| Susan Flury and Don Kidd 2012 First Citizens |
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Click here to see photos of the event
Presentation Speech for Susan Flury, Glide First Citizen 2012 It’s going to be impossible to include everything that our first honoree has done for this community. It’s easier to answer the question "What hasn’t she done?" To remember everything, you would have had to have lived here a very long time. I’m told that in the 70s or 80s, she coached the cheerleading team. Since then, she has been cheering for Glide in countless ways. If there’s a fund-raiser for anything, she’ll be there, and she probably will have baked one of her famous, high-priced pies. In fact, chances are good she will have helped organize the fund-raiser. Garage sales, bake sales, walnuts sales, crafts fairs, you name it. For the scholarships that were awarded earlier tonight, she personally raised hundreds of dollars. A lot of what she does revolves around the kids of this community. Those cheerleading squads in the 80s; the summer rec program; fundraising for FFA, Project Graduation, and the high school band. She has cooked breakfasts for wrestling tournaments; organized Halloween and Christmas parties here at the club; worked at spaghetti dinners and talent shows; and wrapped thousands of presents for the Boy Scouts’ holiday basket program. She’s been on the board of the Community Cancer Foundation since ... well, we’re not sure how long. "Decades" is the best estimate we could get. As a cancer survivor herself, she has been a tremendous asset on that board: consistent, supportive, and very enthusiastic. She was especially valuable in helping to heal lingering hard feelings after the loss of Douglas Community Hospital. That healing allowed the 30-member board to come together unanimously in the decision to relocate onto the Mercy campus and create a spectacular cancer center recognized as unique throughout the nation. To her cancer foundation work, she also adds a personal touch: Every year she donates a quilt that she has made to be raffled. How many people have wrapped themselves in her warmth? How many have received, or will receive, life-saving treatment, because of her efforts? In 2004, she accepted a position on the Glide Community Club board. She’s been a member ever since, and served as President for 6 years. In addition to board member and President, she also was janitor. Yes, you heard me right. For 2 years she helped clean this building every week, for free. It just goes to show, if a job needs doing, she simply steps in and gets it done. One of her nominations said, "2004 was a time of turmoil, and she smiled the entire time." During her tenure as president, she led the club through a period of revitalization and renovation. This long-time fund-raiser understands that sometimes you need more than volunteers, good will, and hard work– sometimes you need money, lots of cold hard cash. She has worked on Bingo nights, a big fund-raiser for the Club, since it started in 2005, helping run it and doing the weekly paperwork. But the biggest fund-raising of all has been obtaining grants. She led the way in getting over $125,000 in grants for improving this building that benefits all of us. And how it has been transformed! When it was moved to this spot in 1958, it was already old. By 2004 it was desperately in need of major work. Under her watch, it got foundation repair, new roof, and exterior painting. Flooring was replaced in this room, the kitchen, and upstairs. There were new windows and window shades; kitchen and bathroom counters; this new stage and upgraded sound system; new refrigerator, stoves, dishwasher; even chairs and tables got replaced. It will continue to benefit generations of North Umpqua residents, thanks to her hard work and boundless energy. I’m going to break with tradition and read to you one of her nominations. It’s written in 3 bright colors: "I’m Jasmine Wise. I would like to nominate Susan Flury Please join me in honoring and thanking our newest First Citizen, Susan Flury, for the many ways she has helped our community, for her countless hours and years of devotion, for her quilts and hugs and peach jam!
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Presentation Speech for Don Kidd, Glide First Citizen 2012 Some of you may be wondering why the nominees and the Selection Committee were not introduced tonight, as they have been at our past celebrations. Well, this year the community itself became the Selection Committee. Seven nominations were received. Four of them – including Jasmine’s – were for Susan. The other three nominations were for our next honoree. Once again, it would be impossible to name everything this person does to help our community. We’d be here all night. Let’s start with the ones everyone knows about. He has served for 18 years on the Glide Water District Board, 14 of those as its chairman. But pure water in is only half the picture. The smelly stuff going out has to be dealt with too. He served on the Glide-Idleyld Sewer Advisory Board. When the county decided to get out of the sewage business, he was instrumental in getting the sewer district formed. He sat through commissioners’ meetings, organized community information sessions, and worked hard to give citizens the opportunity to vote on having a sewer district. In 2007, he was elected to the new sewer board with the highest number of votes, so he became its president. Re-elected last year, he’s committed to helping this community with one of the most unglamorous jobs there is. He doesn’t just run meetings. He is actively involved in keeping the sewer plant running effectively and efficiently. He inspects and repairs equipment, consults on equipment purchases, helps and advises the plant operators. As usual, he goes above and beyond what is required. He also participates with the fire department. He was on its budget committee for 3 years, and 2 years ago was elected to its board. That’s three boards. Add one more – He’s been on the board of the Glide Community Club 5 of the last 6 years. You just heard how much renovation has taken place during that time, and he played a key role in all that work, whether or not he was on the board. Whatever job needed doing – replacing locks, fixing plumbing, hauling gravel, running to town for parts, getting construction bids – he would get it done. As President, Susan Flury said, "Anytime I need help with the building or under the building – digging ditches or repair of any kind – he will always help." He has contributed equipment, fuel & mileage, know-how, and countless hours of labor to maintaining and improving this building and its grounds. Since 2010, he also has been President of the club, adding to his tasks the leadership and watchdog role. In all these elected positions, he has received a huge majority of the votes, showing the community’s trust in him. These leadership roles have required him to deal with mind-numbing paperwork, unhappy constituents and fellow board members, financial difficulties within the organizations, and compliance with government regulations and reports. These tasks are difficult and not a lot of fun, but he has taken on these responsibilities with his characteristic humor, commitment and integrity. He’s dedicated to doing the right thing, even if it’s not popular, even if it requires of him extra hours and extra stress. The time he’s spent on these visible, elected positions total many thousands of hours over the years. These efforts are more than enough to earn him honor and recognition. But that is not all. He gives to this community in many less visible, more personal ways. Helping Hands needs donated firewood hauled, he cranks up his dump truck, paying for the fuel himself, and volunteers many times each year. Helping Hands’ wood splitter is making funny noises again. He works his small-engine-magic and fixes it. "No charge." FFA, or the high school band, needs items to be auctioned at their fund-raiser. He buys a load of rock, donates his time, equipment, and diesel, and the rock is delivered. Someone’s car breaks down and they’re stranded, with no money for repairs. He drops what he’s doing and fixes the rig. Again, "No charge." Glide Recreation needs their stove rebuilt. They need help putting up and taking down their canopy. The high school automotive class needs help from someone who knows engines. A couple awestruck kids would love a spin in the Rat Rod. He’s never too busy to do something for someone else. He’s been given many names over the years -- The Bug Doctor It’s time we recognize how much Don Kidd does for us and give him one more well-deserved name – Glide First Citizen.
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