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Rich wins Civic Award
With a handful of former award winners on hand, it gave Todd Lewis great pleasure to deliver Jeff Rich with the 2006 Cloverdale Civic Award Monday at the Hilltop Restaurant north of Spencer.
The award, sponsored by the Cloverdale Lions Club, was established in 1995. Three former winners -- Eric Hayman, Vera Hughes and Don Walton -- were at Monday's presentation.
"I found out a few weeks back," Rich told the audience. "(Lewis) called me and said, 'What are you doing on Oct. 23 at 7 p.m.?' And I said, 'Not much.'"
Lewis read one of the nomination forms for Lewis, which described the life-long Cloverdale resident and how he has helped shaped the community.
Lewis said Rich is involved in several activities in the community, including being part of the Cloverdale Masonic Lodge, conducting personal property auctions regularly, working at Setty's Real Estate and for the transportation department for Cloverdale Community School Corp.
Lewis said Rich has assisted in fundraising for the Cloverdale Area Chamber of Commerce, Cloverdale Main Street, Cloverdale Area Cub Scout Troops, Cloverdale Area Girl Scouts Troops, Cloverdale FFA Chapter, and the Putnam County 4-H Fair.
"I can't say enough how flattering that nomination feels," Rich said. "To be on that plaque, my name on it, that's something special."
Rich addressed the youth at Monday's presentation, asking them to get involved in their community.
"I encourage young people to come back and live in Cloverdale," Rich said, "and make it a better place to live."
Seven past award winners, including the late Wayne Sutherlin, the late Jack Davis, Adeline Knoy, Dr. Keith Ernst, Judy Whitaker, Rosemary Berry and Bill Henson, were not able to attend Monday's festivities.
Cloverdale Lions Club President Ray Baker began the presentation Monday, discussing how much money the organization had raised this year through its booths at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for both the Indianapolis 500 and the AllState 400 at the Brickyard.
Following the presentation for Rich, past Lions Club District Governor Carl Goss made his way to the podium to award the 2006 W.P. Woods Award to Cloverdale resident Mike Buis.
Goss told the audience Buis has played a major role in recruiting members to help at the booths for the past 10 years. The money raised from the booths, Baker said, is sent back to the community in the form of eyeglasses for individuals, in addition to scholarships among other local projects.
Goss said Woods was the first president of Lions Clubs International.
Buis said he was not expecting to receive an award Monday.
"This is a shocker," he said. "You caught me off guard on this. I usually have something to say about anything.
"But I appreciate this very much. I enjoy doing it, or I wouldn't do it."
Past W.P. Woods award winners from the Cloverdale Lions Club include Larry Haltom (1999) and Lewis (2002).