Insurance professionals honored for their
extraordinary community service projects
Kenneth D. Felten of Arden & Felten Insurance in Vero Beach, Florida, sits in on a homework session at the Boys & Girls Club in Vero Beach. Felten was instrumental in creating the first Boys & Girls Club in Indian River County.
The Rough Notes Company recently honored six independent insurance agents for volunteering their time, efforts and financial resources to help others within their local communities. Each agent has recognized the need and perhaps a responsibility to help others who are less fortunate. Each was willing to perform extraordinary services without any public recognition.
Kenneth D. Felten of Arden & Felten Insurance of Vero Beach, Florida, received The Rough Notes Company's 2002 Community Service Award for his untiring efforts to create and open the first Boys & Girls Club in Indian River County. "In 1997, when I was president of the United Way of Indian River County, our board established a task force to determine what were the real needs of our community," says Felten. "We found that there were limited programs to address adequately the needs of our children, ages 6 to 18. We felt that we had to do something about it. But what?
"Then, purely by accident, I came across an article on Boys & Girls Clubs and how lives of these children were positively affected. I said, 'That's it!' " Ken discovered that Boys & Girls Clubs provided safe havens for young people to go to after school, havens that would change lives. Ken then began his three-year task of bringing the club to Indian River County.
Ken Felten, second from right, receives The Rough Notes Company's Community Service Award. With him is Leisa Smith-Fulton, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County. The Rough Notes Company presented a check for $5,000 to the Boys & Girls Club. At the far left is Walter J. Gdowski, president and CEO of The Rough Notes Company. At the far right is Robert N. Kretzmer, executive director of the Community Service Award.
By 2000, because of Ken's diligent efforts, Indian River County had its first Boys & Girls Club. Today there are two clubs where some 400 youths can enjoy indoor and outdoor activities. In addition, the "power hour" provides time for children to do their after-school homework in a safe setting. "For parents who both work and for single parent families, the club is ideal," says Felten. "Our next step is to build a state-of-the-art youth facility in the nearby town of Sebastian, and three more facilities are on the drawing boards."
The youth facility in Sebastian is particularly interesting because, as Ken points out, it represents a partnership of the community and government. "The government in Sebastian is building the outdoor portion of the club and will manage it, and we will build and manage the indoor activities. The City of Sebastian also provided us with a long-term lease on 12 acres for only one dollar per year. I am hopeful that other municipalities locally and around the country will learn from their positive example," says Felten.
Walt Gdowski (right) thanks Bob Kretzmer for his dedication to recognizing and promoting community service work by independent agents.Five other insurance agents were named as "honorable mention" recipients for their very special community service projects during the 3rd Annual Rough Notes Company Community Service Award presentation. They are:
The Boys & Girls Club of Indian River County has received many glowing reports. Shawn Emert, a Vero Beach resident says: "As a single parent, I continuously look to find ways to enrich the lives of both my children and to teach them values. For the last five years, I have struggled to find an organization that structures its programs around values, courtesy, truth, responsibility and personal character. After my children became members of the Boys & Girls Club, I noticed a change in them. They seem to get along with one another better and treat one another with respect and courtesy. I cannot express the gratitude I have for the Boys & Girls Club."
Ken Felton has been described as "a man with vision, the inspiration and the energy to make miracles happen." His special project to help the youth of Indian River County is extraordinary. His leadership in adopting the Boys & Girls Club has resulted in the creation of one of the premiere youth serving agencies in the Indian River area, and one that will positively impact thousands of children in the year to come.
 Edward Joseph, Mitchell-Joseph Agency in Naples, New York, and Martha Lovett, Hospeace House, Naples, New York |
In photos at left and below, Walt Gdowski, president and CEO of The Rough Notes Company (far left) and Bob Kretzmer, executive director of The Rough Notes Company's Community Service Award (far right) present the five honorable mention awards. Rough Notes presented a check for $1,500 each to the principal community organizations served by each of these agents. |
 Jack Allen, CFR, Inc., in Tulsa, Oklahoma |
 W. Michael Huff (second from right), Robins Insurance Agency, Nashville, Tennessee, and Gerald Stow, Tennessee Baptist Children's Home |
 Edward Collins, representing Steve Ritchie of Steve Ritchie & Associates, Rolling Meadows, Illinois |
 Frederick Tad Krug, RKFL in Little Rock, Arkansas (second from right) with Ron Lensing, also of RKFL |
Frederick Tad Krug of Ramsey, Krug, Farrell & Lensing of Little Rock, Arkansas, has made a major service contribution to Youth Home, Inc., which is a nonprofit agency serving severely emotionally disturbed children and their families. Tad has served as a member of the board of directors at Youth Home since 1977 and as a life board member since 1986. During this time he has led the home through many critical decisions. His wise counsel, fiscal expertise, availability and genuine love for the children has helped make Youth Home one of the most outstanding treatment centers in the country.
