CHARLES AND ADELE HEETER OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARDS

The Charles and Adele Heeter Outstanding Community Leadership Award is bestowed on Rotarians or individuals of the Appleton/Fox Cities community who exemplify the Rotary Motto of “Service Above Self” by providing significant Rotary and/or community leadership and/or service through the use of his/her time, talent or treasury.  Such leadership and/or service should reflect the standards described in the Rotary Four Way Test.  These individuals should also demonstrate a strong commitment to volunteerism in one of the four Rotary Avenues of Service outside the scope of his/her normal job responsibilities.  The Club donated 1,000 points to each recipient making them a Paul Harris Fellow. 

Dan Nisler has been a Rotarian since 1999.  He has been the chair of the Children with Disabilities and Youth Services and Education Awards Committee as well as a member of numerous committees.  He has been on the Club Board for 7 years and also served as last year’s president.  Besides being active in the Club, he has also shown leadership and volunteerism in several community organizations such as the Tri-Community Dental Clinic, Appleton Downtown, Inc., Project Bridges, United Way, Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce and First Congregational United Church of Christ. 

Using Roger Van Vreede’s business skills, no nonsense approach and personal commitment, UW Fox Foundation grew and prospered.  With his assistance the organization went from totally unknown to a much more visible and prominent part of the community, largely with its signature fund-raising event, E.A.T.S.  He and Lynn, along with Steve and Kathi Seifert became the lead donors in the capital campaign that led to the creation of the UW Fox Communication Arts Center.  Roger is now very much involved with the Gardens of the Fox Cities.  He joined the board and eventually became the board president, again utilizing his business expertise in an effort to bail out yet another struggling community resource.   Rotarians might have noticed that Roger is willing to lead by financial example. Our Rotary Shines event a few years ago was seeking to raise money for Polio Plus. The bidding was not overwhelming, but Roger started it, as I recall at the top.

Under Steve Seifert’s leadership, UW Fox Foundation undertook its first ever capital campaign that resulted in $2 million plus in community gifts that leveraged $11.5 million in Outagamie and Winnebago Counties contribution. Steve and his former spouse were half of the lead contributors that propelled the campaign to success. Much the same can be said for the Boys and Girls Club. Needing a major facilities upgrade to serve the many underprivileged youth of the Fox Cities, Steve was at the forefront of the capital campaign.  Steve is also member of the board at Bubolz Nature Preserve as they seek to undertake a major facilities upgrade to further informal environmental education, and respect and love for the natural environment.