Citizens of the Year awarded to Asaikainen and Conley for community service
The City of Rogers City conducted its annual honoree dinner and dance at the K of C Hall last Saturday and honored two citizens with Lifetime Achievement Awards for their years of volunteering efforts and service to the community.
Char Asaikainen and Del Conley were given the honors. Mayor Beach Hall was the master of ceremonies.
?Char Asikainen and her husband Hank moved here in 1948 and for three generations she taught kindergarten through third grade,? Hall said. ?She expected better from her students, and has been involved in the community and church all these many years.?
Hall said Asikainen was past president of the RC Women?s Civic League and the PI Historic Museum. She helped found the Humanities Council and spearheaded the Women?s League defibrillator program.
She was on the band shell committee and taught Sunday School, she has been in the Westminster Presbyterian church choir for many years and has been very active in the church?s Women?s Guild.
Asikainen was presented with an engraved medal on a ribbon and a plaque of appreciation by Councilmember Jim Sinclair and Hall.
?This is an honor you all deserve — I couldn?t do it alone,? said Asikainen. ?I?ve enjoyed everything I?ve done. When people work together, anything can be accomplished. The best is yet to be. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.?
Hall then turned to Del Conley.
?DEL IS a life-long resident of Rogers City. He was the high school band director, a guidance counselor, the high school principal, and the superintendent of schools,? Hall said.
Conley has served as chair of the library board and has given 25 years of library service. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club and of K of C.
He was the city band director for 22 years and still plays the trombone. He is involved in his church, was the St. Ignatius choir director, and is now on the board of ?The Rock? youth center.
Del was on the hospital board for five years and was a planning commission chair
?I very proudly accept this on behalf of the ?two? of us…my wife Jean was home with four children,? Conley said. ?I?m almost embarrassed to accept this. A lot of people have done a lot more that I have. I accept this on behalf of all of those people. Thank you.?
In a separate ceremony, George Glosser was honored by Larry Syrett and given a 20-year service award for the two decades Glosser spent on the Housing Authority for Hilltop Manor. Glosser was given a plaque for his outstanding service.
THE CITY presented all-weather stenciled jackets for each member of the Rogers City volunteer fire department.
by Gail Maggi, Staff Write
