December Character Champion
Safe Streets Coalition and Topeka City of Character will be holding a press conference on December 2 at the Great Overland Station at 12:15 p.m. to announce the recipient of the Champion of Character award for demonstrating character that significantly improves the health, safety and quality of life in the community.
This month’s recipient of the Champion of Character Award is Kasey Sturgeon, a 9 year old 4th grader at Pleasant Hill Elementary.
Kasey Sturgeon was nominated by Amy Miller and Jodi Sturgeon for demonstrating the character qualities of Gratefulness. She has delivered thank-you cards to the firefighters who work on Thanksgiving Day. She has also delivered hand-made Christmas ornaments to the firefighters who work on Christmas Day.
Kasey was also the visionary behind the Emergency Services Showcase, held annually in Topeka. At age 6, Kasey saw a news story regarding a child losing it’s life in a fire. She immediately became concerned that the child might have hidden from the fire fighters since she knew how scary the men and women look and sound when wearing all their gear. After much discussion and many tears, Kasey asked her Mom why they couldn’t teach others about the firefighters she knew. From that idea, the Emergency Services Showcase was born.
The Emergency Services Showcase began in 2007 with Kasey’s dream. In May of 2009 representatives from several Fire Departments, American Medical Response, American Red Cross, Shawnee County Sheriff, Topeka Police Department, State Fire Marshall, Shawnee County Emergency Management, and local hospitals participated. In all, 27 Emergency Services organizations had equipment and personnel at Garfield Park and Community Center available. It is a great opportunity for the public to meet the men and women who make it their business to help save lives in our community. More information about the Emergency Services Showcase can be found at their website at esstopeka.org.
Kasey is also interested in music. Kasey plays the double bass in Beginning Orchestra and has been taking private drum lessons for approximately a year now.
“We think that for the holiday season, Kasey is the perfect nominee to be our Character Champion”, stated Cindy Patton, Executive Director of Topeka City of Character. “What a great example of Gratefulness and Benevolence she is for all of us in this community!”
The awards are presented by the Kansas Character Recognition Council of Topeka/Shawnee County. Senator Laura Kelly, Mayor William Bunten, City Councilman, Jack Woelfel, Chief of Police Ronald Miller, Shawnee County Commissioners Shelly Buhler and Ted Ensley, Director of Shawnee County Corrections, Richard Kline, District Attorney Chad Taylor and Shawnee County Sheriff Richard Barta are all members of The Kansas Character Recognition Council.
Anyone may make nominations for Character Champions. Nomination forms may be obtained by downloading a form at the Topeka City of Character website at www.topekacityofcharacter.org. Nomination forms may also be found at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka Capital Journal office or by calling the Topeka City of Character office at 273-4330.
Future press conferences recognizing Character Champions will be set for the first Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon at the Great Overland Station immediately preceding the Safe Streets monthly meeting.
For further information about the Character Recognition Initiative, contact Cindy Patton, Topeka City of Character office, 534 S Kansas Avenue, Suite 820, Phone: 640-7403, Fax: 354-1901 or email: topekacityofcharacter@gmail.com.
November Character Champion
Safe Streets Coalition and Topeka City of Character will be holding a press conference on November 4 at the Great Overland Station at 12:00 noon to announce the recipients of the Champion of Character award for demonstrating character that significantly improves the health, safety and quality of life in the community.
This month’s recipient of the Champion of Character Award is Ron Brown, long-time organizer of Safe Streets Coalition.
Ron Brown was nominated by Sally Zellers for demonstrating the character qualities of Dependability, Loyalty, Resourcefulness, Patience and Tolerance. Brown was one of the original founders of Safe Streets Coalition and has worked diligently with the organization for 14 years. He along with Mike Padilla, helped the organization early on to establish a strong and trusting relationship with the Topeka Police Department. Ron just recently retired from the Topeka Police Department.
Ron was also a Co-founder of the Young Citizen’s Academy which helped many a young person develop a trusting relationship with law enforcement. Thanks to Ron’s creativity over the years, Safe Streets just graduated their 26th Class.
Director of Safe Streets, Sally Zellers, had this to say about why she nominated Brown, “It was hard to select just a few character traits because so many of them listed describe Ron, but I’m nominating him for the character traits of dependability, loyalty and resourcefulness simply because they fit him so perfectly. He taught us his trademark line of “focus and finish” which helped us on many a project. I also selected patience and tolerance for his ability to put up with all of us and the many challenges we overcame.”
“One of the wonderful things about Ron is that whether you saw him in his father role, his life as a Marine, and certainly as a police officer, he has always demonstrated and role-modeled good character. I can’t think of anyone more deserving to receive a Champion of Character Award than Ron Brown,” stated Zellers.
