1996 Nominees
1996 Bea Christy Nominees
Maureen Fledpausch: Association for the Bingham Community: She has lived in this neighborhood for many years and has always tackled problems with concern and pride. Concerned that crime such as drugs, prostitution, and home deterioration is within our neighborhoods she is continually trying to find ways to solve these problems. Maureen takes pride in her neighborhood by getting involved. She helps plan and participates in trash cleanups, flower planting, national night-out, and many other neighborhood projects. She also cares very much about the youth in our neighborhood. It is not unusual for her to invite them in for dinner, to talk or just a place to hang out.
Eleanor Dillon: Downtown Neighborhood Association: In many respects, the entire city of Lansing is her neighborhood. While holding down a very demanding job in the public service/political area, she has: chaired, and continues to chair, the Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Board, which wrote the rules for neighborhood grants, reviews applications and selects grant recipients. Served on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee which reviewed and made recommendations on proposals to convert the Board of Water and Light Power Plant to a multi-use commercial facility serving the Greater Lansing community. She has sat on the Lansing Neighborhood Council Board from 1991 through 1995, focusing on the bylaws, administrative and business aspects of the council’s functions. Eleanor served on the board of a nonprofit housing corporation which renovated dilapidated homes for resale to low-to-moderate income buyers. She has been a member of the original Friends of the (City) Market. Represented her neighborhood association as a member of Lansing 2000 and participated in Paint Blitz.
Gerald Dean Estes: Eastside Neighborhood Organization: We happen to think Gerald is “a treasure”. With an easy going manner and a great sense of humor, he quietly gets the job done. It is impossible to tell about all of his contributions on one sheet of paper but we’ll make a good start. You never have to check a volunteer sign-up sheet for his name, because there or not, he always shows up to do the work. It doesn’t matter what the job, “our hero” does more than his share. Our organization has created a flower garden in our neighborhood. For many years, Gerald has been creator, planter, weeder, and waterer for that garden. Often times he ends up working alone there in sunshine or rain, hot weather or cold to keep it looking good. He spent many hours with another member of our organization creating a memorial for that garden to honor deceased members.
Connie Doyle: Fabulous Acres Neighborhood Association: Connie is the kind of individual who has taken an active role in her community as president of her neighborhood association, as a homeowner, a church-goer, a board member for Habitat for Humanity, and in many other equally important ways. She is an American Red Cross employee whose belief in helping others is evident in all she does whether at work or at home in the neighborhood. In addition to all of the above, this individual can often be seen delivering the monthly community newsletter door to door, rain or shine. When she is not actively involved with any of the above, coaching Police Athletic League basketball games, or taking youths on trips such as to Michigan State University for holiday concerts or sporting events, this individual indulges herself in one of her secret passions: biking the River Trail, something she does on a daily basis.
Sherry Brantley: Genesee Neighborhood Association: Sherry is an outstanding and very neighborly volunteer. She brings people together with her friendly smile and caring ways, and her way of communicating with them. She has an active career and raises a family of three outstanding young ladies (12, 10, and 8 years old). She encourages her own young ladies to stay in school and complete their education. She cultivates and nurtures her daughters and reveals to them by her excellent example the meaning of community spirit. She teaches the need for respect through example and sometimes by a good lecture. She works and is an active member of several social service organizations. Through them she voices her concerns on issues that deal with children, families, and the neighborhood.
Molly Weston: Lansing Eaton Neighborhood Organization(LENO): Molly has been very active in the city of Lansing for nearly two decades. She recently retired from the Lansing School District in 1994 after serving 17 years. Since her retirement in 1994, Molly has volunteered her services to her community in many aspects. She is in charge of Wood Creek School’s Campbell Label Program which receives equipment for schools depending on the amount of labels you can collect. She is an active member of the Literacy Coalition (since June 1994) and has tutored young students who have had difficulty in reading, writing, and math at Wood Creek School. Molly stepped in and accepted the secondary job of LENO when the present secretary at that time resigned last March. Molly was the key individual in charge of LENO’s pancake supper fund raiser which earned us $238 for new funds for future neighborhood activities. Molly has shown true, positive, dedication to her community and reflects great credit upon herself, and her community she serves and lives in.
