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| Chamber of Commerce receives three nominations for Citizen of the Year |
By: Darrell Todd Maurina
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Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 12:09 pm
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WAYNESVILLE/SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Jan. 12, 2010) — This year’s selection as Waynesville-St. Robert “Citizen of the Year” might be a police officer who has worn his St. Robert police uniform longer than many of his colleagues on the force have been alive. Or it could be a school volunteer coordinator who has seen her program at the Waynesville R-VI School District dramatically expand in her six years of service. Alternatively, the selectee could be a volunteer who dedicates her life to helping abandoned or abused animals as well as autistic and other special needs children.
The three candidates to be honored Feb. 19 at the Chamber’s annual banquet in the St. Robert Community Center are:
• Officer Daniel Wogan, who was nominated by St. Robert Mayor George Sanders for his service with the St. Robert Police Department from 1979 to 2009 after a career in the United States Army from 1954 to 1979 including a tour of duty in Vietnam;
• Kim Hawk, who was nominated by the Pulaski County Sheltered Workshop for her six years of service as the Waynesville R-VI School District’s volunteer coordinator bringing the total number of volunteers to 1,200; and
• Kim Fuhr, who also works with Waynesville schools but was nominated by the Pulaski County Human Society for her work fostering homeless animals and trying to obtain a county animal shelter.
Chamber of Commerce staff member Erin Sipes, who is helping coordinate this year’s Community Leadership Awards Banquet, said she’s glad to have been able to attend most of the banquets for the last five years that she’s worked with the chamber.
“It is very humbling to witness the volunteers being recognized; they are humbled by it. It is a very good feeling to see that we are part of an organization that is recognizing these people for their service,” Sipes said. “The chamber does this because there are a lot of volunteers out in the community who don’t necessarily get the recognition they deserve. A lot of them help more than one organization and this is our way of recognizing them.”
According to the Chamber of Commerce’s announcement, “This award is intended to recognize individuals not for a particular year of service, but rather to recognize a person who has performed outstanding and dedicated service to the community and/or towards helping others over time in the Waynesville-St. Robert area.”
Citizens of the Year are named each spring for the previous year, so this February’s announcement will be for the 2009 Citizen of the Year. Past Citizen of the Year recipients have been:
• 2008: Dwight Nutting
• 2007: Charlie Hartley
• 2006: Joseph Krill Jr.
• 2005: Vic Lynch
• 2004: Marge Scott
• 2003: Twyla Cordry
• 2002: Robert Knight
• 2001: Harry Reigle
• 2000: Mike Liebig and Gary Porter
• 1999: Jim Phillips
• 1998: Mike Dunbar
• 1997: Nelson Morgan
• 1996: Beth Deering
• 1995: Rev. Wilbur Harbaugh
• 1994: Beverly Rasmussen
• 1993: Keith Pritchard
• 1992: Marge Conners
• 1991: Cindy Grizzell
• 1990: Ann Jarrett
• 1989: Elsie Cole
• 1988: James A. McKinnon
• 1987: Erwin Morris
• 1986: Louise Morgan
• 1985: Paul Corbett
• 1984: Don Slais and Betty (Pritchett) Atterberry
• 1983: Maxine Farnham
• 1982: Hank Veach
• 1981: Eula Burchard
• 1980: William Lillis
• 1979: Jim Dodds
• 1978: John McMillin
• 1975 : Ruby Bruin
The Chamber of Commerce has also honored two “Citizens of the Decade:
• 1985: C.W. and Kathleen Parker
• 2000: Benny Doolin
Nominations for the three candidates are as follows:
St. Robert Police Officer Dan Wogan
Nominated by St. Robert Mayor George Sanders
I am honored to nominate Officer Daniel Wogan as the 2010 Citizen of the Year. On December 31, 2009, Officer Wogan completed his final patrol with the St. Robert Police Department after nearly thirty one years of service to the citizens of this community. He began his service with the St. Robert Police Department on February 12, 1979. Throughout all of his years with the police department, Officer Wogan served with professionalism and courage that is above the call of duty. He has been described by his peers as the example of “integrity, dedication, and courage.” I believe these words best describe an individual who has made his life’s work service to his community and country.
