KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
The Kodiak Chamber of Commerce held its annual meeting this past weekend and presented the traditional awards for local businesses and business leaders. This year, one person’s story was so inspirational that the chamber decided to present an additional award just to honor him. KMXT’s Maggie Wall has more.
-((Chamber Awards 3:01 "If you’ve lived….Koniag Incorp. SOC."))
If you’ve lived in Kodiak any amount of time, you likely are aware that there are no "official" crossing guards at the schools. A vital service that used to be performed by paid employees, crossing guards got axed from the budget several years ago. Since then it’s been a bit of a scramble to come up with crossing guards to cover the shifts at Kodiak area schools.
You can’t really blame a person for not wanting to be out in the cold, rain, and wind-not to mention the snow and ice-and the dark of early mornings.
Enter Don Roberts.
For the past 11 years, Roberts has volunteered countless number of wickedly cold mornings to escort young Kodiak children safely across the intersection at Mill Bay and Birch.
His efforts were acknowledged publicly on Saturday when the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce presented Roberts with a Special Recognition Award.
The audience took to their feet when Chamber board member John Widdon announced the award
-((A Fan
Roberts himself modestly pointed to others who share inspiration and encouragement when all those crossing guard shifts wears a guy down.
-((Encouragment
Don Parker, recipient of the "Special Recognition Award" from the Kodiak Chamber of Commerce.
Other awards went to:
The President’s Award to Kodiak College
Volunteer of the Year to Cheryl Blondin at Credit Union 1
Business of the Year to Henry’s Great Alaskan Restaurant;
Cornerstone Award was a shared by Horizon Lines and Samson Tug and Barge.
And finally, Member of the Year was awarded to Koniag Incorporated.
I’m Maggie Wall.
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