The movers and shakers of the Kosciusko County Democrats gathered Saturday evening at the Shrine Building to honor the newest inductees to their Hall of Fame.

This year's honorees were long-time party activists Claud Stahl, Isabelle Smith, Jane and Bob Eherenman and Vernon and Marcella Meredith.

Cindy Knepper, executive director of the Kosciusko County Boys and Girls Club, was presented with the Distinguished Hoosier Award, bestowed upon her by Gov. Frank O'Bannon.

"We tried to get Cindy a Sagamore of the Wabash, but the governor said she wasn't old enough," said county party chairman Steve Haines. "So we'll just have to try again in 20 or 30 years."

Knepper said that without her staff, board of directors, friends and family, she wouldn't have received the honor.

"Without the help of these and many other people, I couldn't do what I do," she said. "All I wanted to do when I was in school was to get out and go to the 'big city.' Then I just wanted to come back and make a difference."

And making a difference in the lives of Kosciusko County children is at the top of Knepper's priority list - particularly children on the lower end of the socio-economic scale.

"There are children in our county that are sleeping on the floor. There are children who are going to bed hungry - and they deserve better," Knepper said.

Also addressing the gathering were Congressman Tim Roemer, (D-Dist. 3) and Fifth Congressional District candidate David Steele, both of whom encouraged county Democrats to hold their heads high in this predominantly Republican county and encourage their friends, neighbor and relatives to go to the polls Nov. 3 and support Democratic candidates.

"Democrats in Warsaw say they feel like they're surrounded by non-Democrats," Roemer said. "But we have a lot to be proud of. For 10 years, we've had a Democrat in the governor's office, and Evan Bayh is going to take back the Senate seat of Birch Bayh.

"We have a surplus in Indiana, and we're looking at how to return that money back to the pockets of taxpayers. There has been a reduction of the welfare rolls, and that success is being looked at by the federal government as an example of how to reduce them across the country," he said. "As we look at this state, and the Democrats who have been running it, we have a lot to be proud of."

Steele, citing Roemer's success in unseating incumbent Congressman John Hiler in 1990, said while he faces an uphill struggle in his race against Rep. Steve Buyer, by stressing the party's policies affecting people's lives, he can prevail on Nov. 3.

"Politics are important because we affect peoples lives," Steele said. "We (Democrats) are the ones who will save Social Security, we're the ones who will pass the Patient's Bill of Rights, where physicians and patients make the crucial medical decisions, and not the actuaries." [[In-content Ad]]