Three Stevens Point area citizens - a public servant, an administrator with a love for her university and nature, and an innovative industry president - will be recognized for their generosity, leadership and dedication to our community, on Saturday, Aug. 28, at the sixth annual Community Leadership Celebration at the Stevens Point Country Club.
Open to the public, Community Leadership Celebration offers participants a round of 18 holes of golf on the Stevens Point Country Club course, dinner and a special evening program. The day begins with a barbecue at 11 a.m. and a golf shotgun start at noon.
The Memorial Honoree for the event is the late Portage County Board Supervisor, Gordon M. Hanson. Receiving Quality of Life Leadership Awards will be recently retired UW-SP assistant chancellor for student affairs, Helen R. Godfrey, and Worzalla Publishing Co. president and CEO, Charles W. Nason.
This year's program features guest presenters Mayor Gary Wescott, John Jury and former Wisconsin Gov. Lee Sherman Dreyfus highlighting the lives and contributions of the community leaders being celebrated. Dr. Thomas O'Malley Sr. will be the master of ceremonies.
As in the past, proceeds from the Community Leadership Celebration will benefit Saint Michael's Foundation to support Lifeline, HEALTHLINE and other community education and outreach efforts. Tickets are still available.
Often quoted as saying, "If you want to have a good community, you have to help make it a good community," Hanson lived his life by this philosophy and Stevens Point is the better for it. Known, to all as "Gordy," Hanson held a variety of positions in government and local organizations' boards of directors.
Two of Hanson's longest tenures were as Portage County Board Supervisor (1980-1998) and Stevens Point Area Public School District Board Member (1951-1972). Admired for his dedication, Hanson was selected as chair for several committees of both entities.
His additional community involvement included the Portage County Economic Development Corporation Board, Stevens Point Kiwanis Club, Stevens Point Toastmasters, Junior Chamber of Commerce, St. Paul Lutheran Church, and ROMEO Club. He was the recipient of the Stevens Point Jaycees Distinguished Citizen Award in 1969. Hanson worked for 41 years in the local paper industry.
Hanson is well remembered for his efforts to abide by his friend Ken Willett's motto - "to make this a better place in which to live and work, play and pray."
Godfrey recently retired as assistant chancellor for student affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where she served for 33 years in a variety of roles.
"I personally believe that's the reason I'm here, I'm here to serve," she said. Godfrey has touched the lives of countless individuals in a special way, giving unselfishly of her time, talent and energy, reaching out to all segments of the university and community through the years, with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye.
Among Godfrey's accomplishments at UW-SP are founding and supporting the University Child Learning and Care Center (UCLCC); and achieving national affiliation for Phi Eta Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi, freshman and senior honor societies, chartering and hosting the Board of Visitors; participating in Friends of Treehaven; and advocating and volunteering for Special Olympics Wisconsin at UW-SP. She was the long-time President of the Women's Athletic Fund, President of the American Suzuki Foundation of Stevens Point and is a Friend of the Natural History Museum.
Serving the community, as well as she did the university, Godfrey currently serves on the JCPenney Golden Rule Selection Committee and is a charter member of the Board of Directors for both the Community Foundation of Portage County and the Stevens Point Area YMCA Foundation.
She also founded the Chamber of Commerce - Communiversity Committee. Her past involvement includes former board member of the Portage County Economic Development Corporation, Monteverdi Master Chorale, Zonta International and Stevens Point Kiwanis Club; former trustee of St. Paul's United Methodist Church; and former campaign cabinet member of the Portage County Public Library Foundation.
Throughout retirement Godfrey plans to continue her active volunteer commitments.
Worzalla Publishing Co. has been a driving economic force in the community for more than 100 years, and the company's continued success today is a direct reflection of its leader, Charles W. Nason, who always stated, "It's the employees who dictate growth."
As chairman, president and CEO, Nason's hard work, dedication and "lead by example" style has taken Worzalla, a children's book manufacturer, from sales of $7.5 million in 1983 to $57 million in 1998.
During this period of growth, staff at the employee-owned company has also increased from 165 to more than 470.
Nason's leadership capabilities are evident in both his successful development of Worzalla and his community involvement throughout the years. His community work includes volunteering with the Wisconsin Special Olympics as board member and past chairman; 1999 fund drive vice chair for the United Way of Portage County, Stevens Point Parks Improvement Committee, Marshfield Clinic National Advisory Council; and board member and past president of the Book Manufacturers Institute.
Other activities included serving as a board member for the Central Wisconsin Area Economic Development Council, Stevens Point Curling Club, United Way of Portage County and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, as well as serving as past president of the Stevens Point Country Club, vice-chairman of the Wisconsin Department of Development Employee Ownership Assistance Committee and organizer of the Goerke Sports Complex Committee.
The Community Leadership Celebration is just one program sponsored by Saint Michael's Foundation.
More information on St. Michael's Foundation activities is available from Phyllis Devlin, St. Michael's foundation director, at 346-5337.