The Kiwanis Club of Wellington created the Champion of Children Award in 2021 to honor a community member for their donation of time, talent or treasure to improve the lives of children in the Wellington community. The recipient may initiate a program or event that improves the lives of children by providing services needed or enjoyed by children. The club hopes to issue an award quarterly. Recipients receive an engraved Champion of Children Yeti mug, purchased from Farm and Home Hardware.
Ayers Ratliff, K-Kids Advisor, Duke Pride Festival, Morris Furcron Peterson Nut Sale, Wellington School Board Member
Tina Drake, Wellington High School Principal
Karen Wright, Wellington High School Secretary
Karen Wright Retired Wellington High School secretary Karen Wright was honored October 21, 2021 with the Wellington Kiwanis Club Champion of Children award. Wright retired in June after 30 years with Wellington Schools. She opted to retire when Principal Tina Drake announced she was leaving to take a similar opportunity in Cincinnati. She said Drake was the 14th high school principal that she worked for her during career. She also noted there have been 15 different superintendents leading the district during her tenure. A graduate of Midview High, she was named an honorary alumni of Wellington High for her work with the Wellington Alumni Association. Her high school associates said she was very organized and she knew the many ins and outs of the school’s everyday operations. She was an advocate for Duke pride and traditions. She told the Kiwanians she considered working through the pandemic the last two years the most challenging period of her career. She said she worked closely with Drake to make sure there was a graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020, which was held outdoors in the parking lot, followed by a parade through town following the graduation ceremony. “The problem we faced was it seemed every time we made plans, things changed because of the pandemic,” she said.
She trained many office aides, teaching them the importance of customer service, phone etiquette, filing and taking and delivering messages in a timely manner. She said many students have returned and told her the soft skills they learned in the high school office were skills they have come to value in their professional careers. Over the years, she has been invited to several weddings and baby showers of former office aides.
Toys and beans were the main themes this week for the Wellington High School Key Club, working with Well-Help. On Monday, members of the club sorted toys. On Friday, the Key Club and the Student Council, with some assistance from the Wellington Kiwanis Club, teamed up to package 130 green bean casserole kits and had them delivered to Well-Help's food pantry at the First United Methodist Church. The Key Club is one of three service leadership programs sponsored by Kiwanis, with the others being the Westwood Elementary K-Kids and the McCormick Middle School Builders Club. ... See MoreSee Less
They wore bib numbers 62 and 63, and joined the Turkey-Wanis 5K late Thanksgiving morning. Mari and husband Steve Fridenmaker (their last name means “peace maker” in German) from Columbus were on their way to visit family in Avon Lake for the holiday.
“Despite the fact that we were late, the Turkey-Wanis ladies checking us in were welcoming, friendly and helpful,” said Mari, who is a remote-working Professional Development Insurance Trainer for a company based in North Carolina. Steve, a physical therapist with Mt. Carmel Hospital in Columbus, added, “Even one of the guys who manned the water station cheered us on, knowing that we were late starters.”
Despite lateness, Steve finished first in the 50-to-59 age category.
Mari and Steve are on a mission to run 5Ks in all 88 counties of Ohio. Lorain County is their 11th thus far. Physical activity has always been a priority for them, with long-distance runs, cycling and hiking. Mari, however, suffered physical injuries a few years back, so she and her husband re-examined their running plans.
“We now have parameters,” said Mari. “We want to race in small towns, we want the race to benefit charities, and we want to pay $25 per person or less. We learned that 75 percent of local races don’t support charities and can charge up to $40 per person. So many people do races if there’s a lot of ‘bling’ and media exposure,” the good-hearted runner added.
“We were also impressed by Terry (Mazzone), president of the Wellington Kiwanis, the number of kids attending, the signs at every 5K turn, a bathroom! and the fact that the race finished at the Wellington High School Football Stadium track. We also loved the beanies. We have enough t-shirts from 5Ks and they’re a pain,” said Mari.
Where are the Fridenmakers heading next on their Ohio mission? Want to give them race ideas from your home town? Message them on our Facebook post!
