Two area students, Elizabeth Justice of Holmen and Mark Trautmann of the town of Onalaska, have won prizes in the Kohl’s Kids Who Care contest that recognizes youths for their volunteer efforts.

With the winning of a $50 gift card from Kohl’s, Elizabeth finally got some recognition for her lifelong volunteerism. She has raised $300 by baking cookies and pies and selling them at Wal-Mart, collected canned goods, cleaned homes and washed windows for the elderly and disabled, made bird houses for people moving into Habitat for Humanity homes, participated in a 5-mile breast cancer walk and a 2-mile Alzheimer’s walk.

Elizabeth started volunteering when she was 5 years old. Her first volunteer work was with Habitat for Humanity. “We, my brother Jacob (5) and my sister Alexis (2) went to a house and raised houses for people,” Elizabeth said. “We made a bird house for a person’s house so they could be happy in their new home.”

Elizabeth said she enjoys helping other people. She helped collect food because “when I raise money, maybe other people have enough food to feed their children. So we gave them some food.”

Through the Neighbors in Action group in La Crescent, Minn., Elizabeth and her brother help clean houses. “Dorothy can’t clean her house anymore. We helped her move furniture around and cleaned her bathtub, and she’s very nice,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth, who is now 8, goes to Evergreen Elementary and will save her winnings for back-to-school shopping.

Mark Trautmann, an 18-year-old senior who attends Holmen High School, also won a $50 gift card for his volunteer efforts.

“It was really nice (to receive a prize),” Trautmann said. “It was a nice surprise. I got the letter in the mail and it was just great.” He plans to spend the $50 on some things for himself and others.

“There’s a few things I need and a few birthday presents to get for friends and family,” he said. “I’ll spend some money on myself and then buy presents with whatever is left.”

Trautmann and a group of Boy Scouts did some volunteer work for the village of Holmen, labeling almost 400 stormwater catch basins throughout the village to help remind people not to pour contaminants in the sewer.

Trautmann is the student representative on the Holmen School Board, president of the Student Council and is active in the Renaissance Action Team.

Under his direction, that group went to nursing homes around Christmas to sing songs and play games with the elderly. The group also bought presents for a family on the community giving tree and they hold a blood drive in April.

Trautmann is eligible to win a $1,000 scholarship in the Kohl’s regional contest or a $5,000 scholarship in the statewide contest. The regional prize will be awarded in three weeks and the $5,000 award will be announced at the end of July.