Date:

November 19, 2001

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 441-7831
Joanne Komenda, Community Action of Nebraska, 471-3348

Mayor Don Wesely today presented the End Hunger Awards for 2001 to five area individuals who have made significant contributions to alleviating hunger in the city, state, nation and world.
Wende Baker, who served as Executive Director of the Food Bank of Lincoln from 1984 until this past June, was presented with both the Statewide End Hunger Award and a special Mayor’s End Hunger Award for lifetime achievement. She was nominated by the staff and board of the Food Bank.

“During Wende’s tenure, the Food Bank has grown from distributing 400,000 pounds of food annually to almost two million pounds a year,” wrote new Executive Director Scott Young in the nomination letter. “The Food Bank now serves 80 agencies and over 140 separate programs, all attempting to end hunger. We estimate that over 60,000 people a month benefit from the efforts of the Food Bank of Lincoln.”

Other winners of the Mayor’s End Hunger Awards are:

• Margaret Kelly of Lincoln received the individual achievement award. For two years, Kelly has spent all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays volunteering for the perishable food program of the Lincoln Action Program (LAP). She helps unload trucks, stock food and prepare bags for distribution. Her children have occasionally helped as well. “Through her leadership and example, her children will grow up learning that it is important to help others in their community,” wrote Sheryl Haas of LAP who nominated Kelly for the award.

• Amber Haas of Waverly received the student/youth award. She has helped with LAP’s perishable food program for five years. She was nominated by Beatty Brasch of LAP who writes, “She started volunteering because her Mom works there, but it soon became apparent that she enjoys helping others. She is especially good at keeping a watchful eye on the little ones while Mom or Dad are picking up the food.” Haas also serves meals at the Gathering Place monthly.

• Richard “Dick” Boohar of Lincoln received the award for lifetime achievement. Boohar has operated the Concern Group of St. Mark’s on the Campus Episcopal Church for more than 30 years. The group operates the church’s food pantry, and Boohar handles finances, coordinates the food pick up and heads the fund-raising efforts. He has also recruited assistance from many sources, including a UNL fraternity, Sunday school classes and senior church members. He was nominated by Ferd Anderson, Jr. of St. Mark’s.

• Patty Flynn of Lincoln received the award for individual achievement in a private voluntary organization. Flynn volunteers for the Lincoln Lutheran Metro Pantry, which has provided LAP with food boxes for many years. She was also nominated by Sheryl Haas of LAP who writes, “Although she has been a volunteer for a relatively short time, LAP could not provide food boxes without her and her many volunteers.”

Assisting Mayor Wesely in the presentations was Joanne Komenda of Community Action of Nebraska, who is Chair of the Mayor’s End Hunger Award Committee.

Media Release