Tad's great compassion for the young patients has prompted him to recruit some of the state's most dedicated individuals to join the board and support the mission. With fundraising as a priority, he has quietly produced hundreds of thousands of dollars when these dollars were most needed, and he continues to do this work with a total lack of self-importance. Youth Home would not be the great treatment center today, were it not for Tad Krug's compassion, wisdom and generosity of spirit.
Jack Allen of CFR Assurance Insurance of Tulsa, Oklahoma, has a passion for public education and a commitment to the children within his community. Jack has confirmed time and time again the need for quality education for every child. He has been described as someone who "reaffirms the vision of our professional educators and parents in what we are doing to reshape what is taught and how one learns. He has been an informed voice for public schooling in business lunches, boardrooms and civic gatherings where few frontline educators have the opportunity to share their expertise."
As a concerned citizen, parent and business member, Jack has the credibility and commitment to take the work to those with the influence and power to make a difference for so many children and families. He has dedicated himself, his resources and talents to be sure that the children of Tulsa get a better education. And, Jack Allen has had a profound influence on others to dedicate themselves, their talents and finances to making public education a priority in Tulsa.
Edward Joseph of Mitchell-Joseph Agency in Naples, New York, is an insurance agent who believes in his community. In July 2000, a small group of people from his town met to discuss a hospice home. Edward came to the first meeting, where presentations were given regarding the need and feasibility of a hospice home in Southern Ontario County, New York. At that meeting it was decided that "it would take an entire community under strong leadership to make a hospice home happen successfully."
Edward made the very first donation for the home and then offered to serve as chairman of the steering committee. From the initial meeting, Edward has led the charge with an enthusiasm and vigor unmatched by anyone in his community. He now serves as president of the board.
The group has purchased a 16-room facility in Naples for its first hospice home. The new home, named Hospeace House, will offer area hospice patients a home-like setting surrounded by a personal support network of family, friends, pastoral advisors and health care professionals--all committed to providing the best possible end-of-life experience while enabling the local community to support its own members in their time of need. Naples and Southern Ontario County are indebted to Ed Joseph for his contribution of time, leadership and finances in his endeavor to see Hospeace Home become a reality.
W. Michael Huff of the Robins Insurance Agency, Inc., in Nashville could easily be called the Santa Claus of Tennessee. He has dedicated the past 11 years to service to The Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, Inc., in Brentwood. This is a very special place that is home to youths from newborns to high school graduates who are either abandoned, wards of the state, with parents who are either financially or emotionally unable to care for them, or who are physically and or mentally abused.
Each December, Mike and his army of contributors provide a Christmas party, dinner and gifts to the children of the home. More than 450 people--all feeling like a very big, happy family--attended the 2001 Christmas party. Mike has organized this event which includes soliciting friends, relatives and business people to donate money and goods to purchase gifts for the children of the home. Additionally, Mike has involved the Nashville music industry by having a special musician perform at the party.
Mike recently said, "I'll always remember the 6-year-old girl who hugged my neck and told me she had never had a Sunday dress, as she tightly held two that she was given." And, Mike says, "To touch the life of a child that has been displaced from his or her home through no fault of their own, to help make them feel special, cannot be described, only felt!" Many people have touched The Tennessee Baptist Children's Home, but, Mike Huff has carved the name in the letters of kindness and services in the hearts of each child and staff.
Steve Ritchie of Steve Ritchie & Associates of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, has dedicated himself to fundraising for children with cancer and leukemia. Steve has been diligently working with the Children's Oncology Services of Illinois, Inc., a nonprofit charitable organization which operates various programs for children--the principal program being the One Step At A Time summer camp which was established in 1978. Steve has been involved in many fundraising activities to be able to send children to camp.
Steve's golf event has allowed many children to enjoy a normal camp experience. He says, "After all, these children are just normal children with special problems." A debt of gratitude is due to Steve Ritchie for his dedicated work to ensure that these special children have a camp experience.
Each year The Rough Notes Company solicits nominations for the independent agent Community Service Award. It is the goal of this prestigious award to identify, recognize and honor independent agents for their extraordinary service within their local communities. And, we are hopeful that this recognition will encourage other agents to work for the common good in their own communities. The Rough Notes Company salutes all of the 2002 Community Service Award recipients. *