPIENTS

Phil & Marlene Bauman - Minnesota

Jim & Shari Harrison - Rochester WNY

Emil & Joy Jirsa - Northeast Illinois

2003 RECIPIENTS

Ron & Berenice Chan - Hong

Kong Gerry & Gloria Cooper - TWN

Foo Weng & Siew Tin Leong - Malaysia

Bob & Debbie McRackan - Heart of North Carolina

Ken & Linda Sauder - Heart of Illinois

Steve & Cheryl Swallow - West Central Ohio

2001 RECIPIENTS

Steve & Terry Clausen - Iowa-Illinois

Bob & Nancy Dean - Rochester WNY

Arthur & Jenny Dickson - UK

Bill & Lillian Lowe - VA-BR

Ben & Jean Malcom - NC-GA

Seward & Sally Shaddock - Heart of North Carolina

1999 RECIPIENTS

Doug & Marilyn Ballentine - New Jersey

Wayne & Jean Bireley - Southeast Florida

Greg & Catherine Gibbins - Hong Kong

Harry & Char Knutsen - Iowa-Illinois

Graham & Lee Leech - UK

Duane & Bonnie Marburger - Northeast Illinois

Ron & Helen Teel - Heart of Illinois

1997 RECIPIENTS

John & Cheryl Hendershot - West Central Ohio

Jim & Janie Jones - Central Arizona

Jim & Sally Lee - Rochester WNY

Mark & Cindy Meinert - Iowa-Illinois

Roy & Marilyn Nutter - Southeast Florida

Tim & Lee Pretz - New Jersey

1995 RECIPIENTS

Mike & Terry Bishop - Southeast Florida

Rich & Nan Keller - Rochester

George & Mary Oelschlaeger - Iowa-Illinois

John & Laurie Riggs - Illinois

David & Ruth Thorne - Hong Kong

2023 RECIPIENTS

Ooi Hock Lim & Siew Gek - Australia

Overstreet Sam & Marj - Smoky Mtn Foothills

Gainer Jon & Jenny - West Tennessee

Bertman Mark & Linda - Western New York

2021 RECIPIENTS

Strode Bill & Shanan - Heart of Illinois

Loh HungChee & Mary - Singapore

2019 RECIPIENTS

Yohe James & Judy - Smoky Mtn Foothills

Christie Jim & Lorraine - Western New York

2017 RECIPIENTS

Wong Peter & Matti - Australia

Ruby Mike & Jo Anna - IA /IL

Cargill Phil & Claudia - Remote Members

Thrall Jack & Mary - Smoky Mnt Foothills

2014 RECIPIENTS

Bruce & Janet Adams - Maryland

Ron & Leslie Cooper - West Central Ohio

Jerry & Judy Greer - Iowa-Illinois

Wayne & Nancy Haapoja -

Berk & Doris Maddaford -

Jim & Mary Ellen Reed -

Rochester Bill & Sheila Voyles - Arkansas

2012 RECIPIENTS

Steve & Mary Decker - Heart of Illinois

Gary & Corrin Hentzel - Iowa-Illinois

Orval & Suzanne LeJeune - Smoky Mountain Foothills

Andrew & Beulah Moses - Hong Kong

Ron & Brenda Oster - Southeast Florida

2010 RECIPIENTS

Bob & Ann Diederich - Austin, Tx

Bill & Phyllis Nelson - West Central Ohio

Randy & Kathie Posslenzny - Hong Kong

Ron & Carol Radden - Florida

Jay & Janet Wilhelm - Iowa-Illinois

Richard & Karen Zielinski - Rochester WNY

2008 RECIPIENTS

J.D. & Jeanne Davis - Heart of Illinois

Rick & Nancy Grace - Texas

Ernie & Debi Roberts - West Central Florida

Charlie & Laurie Sample - Rochester

2006 RECIPIENTS

Alan & Lovely Alagata - TWN

Dale & Sharon Bradley - Southeast Florida

Jay & Pett Hare - Heart of North Carolina

Scott & Debbie Smith- Hong Kong

Darrell & Sue Van Luchene

2004 RECIPIENTS

Tom & Kara Ade - Iowa-Illinois

Johannes & Chiew Lee - Heart of North Carolina

Lee & Nancy Pugh - West Central Florida

Ron & Margie Rees - Iowa-Illinois

George & Jane Shukitis - Rochester

2002 RECIPIENTS

Bob & Shari Allen - Missouri

Dick & Marisue Caup - Rochester WNY

Irving & Ruthie Granderson - Arkansas

Rich & Eileen Hartman - Heart of North Carolina

David & Paula Perkins - TWN

Keith & Karen Waterman - Iowa-Illinois

2000 RECIPIENTS

Dick & Sonnie Andersen - Iowa-Illinois

Dave & Diann Conquest - Rochester WNY

Ben & Barbara Newcomb - Iowa-Illinois

Roger & Cookie Paul - Central Florida

Bob & Anita Reed - Heart of North Carolina

Nate & Chris Showalter - Pennsylvania

Philip & Stella Yeung - Hong Kong

1998 RECIPIENTS

John & Blanche Ahrens - Iowa-Illinois

Rags & Deidre Buchner - New Jersey

John & Charlotte Cooke - Rochester WNY

Mark & Susan DeVincentis - Rochester WNY

Tom & Judy Epps - Central Iowa

Reg & Sheila Robinson - Central Arizona

Jerry & Carol Webb - Iowa-Illinois

1996 RECIPIENTS

Gene & Cheryl Higgs - Heart of Illinois

Chuck & Lynn Huskey - Colorado

Drew & Linda Karkow - Heart of North Carolina

Harvey & Susie McCune - West Central Ohio

Mike & Viv Phillips - New Jersey

1994 RECIPIENTS

Joe & Carole Davis - Rochester

Jim & Judy De Vries - Central Arizona

Lowell & Norma Titus - Iowa-Illinois