Citizenship Award Honors Departed Community Servant
Article by Dave Kurtz | KPC News | November 12, 2021
AUBURN — On its 25th anniversary, the Allen Graber Citizenship Award was presented Thursday to a sentimental choice, the late Al Wleklinski.
The DeKalb Chamber Partnership honored Mr. Wleklinski and seven other recipients during its annual Duesy Awards dinner at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum.
Other winners of Duesy Awards were Allie Cochran, Steve Bingham, Larry Yoder, Trine University, Alliance Industries, R.P. Wakefield Co. and Credent Wealth.
Presenting the annual “Citizen of the Year” award named for late community booster Allen Graber, chamber executive director Shannon Carpenter said, “It’s such an honor to add to that list one more amazing person.”
Mr. Wleklinski, who died Sept. 9 at the age of 68, gave decades of service to DeKalb County nonprofit organizations and Auburn city government.
He served as a board member for the United Way of DeKalb County, St. Martin’s Health Clinic and Northeastern Center and was active in Auburn Rotary Club.
His 25 years of service on city boards and commissions began with an appointment to the Auburn Economic Development Commission. He went on to serve two decades on the Board of Zoning Appeals and Plan Commission, presiding over the latter two bodies for many of those years.
“If you knew my Dad, he would be like, ‘I don’t need this award. It needs to go to somebody else,’”Mr. Wlekinski’s daughter, Elizabeth Novy of Auburn, said upon accepting the award. “It’s just really special that my Dad’s memory and his legacy are going to live on within DeKalb County.”
The United Way of DeKalb County then revealed that it is honoring Mr. Wleklinski with its Barbara Oren Award for the volunteer of the year.
The United Way also is naming its annual Helping Hand Award in honor of Mr. Wleklinski. The organization presented the first award bearing his name to Julie Hook, a 20-year board member.
Credent Wealth of Auburn was honored as Business of the Year. Co-founders David and Stacy Hefty accepted the award for the business they started in 2000. The company now is building a new, three-story office in downtown Auburn.
Stacy Hefty said she remembers attending past chamber awards presentations and feeling “in awe of the businesses and what they’ve accomplished.”
She added, “We have learned over the years so much from the professionals, business owners, people that took time to teach us what we needed to know.”
She continued, “This award, more importantly, is about our team.”
“It feels good to be able to grow where you’re planted,” said David Hefty, a local native. “It’s great to know that you can grow up in this community, you can work five minutes from home and be three minutes from your kids’ school.”
He said Auburn has the “framework and fabric to build a strong community.”
R.P. Wakefield Co. of Waterloo was honored as Small Business of the Year for “community stewardship, quality products and outstanding service,” the chamber said.
Company president Brian Ruegsegger, who also was a finalist for the Allen Graber Citizenship Award, said the company has been in operation since 1948.
Carolyn Foley, president of the Eckhart Public Library board of trustees, was a third finalist for the Graber award.
Alliance Industries, based in Garrett, received the award for the Nonprofit of the Year. Don Chaffin, board president for Alliance Industries, gave an emotional acceptance speech.
“The truth is, we believe in people,” Chaffin told the gathering about Alliance Industries. “We believe people need to feel the worth of who they are, and that’s what we try to do, to the best of our ability, is care for people, help families and make this a greater community.”
Chaffin thanked the many supporters of the agency, which has operated for 67 years. It recently began an expansion of its building in Garrett that serves people with developmental disabilities.
“This is a county where people believe in each other,” he said. “They believe in the greater good for fellow man. People go out of their way to help other people.”
The Community Foundation DeKalb County also presented Alliance Industries with a special monetary grant.
The Young Professional of the Year Award went to Allie Cochran, membership engagement director for the YMCA of DeKalb County. Cochran credited her YMCA family and read a quote from President Theodore Roosevelt, paraphrasing it to salute “the woman in the arena.”
Steve Bingham, city planner for Butler, was honored as the Seasoned Professional of the Year. He is retiring at the end of 2021 after 32 years as a city planner in DeKalb County for the cities of Garrett and Butler.
Bingham thanked all the mayors for whom he has served. He said it has been gratifying to see the growth of the DeKalb County Economic Development Partnership, for which he is a board member. He also thanked all the volunteers “who have worked hard in the past couple of years to breathe new life into Butler.”
Bingham said his wife, Thithi, “has been with us every step of the way, and I share this award with her.”
Another award going Butler’s way was presented to Larry Yoder, principal of Eastside Junior-Senior High School, as the Educator of the Year.
“Every educator in DeKalb County deserves a piece of this,” Yoder said about the award. “It takes a village to educate a child. I just want to dedicate this to every teacher, every administrator and every support person in all DeKalb County schools.”
Trine University of Angola received the Education Award. Jason Watson, assistant vice president and dean of enrollment for Trine University College of Graduate and Professional Studies, accepted the award on behalf of Trine.
“Trine’s mission is to change the lives of our students and make a positive impact on the communities that we serve. I really think this award shows that we are fulfilling that mission,” Watson said. “However, it couldn’t be possible without all our dedicated faculty and staff.” He also thanked students, their parents, family, alumni, and community members and organizations that believe in and support Trine.
Chamber board president Steve Snider noted “a year of forward momentum” for the chamber, which gained 44 new members and presented more than 30 events attended by more than 900 people.
Snider recognized retiring chamber board members Tammy Bailey and Chad Sutton and welcomed new directors Anton King, Pete Kempf, Matt Faber and Melissa Irk.
Chamber executive director Shannon Carpenter said the “The Hub,” the chamber’s renovated office at 208 S. Jackson St., Auburn, soon will serve as a classroom for Ivy Tech and co-working space offering “a modern business space in the heart of downtown.”
The Taste of DeKalb Award for the attendees’ favorite food of the evening went to Astral of Auburn.
Article source: https://www.kpcnews.com/thestar/article_ddcb1360-1dae-5c03-9587-40f08f75c2bd.html