Pictured here at the Dysart Lions Club Awards Night on February 4 are (L to R): Daniel Hartwig (Melvin Jones award winner), Rodger Aldrich (Concessions Manager Appreciation Award winner), Debi & Ron Miller (Dysart Citizens of the Year), Devin Lassen (Past President Award recipient), D.G. Garry Vokes, Erich Fuchs (Warren Coleman Award winner), Lion President Mel Campbell (Dysart Lion of the Year winner).

Dysart Lions Club & DDC honor Citizens of the Year winners Ron & Debi Miller

At the close of the Dysart Lions Awards Night, D.D.C. President Dwayne Luze came forward to make the 2015 Dysart Citizen of the Year award. This year’s award was presented to a Dysart couple who have both donated untold hours to the Dysart community.

Deb Miller retired from the Waterloo Courier the same week that Ron Miller retired from a long career at John Deere Tractor Works. Following their retirements and a vacation trip to Alaska, this couple increased what had already been for many years service to their community. Deb is the financial secretary at the Dysart United Methodist Church, which is a very detailed and busy job. She also helps with the serving of communion, alter guild, and keeping the outside plants in good shape. Deb is very active with the Dysart Tree Board and a dedicated member of the C.R. Roberts Nature Trail and the Bike Trail project from Dysart to Garrison and Vinton. She is also the chairperson of the 5 B’s fall fund raiser, and last year organized and set up a Kids Bike Safety Riding Rodeo and obstacle course.

Ron is a longtime active member of the Dysart Lions Club, where he is a dedicated worker in the “Cook Shack” and served on many Lion committees. For 25 years Ron, as a volunteer, organized and helped teach the Hunters Safety Course to hundreds of young boys and girls. Ron is also known for taking young hunters out to show them how to hunt turkeys, deer, and even squirrels. He wants young people to know and appreciate the outdoors as he does. Ron is also a very accomplished bow and arrow hunter.

Together Ron and Deb – with their work planting trees with the Tree Board, helping trim bushes and hauling out truckloads of brush and then going to Waterloo to haul home a load of mulch or cement blocks to be used at the Dysart Park – show a true dedication to Dysart.

Dysart as a community is fortunate to have this couple who will donate their time and talent to make Dysart a far better place for all to say “This is Dysart, This is Home!”

Attendance & other awards also handed out at event

The Dysart Lions held their Spouse/Friend and Awards Night on February 4 at the Dysart Community Building. Special guests were Lions District Governor Garry Vokes and PDG Zane Vokes of Clive, as well as 1st D.G. William Shutters of Urbandale.

Following dinner, President Mel Campbell introduced DG Vokes, who presented chevrons noting years of membership in five-year increments to the members present and then gave his address to the club.

President Campbell then asked Secretary Lyons to award the perfect attendance pins to the following Lions: 1 year to Owen Hix, Pete Kleinstruber, Ron Miller, Lowell Sanford, and Gary Reed; 2 years to Linda Butler, Jim Davis, Erich Fuchs, Gean Meyer, and Kathy Meyer; 3 years to Stan Evans and Greg Lyons; 4 years to Roger Aldrich and Richard Leipold; 5 years to Daniel Hartwig and Devin Lassen; 6 years to Sherry Lyons; 7 years to Mel Campbell and John Mehlert; 8 years to Keith Bader; 10 years to Marvin Taylor; 11 years to Rick Krug and Doug Mehlhaus; 12 years to Austin Brandt and Joe Coffey; 13 years to Bob Gumbert; 17 years to Dwayne Luze; 42 years to Marvin Monroe; and 52 years to Don Lyons. Perfect attendance awards are earned by attending all the Lions meetings and by working at Lions events such as the tenderloin meals, fish fry meals, pancake breakfast, working in the Lions concession stand in the park and all other Lions events.

It was now time for some special awards: Past President award to Kevin Lassen; Service Appreciation plaques to Roger Aldrich for Concessions Manager and Stan Evan as Lion Tamer; and Lions President Mel Campbell was awarded Lion of the Year. Next, Erich Fuchs was presented the Warren Coleman award, which is the Iowa Lions’ top award for service to your local Lions Club and to your community. The Melvin Jones Fellow award for outstanding service to mankind and Lions service was presented to Daniel Hartwig. This is an award from Lions International and is named to honor the founder of Lions Club International. Lions Club International was chartered in 1917 and the Dysart Lions Club was chartered in March of 1950. The Dysart Lions have very proudly served Dysart and the surrounding area for 66 years and truly THANKS everyone for all the support we receive in our fund raising events and the projects we sponsor.

Next, the President of the Dysart Development Corporation came forward to present the Dysart Citizen of the Year award. This award is sponsored jointly by the Dysart Lions and the DDC and was started 26 years ago. Letters of nomination are sent to Dwayne at the DDC office and the nominations are judged by the past five winners of the award. This year’s Citizens of the Year are Ron and Debi Miller! Very deserving, very dedicated workers in our community, Ron and Debi are involved in many activities here in Dysart.

Congratulations to all the award winners at our Lions award night. The meeting concluded following the awarding of door prizes by Tail twister Kevin Lassen.