The awards are presented by the Kansas Character Recognition Council of Topeka/Shawnee County. Senator Laura Kelly, Mayor William Bunten, City Councilman, Jack Woelfel, Chief of Police Ronald Miller, Shawnee County Commissioners Shelly Buhler and Ted Ensley, Director of Shawnee County Corrections, Richard Kline, District Attorney Chad Taylor and Shawnee County Sheriff Richard Barta are all members of The Kansas Character Recognition Council.
Anyone may make nominations for Character Champions. Nomination forms may be obtained by downloading a form at the Topeka City of Character website at www.topekacityofcharacter.org. Nomination forms may also be found at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka Capital Journal office or by calling the Topeka City of Character office at 273-4330.
Future press conferences recognizing Character Champions will be set for the first Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon at the Great Overland Station immediately preceding the Safe Streets monthly meeting.
For further information about the Character Recognition Initiative, contact Cindy Patton, Topeka City of Character office, 534 S Kansas Avenue, Suite 820, Phone: 640-7403, Fax: 354-1901 or email: topekacityofcharacter@gmail.com.
October Character Champion
Safe Streets Coalition and Topeka City of Character will be holding a press conference on October 7 at the Great Overland Station at 12:00 noon to announce the recipients of the Champion of Character award for demonstrating character that significantly improves the health, safety and quality of life in the community.
This month’s recipients of the Champion of Character Award are Laura and Harvey Moore, volunteers for Special Olympics and Tim Clothier, local businessman and chair of Crimestoppers.
Laura and Harvey Moore were nominated by Santa Bonaparte for demonstrating attentiveness, compassion and gentleness. The Moores have devoted their lives to the Special Olympics program and its many participants. “They give of themselves with their time, finances, and love for those in our community who depend on others to enhance their own lives”, stated Bonaparte. Recently when one young man’s father died, the Moores became a surrogate parent for the young man, taking him camping and inviting him into their home. Like many Special Olympics volunteers, they do fundraising and coach at the Special Olympics events. However, they go out of their way to be a friend to those who have special needs.
Tim Clothier was nominated by Ron Brown for his volunteer work in the community, including serving as Chairperson of Crimestoppers. “During his tenure at Crimestoppers, he did a good job of raising money and supporting the organization”, stated Brown. Clothier also worked with the Corrections Department to create an orientation video for people being booked into jail. This video orientation was developed to assist those people in changing direction and developing good character.
Clothier has also been active as a supporter of education at Topeka Public Schools. He was an active member of Parent Teacher organizations at Avondale West and Jardine Middle School and served as the Topeka High Booster Club Spiritwear chairperson for 6 years. He was also a member of the grassroots organization “Project yes” which helped the District pass the local option budget. He was a school board member from 1995 – 2007. During his tenure on the Board the district successfully passed two major bond issues. The first was for the implementation of air-conditioning and cable technology for the District. The second allowed the district to add additional classrooms that were needed and supported the construction of Hummer Sports Park. Early childhood education development programs were expanded and two new gyms were built at both Topeka High and Topeka West High Schools.
Clothier is also an active volunteer at his church, Countryside Methodist Church, both as a Sunday School Teacher and musician, singing in Chancel Choir, Men’s quartet and Praise Band. He and his wife are small business owners of Cold Stone Creamery on Wanamaker.
“Clothier demonstrates Availability and Determination to take on projects to accomplish right goals regardless of the opposition”, stated Patton, Executive Director of Topeka City of Character.
The awards are presented by the Kansas Character Recognition Council of Topeka/Shawnee County. Senator Laura Kelly, Mayor William Bunten, City Councilman, Jack Woelfel, Chief of Police Ronald Miller, Shawnee County Commissioners Shelly Buhler and Ted Ensley, Director of Shawnee County Corrections, Richard Kline, District Attorney Chad Taylor and Shawnee County Sheriff Richard Barta are all members of The Kansas Character Recognition Council.
Anyone may make nominations for Character Champions. Nomination forms may be obtained by downloading a form at the Topeka City of Character website at www.topekacityofcharacter.org. Nomination forms may also be found at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Topeka Capital Journal office or by calling the Topeka City of Character office at 273-4330.
Future press conferences recognizing Character Champions will be set for the first Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon at the Great Overland Station immediately preceding the Safe Streets monthly meeting.
For further information about the Character Recognition Initiative, contact Cindy Patton, Topeka City of Character office, 534 S Kansas Avenue, Suite 820, Phone: 640-7403, Fax: 354-1901 or email: topekacityofcharacter@gmail.com.