By Jeff Hoffman, Clintonville Area Foundation

This past weekend our Clintonville Area Foundation selected our 2018 recipient of the Community Heroes Award—Connie Mitchell. Connie is considered a significant role model by people around her: in her family, church, place of employment and community organizations.

Connie’s volunteer service is a whirlwind of participation in those spheres close to her and her family’s lives, being the first to get up out of the chair and help anybody in need, inspiring others to be more active in the community, and providing general uplifting of spirits. Volunteerism is a major thread running through her life. Improving community health is always a goal.

The Community Heroes award was begun in 2011 by Clintonville native Dan Olk to honor those who give selflessly of themselves to make the greater Clintonville area—defined as the school district—a better place to live. They work toward a stronger community because they want to—it is the right thing to do.  They are excellent role models, not only to the young, but also to us adults as we seem to be getting busier and busier.

The awards ceremony was part of the CAF’s 9th Annual fundraiser event, “A Night With The Stars.” The event raised $18,000, and proceeds go to the Clintonville Community Fund to benefit local community needs.

The award comes with a donation of $2,000 to non-profit organizations that serve residents of the greater Clintonville area.  Each year the recipient chooses how to allocate the donation to any nonprofits of their choice. Connie chose Navarino Nature Center and Clintonville Area Food Pantry to share the award.

Dan Olk congratulates Connie Mitchell

Why the name Community Heroes?  As Olk, a soil biochemist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture aptly puts it, award recipients fight against the evil of only caring about oneself.

“Recipients portray the good of human beings living together in cooperation. Sometimes only a brave individual will take that first step at critical moments and volunteer their time to take on a community problem—somebody who thinks of others before thinking of themselves,” Dan says.

Please join all of us in congratulating Connie!

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