HOISINGTON — For many years, the Hoisington Dispatch has presented the Citizen of the Year Award at the Hoisington Chamber of Commerce annual banquet. Monday night, Sheila Hein became the latest recipient of the award for her outstanding community service.
It was an emotional moment as the Dispatch’s Karen Van Brimmer presented Hein her plaque. The long-time Hoisington OB-GYN nurse practitioner and community volunteer soon regained her composure and went on to praise the community she chose to make her home for many years.
She shared how she and her husband came to the community many years ago, and after he died, she chose to stay.
“This is a wonderful town,” she said. “We have so many wonderful wonderful citizens. We have good things in our community. I’ve seen some grow I have seen things kind of diminish. But most of all the people stay the same. There’s nothing like a small town where the people are so friendly, and so warm. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that Hoisington is a cold community. It is not.”
Hein listed the many attributes of the city and its people, from the efforts to pull together and rebuild after the 2001 tornado, the city’s commitment to keeping roads cleared in the winter, the caring hospital and staff that eased her husband’s final days, the businesses and finally the school system that has attracted students from outside the community.
“Thank you so much for this wonderful honor, “ she said.
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Other awards presented at the 63rd Annual Hoisington Chamber of Commerce Banquet included the Youth Award, presented to the Kids of GPS Kids Club, the Health Award, presented to Myrtle Whitmore, the labor manager at Clara Barton Hospital & Clinics, the Education Award, presented to Kim Specht, a transition kindergarten teacher at USD 431, the Business Award presented to The Farmhouse, and a special award presented to the City of Hoisington for the many improvements happening at Bicentennial Park.
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