Two Projects Recognized At Annual KLA Banquet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
The KLA Board of Trustees felt one group’s project’s impact on the future of KLA was impressive enough that the trustees donated $1,000 to Multi-Township EMS for its support of the project.
The honor was separate from the annual Jean Northenor Award, which went to a project on Habitat for Humanity.
Suzie Light, board of trustees member, made the special presentation on behalf of the board.
“There was one White Paper Project this year that we believe will be of immense value to KLA. It captures the great work done by KLA over the years, and the strength of the organization for anyone who wants to have a look. It preserves our history and it helps excite others about our future,” Light stated.
“That said, the impact will largely be among those who are currently or previously involved in KLA. And this team’s effort was so efficient, most of the work associated with the project is already done,” she continued.
“There are no great financial needs that remain unfunded. Still, we believe this project was so meaningful to KLA, we wanted to give it special recognition. Therefore, we are making a $1,000 donation on behalf of KLA trustees to the Multi-Township EMS for their support of the White Paper ‘Project Resuscitate! – Reviving the KLA Website,’ which you all got to see tonight, and in recognition of the team members.”
Members of the team include Tim Banes, Medtronic Spinal & Biologics; Scott Sigerfoos, Multi-Township EMS; and Don Studebaker, CenturyLink.
The website is at www.kosciuskoleadership.org
Prior to the presentation, Sigerfoos presented the updated KLA website to those at the banquet. He detailed how people can now apply online for KLA through the website. Information on the application, deadlines and tuition costs are included.
The website includes some of the items from the previous website, as well as new pages such as a sponsors page. Sigerfoos said the sponsors page will be updated each year so people can see which local companies are sponsoring KLA cadets.
“The biggest thing we tackled is organizing the White Paper Projects,” he said.
Studebaker categorized the papers for easy research, which had never been done before. Links take visitors to each of the projects.
Moderator Allyn Decker said Sigerfoos will continue to be the KLA webmaster for the time being. Decker also presented an honorary award to Steve Crim, one of the original creators of the KLA website. Crim said he and a couple others created the website in 2005.
The annual award of the banquet is the Jean Northenor Award. There are three criteria for the award, according to David Findlay, past KLA president.
“One is, it must be a doable project. Two is, it must have communitywide impact. That is more than one organization or town. And the third is, it must be sustainable,” he indicated.
“The Northenor Award really is the epitome of the longevity and sustainability of really a unique leadership academy,” he said. “... The Northenor Award was founded 11 years ago by a man named Matt Dalton. He gave $25,000 to KLA and said, ‘I want $5,000 a year to go to the best White Paper Project of the year.’ We quickly spent that $25,000 over the next five years and said, ‘Uh-oh, what are we going to do?’ So we said we’ve got to sustain this thing, so we went out and raised more money. And the end result is the financial gift, which is not a lot of money. But it’s the message of importance it sends about the KLA organization and White Paper Projects.”
In announcing this year’s team that won the award named after her, Northenor said, “Regardless of whatever else goes on, Matt Dalton is the one who actually founded KLA, or at least thought it was a great idea and pushed me into doing it. He’s a little like (KLA co-founder) Doug Grant. He had all those wonderful ideas, but he always got someone else to do it.”
She said there was some “real” criteria for the award. In determining the award winner, she, Light and Brad Bishop make judgments about several different factors.
“Do we think the idea is doable? Do the resources and the people and the organization exist to bring the idea to fruition, like last year’s Splash Park? ... What kind of impact will it have on the community? How widespread will the impact be? Is it sustainable? Once the KLA class moves on, and that time and energy isn’t there to support it, how can it be maintained and be successful over time? ... And finally, will the financial award that goes with the award be meaningful? Is it need at all? And on the flip side of that question, will it make a dent at all in what is needed ahead?” she said.
“Based on that, there were many, many worthy projects,” she continued. “But we felt one stood out. And based on the criteria I mentioned, we believe there is a strong organization, and existing volunteer base that can move this project forward. We believe the concept can be repeated throughout the county, where it can improve a great number of neighborhoods. We believe it is sustainable. The model for moving forward exists and it will generate funds to keep it going. And while the monetary award we present tonight will help, we believe the recognition and the awareness of the need will draw many more volunteers to the cause.”
She announced the winning project as “Rethinking Neighborhood Within the Community for Habitat for Humanity.” Team members include Christon Clark, Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County; Kristine Hueber-Kinney, Cardinal Services Inc.; Huntter Randall, Bowen Center; and Rebecca Spitler, DePuy Synthes.
Before Northenor presented the award, members of the 2012 winning team gave an update on their project, “Winona Lake Splash Pad & Playground Improvement.”
The big announcement in their presentation was that the K21 Health Foundation awarded their project a $200,000 grant for construction of phase one of the Winona Lake Limitless Park, the Splash Pad.
Team members Abby Weiss and Jennifer Orr also announced groundbreaking would be in spring 2014 for the Splash Pad, with construction on the Limitless Park and updates beginning in spring 2015. It all should be completed that year.
Guest speaker for the 32nd graduation celebration was Brad Bishop, director of OrthoWorx. He spoke on community leadership and detailed how other cities like Indianapolis, Carmel and Columbus are growing because of community members taking leadership roles.
Dr. Steve Grill concluded the ceremony by announcing the KLA Executive Committee. Along with Conley as president, it includes Jeff Fawcett, vice president; Becky Anglin, secretary/treasurer; Cameron Plew, selection; Joni Truex, public information; Nancy Rooker, curriculum; and Shelly Fraley and Trina Hoy, events coordinators.