Betty Kost: Moores Park Neighborhood Organization: Betty, a 40-year resident of our neighborhood, symbolizes the kind of glue that holds changing neighborhoods together. Her voice on our telephones has been a constant, reassuring reminder of monthly meetings for more than a decade. The mere mention of her name elicits images of “hearth and home”, tree-lined streets, children laughing and cicadas humming on hot summer afternoons. Betty accepts responsibility with a spirit uncommon in today’s world. Her sense of humor and “never give up” attitude create a “can do” feeling among her cohorts. We are thankful to Betty for bringing meaning to our lives as citizens of Lansing, Michigan and our beloved neighborhood.
Thelma Osteen: North Lansing Community Association: In 1975, North Lansing Community Association(N.L.C.A.) became a spin-off of North Lansing Women for Action Committee which she was a part of. Thelma continues to support our community, striving to bring North Lansing back to the thriving place, it used to be. She has been President of N.L.C.A. for the last seven years. Thelma is now serving on the Northside Precinct Police Committee and a member at large on the Lansing Neighborhood Council and a member of North Lansing Revitalization Study Committee. Thelma is a leader, not a follower. Whenever there is something to be done the Association can always call on her. She is there for you, whether it is the Heritage Festival, flower planting, lighting the Turner Mini Park for Christmas or if you just have a problem. Thelma has always had a good rapport with the mayors and the city department she has worked with and respected by most.
Eric Wegner: Northtown Neighborhood Association: We are thankful for the many area volunteers. Northtown takes this opportunity to recognize one such person Mr. Eric Wenger, 10 years veteran owner of Eric’s Market located at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Oakland Avenue. The purchase of the store was a fulfillment of a life time personal goal, providing employment for seven people, and with this responsibility he still takes time to share interest in neighborhood issues. Eric’s provides accessibility of food within our neighborhood. While being a necessity the store also becomes a focal point to the community. He is a genuinely humble person, and when his deeds are mentioned, including home bound people calling in their food order and having it delivered, he responds “That’s just good business”. While this in itself is true, we asked him to call any of the larger food stores and see how fast his groceries would be delivered to his door step. This is a way to expand community news and shows his character and feelings toward fellow neighbors.
Dr. Willie Davis: Potter Walsh Neighborhood Organization: Dr. Davis was instrumental in having the Potter/Walsh neighborhood identified as an area that could benefit from Community Policing. At a time when the neighborhood was saturated with drugs on the street, Doc Davis (as he is affectionately referred to) was willing to take a stand and speak out. Doc Davis is no stranger to the police department. He was always willing to call the police and identify himself. As a result, his car has been shot at, a fire bomb has been thrown on his property, and his car has been damaged. Through it all Doc continued to take a stand. Today, Potter/Walsh is a neighborhood which we can be proud of. Although some problems do still exist, the community is relatively quiet. Doc Davis has lived in this community for 16 years.
David Brundage: River Point Neighborhood Association: David Brundage is a lifelong resident of Lansing. He grew up on the Northwest side and has worked and lived throughout the city. Dave came to River Point five years ago to begin a homeless shelter for men. Along with his friend Dale, he founded Straight Line Ministries that helped homeless men get back on their feet again. The shelter has since stopped operating, but Dave stayed; he fell in love with the location and decided to buy a house. Dave is now a 100% River Point”er”; he not only lives here, but works just around the block at Crawford Door Company on South Washington. Dave is an all around good neighbor: from his meticulous care of his own property, to his willingness to help neighbors, to his concern and efforts to improve the overall safety and quality of life in his community.
Yong Cha Skayrd: Sparrow Estates: When we asked Yong, a local business owner, to donate money, she offered a generous donation and challenged all the local businesses to match it. She came up with the idea of a money jar so that her customers could also donate money. This idea worked so well that at Halloween she and her customers donated 1/3 of the budget for the party. When Christmas rolled around, she was there again willing to let her customers drop off toys for the Santa Sleigh. Christmas time also meant that is was time to make Christmas baskets for her customers. She puts homemade cookies and candies in a basket and gives them out every year. She holds a community birthday party for two members of the neighborhood. An entire meal is free to anyone that happens to come in the store. Yong lets neighbors use her store to drop off unwanted clothing or pickup clothing that you could maybe use. She also allows neighbors to sell small items like clothes or household items.
Lyle McFadden: Westside Neighborhood Association: This volunteer believes in the good in all people. Is readily available to mentor, counsel, listen, inspire, to encourage parents as well as students to “participate” using a team approach to build good citizenship. He promotes harmony to enjoy their high school experience, as a coach/trainer he mentors, nurtures and guides all participants to develop their full potential, firmly believing every participant is a potential “champion”. He uses physical fitness as a magnet to draw his student’s interest. His upbeat attitude, his genuine caring and guidance has led many challenged kids of limited prospects to realize self worth and to bloom where they are planted to coin a phrase.