Submitted by Margaret Swenseid, our marketing consultant for the Turkey-Wanis . Thanks Margaret. Your promotions helped make our inaugural race so successful. ... See MoreSee Less
Champion of Children Recipients
The Kiwanis Club of Wellington created the Champion of Children Award in 2021 to honor a community member for their donation of time, talent or treasure to improve the lives of children in the Wellington community. The recipient may initiate a program or event that improves the lives of children by providing services needed or enjoyed by children. The club hopes to issue an award quarterly. Recipients receive an engraved Champion of Children Yeti mug, purchased from Farm and Home Hardware.
Champion of Children Award Criteria
2021
Karen Wright
Retired Wellington High School secretary Karen Wright was honored October 21, 2021 with the Wellington Kiwanis Club Champion of Children award. Wright retired in June after 30 years with Wellington Schools. She opted to retire
when Principal Tina Drake announced she was leaving to take a similar opportunity in Cincinnati. She said Drake was the 14th high school principal that she worked for her during career. She also noted there have been 15 different superintendents leading the district during her tenure. A graduate of Midview High, she was named an honorary alumni of Wellington High for her work with the Wellington Alumni Association. Her high school associates said she was very organized and she knew the many ins and outs of the school’s everyday operations. She was an advocate for Duke pride and traditions. She told the Kiwanians she considered working through the pandemic the last two years the most challenging period of her career. She said she worked closely with Drake to make sure there was a graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020, which was held outdoors in the parking lot, followed by a parade through town following the graduation ceremony. “The problem we faced was it seemed every time we made plans, things changed because of the pandemic,” she said.
She trained many office aides, teaching them the importance of customer service, phone etiquette, filing and taking
and delivering messages in a timely manner. She said many students have returned and told her the soft skills they
learned in the high school office were skills they have come to value in their professional careers. Over the years, she has been invited to several weddings and baby showers of former office aides.
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Toys and beans were the main themes this week for the Wellington High School Key Club, working with Well-Help. On Monday, members of the club sorted toys. On Friday, the Key Club and the Student Council, with some assistance from the Wellington Kiwanis Club, teamed up to package 130 green bean casserole kits and had them delivered to Well-Help's food pantry at the First United Methodist Church. The Key Club is one of three service leadership programs sponsored by Kiwanis, with the others being the Westwood Elementary K-Kids and the McCormick Middle School Builders Club. ... See MoreSee Less
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Meet the Fridenmakers
They wore bib numbers 62 and 63, and joined the Turkey-Wanis 5K late Thanksgiving morning. Mari and husband Steve Fridenmaker (their last name means “peace maker” in German) from Columbus were on their way to visit family in Avon Lake for the holiday.
“Despite the fact that we were late, the Turkey-Wanis ladies checking us in were welcoming, friendly and helpful,” said Mari, who is a remote-working Professional Development Insurance Trainer for a company based in North Carolina. Steve, a physical therapist with Mt. Carmel Hospital in Columbus, added, “Even one of the guys who manned the water station cheered us on, knowing that we were late starters.”
Despite lateness, Steve finished first in the 50-to-59 age category.
Mari and Steve are on a mission to run 5Ks in all 88 counties of Ohio. Lorain County is their 11th thus far. Physical activity has always been a priority for them, with long-distance runs, cycling and hiking. Mari, however, suffered physical injuries a few years back, so she and her husband re-examined their running plans.
“We now have parameters,” said Mari. “We want to race in small towns, we want the race to benefit charities, and we want to pay $25 per person or less. We learned that 75 percent of local races don’t support charities and can charge up to $40 per person. So many people do races if there’s a lot of ‘bling’ and media exposure,” the good-hearted runner added.
“We were also impressed by Terry (Mazzone), president of the Wellington Kiwanis, the number of kids attending, the signs at every 5K turn, a bathroom! and the fact that the race finished at the Wellington High School Football Stadium track. We also loved the beanies. We have enough t-shirts from 5Ks and they’re a pain,” said Mari.
Where are the Fridenmakers heading next on their Ohio mission? Want to give them race ideas from your home town? Message them on our Facebook post!
Submitted by Margaret Swenseid, our marketing consultant for the Turkey-Wanis . Thanks Margaret. Your promotions helped make our inaugural race so successful. ... See MoreSee Less
2 CommentsComment on Facebook
UPCOMING EVENTS
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