“Graduates,” he stated, “this year we expect you to go out and make positive contributions to our community.”[[In-content Ad]]
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The KLA Board of Trustees felt one group’s project’s impact on the future of KLA was impressive enough that the trustees donated $1,000 to Multi-Township EMS for its support of the project.
The honor was separate from the annual Jean Northenor Award, which went to a project on Habitat for Humanity.
Suzie Light, board of trustees member, made the special presentation on behalf of the board.
“There was one White Paper Project this year that we believe will be of immense value to KLA. It captures the great work done by KLA over the years, and the strength of the organization for anyone who wants to have a look. It preserves our history and it helps excite others about our future,” Light stated.
“That said, the impact will largely be among those who are currently or previously involved in KLA. And this team’s effort was so efficient, most of the work associated with the project is already done,” she continued.
“There are no great financial needs that remain unfunded. Still, we believe this project was so meaningful to KLA, we wanted to give it special recognition. Therefore, we are making a $1,000 donation on behalf of KLA trustees to the Multi-Township EMS for their support of the White Paper ‘Project Resuscitate! – Reviving the KLA Website,’ which you all got to see tonight, and in recognition of the team members.”
Members of the team include Tim Banes, Medtronic Spinal & Biologics; Scott Sigerfoos, Multi-Township EMS; and Don Studebaker, CenturyLink.
The website is at www.kosciuskoleadership.org
Prior to the presentation, Sigerfoos presented the updated KLA website to those at the banquet. He detailed how people can now apply online for KLA through the website. Information on the application, deadlines and tuition costs are included.
The website includes some of the items from the previous website, as well as new pages such as a sponsors page. Sigerfoos said the sponsors page will be updated each year so people can see which local companies are sponsoring KLA cadets.
“The biggest thing we tackled is organizing the White Paper Projects,” he said.
Studebaker categorized the papers for easy research, which had never been done before. Links take visitors to each of the projects.
Moderator Allyn Decker said Sigerfoos will continue to be the KLA webmaster for the time being. Decker also presented an honorary award to Steve Crim, one of the original creators of the KLA website. Crim said he and a couple others created the website in 2005.
The annual award of the banquet is the Jean Northenor Award. There are three criteria for the award, according to David Findlay, past KLA president.
“One is, it must be a doable project. Two is, it must have communitywide impact. That is more than one organization or town. And the third is, it must be sustainable,” he indicated.
“The Northenor Award really is the epitome of the longevity and sustainability of really a unique leadership academy,” he said. “... The Northenor Award was founded 11 years ago by a man named Matt Dalton. He gave $25,000 to KLA and said, ‘I want $5,000 a year to go to the best White Paper Project of the year.’ We quickly spent that $25,000 over the next five years and said, ‘Uh-oh, what are we going to do?’ So we said we’ve got to sustain this thing, so we went out and raised more money. And the end result is the financial gift, which is not a lot of money. But it’s the message of importance it sends about the KLA organization and White Paper Projects.”
In announcing this year’s team that won the award named after her, Northenor said, “Regardless of whatever else goes on, Matt Dalton is the one who actually founded KLA, or at least thought it was a great idea and pushed me into doing it. He’s a little like (KLA co-founder) Doug Grant. He had all those wonderful ideas, but he always got someone else to do it.”
She said there was some “real” criteria for the award. In determining the award winner, she, Light and Brad Bishop make judgments about several different factors.
“Do we think the idea is doable? Do the resources and the people and the organization exist to bring the idea to fruition, like last year’s Splash Park? ... What kind of impact will it have on the community? How widespread will the impact be? Is it sustainable? Once the KLA class moves on, and that time and energy isn’t there to support it, how can it be maintained and be successful over time? ... And finally, will the financial award that goes with the award be meaningful? Is it need at all? And on the flip side of that question, will it make a dent at all in what is needed ahead?” she said.
“Based on that, there were many, many worthy projects,” she continued. “But we felt one stood out. And based on the criteria I mentioned, we believe there is a strong organization, and existing volunteer base that can move this project forward. We believe the concept can be repeated throughout the county, where it can improve a great number of neighborhoods. We believe it is sustainable. The model for moving forward exists and it will generate funds to keep it going. And while the monetary award we present tonight will help, we believe the recognition and the awareness of the need will draw many more volunteers to the cause.”
She announced the winning project as “Rethinking Neighborhood Within the Community for Habitat for Humanity.” Team members include Christon Clark, Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County; Kristine Hueber-Kinney, Cardinal Services Inc.; Huntter Randall, Bowen Center; and Rebecca Spitler, DePuy Synthes.
Before Northenor presented the award, members of the 2012 winning team gave an update on their project, “Winona Lake Splash Pad & Playground Improvement.”
The big announcement in their presentation was that the K21 Health Foundation awarded their project a $200,000 grant for construction of phase one of the Winona Lake Limitless Park, the Splash Pad.
Team members Abby Weiss and Jennifer Orr also announced groundbreaking would be in spring 2014 for the Splash Pad, with construction on the Limitless Park and updates beginning in spring 2015. It all should be completed that year.
Guest speaker for the 32nd graduation celebration was Brad Bishop, director of OrthoWorx. He spoke on community leadership and detailed how other cities like Indianapolis, Carmel and Columbus are growing because of community members taking leadership roles.
Dr. Steve Grill concluded the ceremony by announcing the KLA Executive Committee. Along with Conley as president, it includes Jeff Fawcett, vice president; Becky Anglin, secretary/treasurer; Cameron Plew, selection; Joni Truex, public information; Nancy Rooker, curriculum; and Shelly Fraley and Trina Hoy, events coordinators.
“Graduates,” he stated, “this year we expect you to go out and make positive contributions to our community.”[[In-content Ad]]
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