Judges
Jane Aldrich
Floyd Brumfield
Officer Patty Luciano
Eleanor Dillon: Downtown Neighborhood Association: In many respects, the entire city of Lansing is her neighborhood. While holding down a very demanding job in the public service/political area, she has: chaired, and continues to chair, the Mayor’s Neighborhood Advisory Board, which wrote the rules for neighborhood grants, reviews applications and selects grant recipients. Served on the Citizen’s Advisory Committee which reviewed and made recommendations on proposals to convert the Board of Water and Light Power Plant to a multi-use commercial facility serving the Greater Lansing community. She has sat on the Lansing Neighborhood Council Board from 1991 through 1995, focusing on the bylaws, administrative and business aspects of the council’s functions. Eleanor served on the board of a nonprofit housing corporation which renovated dilapidated homes for resale to low-to-moderate income buyers. She has been a member of the original Friends of the (City) Market. Represented her neighborhood association as a member of Lansing 2000 and participated in Paint Blitz.
Gerald Dean Estes: Eastside Neighborhood Organization: We happen to think Gerald is “a treasure”. With an easy going manner and a great sense of humor, he quietly gets the job done. It is impossible to tell about all of his contributions on one sheet of paper but we’ll make a good start. You never have to check a volunteer sign-up sheet for his name, because there or not, he always shows up to do the work. It doesn’t matter what the job, “our hero” does more than his share. Our organization has created a flower garden in our neighborhood. For many years, Gerald has been creator, planter, weeder, and waterer for that garden. Often times he ends up working alone there in sunshine or rain, hot weather or cold to keep it looking good. He spent many hours with another member of our organization creating a memorial for that garden to honor deceased members.
Connie Doyle: Fabulous Acres Neighborhood Association: Connie is the kind of individual who has taken an active role in her community as president of her neighborhood association, as a homeowner, a church-goer, a board member for Habitat for Humanity, and in many other equally important ways. She is an American Red Cross employee whose belief in helping others is evident in all she does whether at work or at home in the neighborhood. In addition to all of the above, this individual can often be seen delivering the monthly community newsletter door to door, rain or shine. When she is not actively involved with any of the above, coaching Police Athletic League basketball games, or taking youths on trips such as to Michigan State University for holiday concerts or sporting events, this individual indulges herself in one of her secret passions: biking the River Trail, something she does on a daily basis.
Sherry Brantley: Genesee Neighborhood Association: Sherry is an outstanding and very neighborly volunteer. She brings people together with her friendly smile and caring ways, and her way of communicating with them. She has an active career and raises a family of three outstanding young ladies (12, 10, and 8 years old). She encourages her own young ladies to stay in school and complete their education. She cultivates and nurtures her daughters and reveals to them by her excellent example the meaning of community spirit. She teaches the need for respect through example and sometimes by a good lecture. She works and is an active member of several social service organizations. Through them she voices her concerns on issues that deal with children, families, and the neighborhood.
Molly Weston: Lansing Eaton Neighborhood Organization(LENO): Molly has been very active in the city of Lansing for nearly two decades. She recently retired from the Lansing School District in 1994 after serving 17 years. Since her retirement in 1994, Molly has volunteered her services to her community in many aspects. She is in charge of Wood Creek School’s Campbell Label Program which receives equipment for schools depending on the amount of labels you can collect. She is an active member of the Literacy Coalition (since June 1994) and has tutored young students who have had difficulty in reading, writing, and math at Wood Creek School. Molly stepped in and accepted the secondary job of LENO when the present secretary at that time resigned last March. Molly was the key individual in charge of LENO’s pancake supper fund raiser which earned us $238 for new funds for future neighborhood activities. Molly has shown true, positive, dedication to her community and reflects great credit upon herself, and her community she serves and lives in.
Betty Kost: Moores Park Neighborhood Organization: Betty, a 40-year resident of our neighborhood, symbolizes the kind of glue that holds changing neighborhoods together. Her voice on our telephones has been a constant, reassuring reminder of monthly meetings for more than a decade. The mere mention of her name elicits images of “hearth and home”, tree-lined streets, children laughing and cicadas humming on hot summer afternoons. Betty accepts responsibility with a spirit uncommon in today’s world. Her sense of humor and “never give up” attitude create a “can do” feeling among her cohorts. We are thankful to Betty for bringing meaning to our lives as citizens of Lansing, Michigan and our beloved neighborhood.