Prior to serving this community, Officer Wogan served his country in the United States Army from 1954-1979, including a tour of duty in South Vietnam. Among his many awards, he earned bronze star with two V devices for valor along with the Combat Infantry Badge for his service in Vietnam.
His bravery and valor continued while a police officer. During one traffic stop, Officer Wogan was fired upon by a suspect. Despite having been fired upon, Officer Wogan continued to pursue the suspect until his patrol vehicle became disabled. However, his pursuit allowed other officers to locate and apprehend the suspect. Officer Wogan’s bravery insured the citizens of this community would not have to face an armed and dangerous suspect.
His bravery and valor were shown in a different way recently. Officer Wogan was diagnosed with cancer, but he faced that challenge down as he did all others, with courage and valor. In fact, Officer Wogan chose not to retire as he was eligible to do, but continued to work and serve the citizens of St. Robert, rarely missing a shift despite his treatments. As a result of his dedication and service, he was chosen St. Robert employee of the year in 2008.
In addition to his service as a police officer, he is also a devoted husband to his wife of 51 years, Donna. He is the father of three children, five grandchildren, and three great-grand children. He is also an active member of his church.
For these reasons, I, along with the entire City staff and Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Robert are proud to nominate Officer Daniel Wogan as the Citizen of the Year for 2010.
School Volunteer Coordinator Kim Hawk
Nominated by Pulaski County Sheltered Workshop
Dr. Kim Hawk started as Community Resource Coordinator just six years ago, since that time the number of volunteers signed up to help in the Waynesville schools has increased to 1,200. She has also been instrumental in securing literally millions of dollars in federal grant money for the district which is being used to enhance student achievement.
Programs that she has created and /or increased in scope include: Weekly newsletters, School Based Bid Brother and Big Sisters Program, Foster Grandparent Program, A+ Program, Summer Lunch Box, and participation in the Pulaski County Community Network as well as Rotary International.
Dr. Hawk wrote grants to get more than 40 AMERICORP/VISTA volunteers. Some are used in the school as tutors to increase the learning skills of the students. She shared the remaining workers with various community projects throughout the county. Some of the agencies that have benefited from these workers include but are not limited to:
Pulaski County Sheltered Workshop
Armed Services YMCA
ACAP
Good Samaritan Resource Center
Salvation Army
Pulaski County Health Department
Pulaski County Extension Office
MOCA
City of Waynesville
Library
City of St. Robert and others
Humane Society Board President Kimberly Fuhr
Nominated by the Pulaski County Humane Society
The Pulaski County Humane Society (PCHS) is proud to nominate Kimberly Fuhr for “Citizen of the Year 2009.”
Kim has been a Pulaski county resident since 1991 and is currently employed with the Waynesville school district where she works with autistic children. She is an active member of Grace Covenant Church and has given her time to teach horse riding lessons to the girls at Heavens View. Where ever and whenever needed, she’s always there to give of her time and lend a helping hand.
She’s been a long-time member of the Pulaski County Humane Society and is now serving a third term on the Board of Directors as President of PCHS. Kim has rescued and fostered many homeless animals over the years (dogs, cats, rabbits, goats, pigs, horses, etc). Her deep love for all animals and her belief that they have a right to be treated humanely and with compassion fires her desire to help Pulaski County find a way to obtain and support a much needed county animal shelter … a facility that will surely give relief to citizens who live outside city limits by affording them a place to take strays and dumped animals. She’s a strong proponent of having pets spayed and neutered (three to four million shelter animals are euthanized each year simply because there aren’t enough homes). She spearheaded the drive to make it more difficult for breeder’s selling their puppies along the St Robert roadsides … another huge source of homeless and unwanted animals in shelters. Because of her hard work and many hours of dedication, she was instrumental in helping to obtain Pulaski County Humane Society’s 501(c)3 status. This endeavor is a huge step in helping PCHS move closer to its goal of a county shelter.
The Pulaski County Humane Society, as well as the animals of Pulaski County, is more than proud to nominate Kim as “Citizen of the Year 2009!”
Related articles
Newly named Citizen of the Year plans push for Pulaski County animal shelter
Posted: Friday, February 19, 2010
Humane Society president named Chamber Citizen of the Year Friday
Posted: Friday, February 19, 2010
THIS ARTICLE: Chamber of Commerce receives three nominations for Citizen of the Year
Posted: Tuesday, January 12, 2010 12:09 pm
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