Thelma Osteen: North Lansing Community Association: In 1975, North Lansing Community Association(N.L.C.A.) became a spin-off of North Lansing Women for Action Committee which she was a part of. Thelma continues to support our community, striving to bring North Lansing back to the thriving place, it used to be. She has been President of N.L.C.A. for the last seven years. Thelma is now serving on the Northside Precinct Police Committee and a member at large on the Lansing Neighborhood Council and a member of North Lansing Revitalization Study Committee. Thelma is a leader, not a follower. Whenever there is something to be done the Association can always call on her. She is there for you, whether it is the Heritage Festival, flower planting, lighting the Turner Mini Park for Christmas or if you just have a problem. Thelma has always had a good rapport with the mayors and the city department she has worked with and respected by most.
Eric Wegner: Northtown Neighborhood Association: We are thankful for the many area volunteers. Northtown takes this opportunity to recognize one such person Mr. Eric Wenger, 10 years veteran owner of Eric’s Market located at the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Oakland Avenue. The purchase of the store was a fulfillment of a life time personal goal, providing employment for seven people, and with this responsibility he still takes time to share interest in neighborhood issues. Eric’s provides accessibility of food within our neighborhood. While being a necessity the store also becomes a focal point to the community. He is a genuinely humble person, and when his deeds are mentioned, including home bound people calling in their food order and having it delivered, he responds “That’s just good business”. While this in itself is true, we asked him to call any of the larger food stores and see how fast his groceries would be delivered to his door step. This is a way to expand community news and shows his character and feelings toward fellow neighbors.
Dr. Willie Davis: Potter Walsh Neighborhood Organization: Dr. Davis was instrumental in having the Potter/Walsh neighborhood identified as an area that could benefit from Community Policing. At a time when the neighborhood was saturated with drugs on the street, Doc Davis (as he is affectionately referred to) was willing to take a stand and speak out. Doc Davis is no stranger to the police department. He was always willing to call the police and identify himself. As a result, his car has been shot at, a fire bomb has been thrown on his property, and his car has been damaged. Through it all Doc continued to take a stand. Today, Potter/Walsh is a neighborhood which we can be proud of. Although some problems do still exist, the community is relatively quiet. Doc Davis has lived in this community for 16 years.
David Brundage: River Point Neighborhood Association: David Brundage is a lifelong resident of Lansing. He grew up on the Northwest side and has worked and lived throughout the city. Dave came to River Point five years ago to begin a homeless shelter for men. Along with his friend Dale, he founded Straight Line Ministries that helped homeless men get back on their feet again. The shelter has since stopped operating, but Dave stayed; he fell in love with the location and decided to buy a house. Dave is now a 100% River Point”er”; he not only lives here, but works just around the block at Crawford Door Company on South Washington. Dave is an all around good neighbor: from his meticulous care of his own property, to his willingness to help neighbors, to his concern and efforts to improve the overall safety and quality of life in his community.
Yong Cha Skayrd: Sparrow Estates: When we asked Yong, a local business owner, to donate money, she offered a generous donation and challenged all the local businesses to match it. She came up with the idea of a money jar so that her customers could also donate money. This idea worked so well that at Halloween she and her customers donated 1/3 of the budget for the party. When Christmas rolled around, she was there again willing to let her customers drop off toys for the Santa Sleigh. Christmas time also meant that is was time to make Christmas baskets for her customers. She puts homemade cookies and candies in a basket and gives them out every year. She holds a community birthday party for two members of the neighborhood. An entire meal is free to anyone that happens to come in the store. Yong lets neighbors use her store to drop off unwanted clothing or pickup clothing that you could maybe use. She also allows neighbors to sell small items like clothes or household items.
Lyle McFadden: Westside Neighborhood Association: This volunteer believes in the good in all people. Is readily available to mentor, counsel, listen, inspire, to encourage parents as well as students to “participate” using a team approach to build good citizenship. He promotes harmony to enjoy their high school experience, as a coach/trainer he mentors, nurtures and guides all participants to develop their full potential, firmly believing every participant is a potential “champion”. He uses physical fitness as a magnet to draw his student’s interest. His upbeat attitude, his genuine caring and guidance has led many challenged kids of limited prospects to realize self worth and to bloom where they are planted to coin a phrase.
Judges
Jane Aldrich
Floyd Brumfield
Officer Patty Luciano
