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Ken Greene 
Ken Greene; an artist, jeweler and visual art instructor at William Woods University, has been an invaluable member of the Commission on Cultural Affairs since April 2002 and served as the Executive Committee Chair for the commission for the past two years. The mission of the commission is to create an environment wherein artists and cultural organizations can thrive.
Greene has impressive knowledge of visual art, particularly in selecting artists to participate in the Columbia Festival of the Arts. On average, Greene participates in two to three committee meetings a month, providing sound advice and helping to plan and implement programs and services such as the festival’s Poster Party fundraiser each year.
Greene also donates his time as a volunteer Tai Chi instructor with Parks and Recreation’s Community Recreation Division. He teaches free classes four mornings each week at the Armory Sports Center.
Article by volunteer Nancy Summers
Tom Masters 
Tom Masters is a dedicated Park Patrol volunteer where he serves as extra eyes and ears for suspicious activity and maintenance issues. Park Patrol is a community-policing tool for the city’s trail and park system.
As a Park Patrol volunteer, Masters also helps with National Trails Day and youth soccer at Cosmo Park. He enjoys telling his experiences to new Park Patrol members and works hard, accruing 326 hours this year. Masters enjoys meeting new people on the trails and talking to them about the future of Columbia’s parks and trails.
Masters says, “The most serious thing that happened while on the trail was when I witnessed a three vehicle wreck on Creasy Springs and one of the drivers was badly hurt. I called 911 and got emergency people to the crash site as soon as possible.”
Masters, also serves as an Ambassador with First Night each New Years’ Eve. He says, “First Night is fun to work. I get to see entertainers perform and fireworks!”
The City of Columbia thanks Tom for his dedication to our community.
Article by volunteer Nancy Summers
Avis Kopcha 
Avis Kopcha has volunteered for the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services for about 5 years. Kopcha helps with the Teen Pregnancy Prevention committee, which investigates the best practice programs to reduce teen pregnancy. She helps develop ads for parents about the importance of talking to their children about sex and its consequences for teens.
Kopcha tracks teenage pregnancy and related issues and tries to provide good health information about the sexual choices teens make. Avis says, “The key word is choices. We worry that not enough teens make informed and supported choices. I wanted to see if I could help before instead of always after.” “The obstacles,” she says “are mostly about time and interest from the public as most of us want someone else to do the hard stuff, or we hope we'll be lucky and our kids will somehow escape the adverse consequences of early or uninformed sexual experience. Consequently, the programs are not as well attended as they warrant.”
“Avis never hesitates to offer her help,” says Maureen Coy, Social Services Specialist, “She sees the big picture with this difficult and sensitive topic.”
Article by volunteer Nancy Summers
Edward Kaiser 
Edward Kaiser is an exceptional activist for the environment; this month we acknowledge his outstanding work with the Public Works Household Hazardous Waste Collection Program”
Kaiser says, “Volunteering for the City of Columbia ranging from service on the City Council down to the smallest task is a pleasurable way to give back and thank the City for all that it does for its citizens. Those of us volunteering in the program urge all people to take stock of paints, used oil, and other chemicals in their homes and leave them in the hands of workers west of the power plant from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the first and third Saturdays from April through October. The service is free and the time in line is usually short.
Public Works volunteer program assistant, Christine Gardener, says, “Ed is a very upbeat person and always ready to share a joke and encourage laughter from someone visiting us with their load of materials. He has never met a person he doesn’t consider a friend. He is a wonderful advocate for the environment.”
We extend our thanks to Ed Kaiser for his generosity and time.
Article by volunteer Nancy Summers
Boone County Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public School Personnel
The Boone County Unit of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association and Public School Personnel, organized in 1973, has more than 260 members. Many of them, who are retired Columbia and Boone County school teachers, volunteer for a variety of Columbia programs.
BCMRTA members have volunteered for nine years at the City of Columbia’s Cleanup Columbia event. They pick up litter around several area elementary schools each year. In addition to volunteering with Cleanup Columbia, they volunteer for the Central Missouri Food Bank monthly, local hospitals, the American Red Cross, the Boone County Historical Society, Show-Me Games, Senior Games and the Special Olympics.
“Teachers and other school personnel are can-do people.” says Joyce Hulett, long-time BCMRTA member, “When they see a need they step up to fill it. Our members are community minded and want to see Columbia continue to be a great place to live.”
The City of Columbia expresses our gratitude to the BCMRTA volunteers; we appreciate their efforts in our community.
Nadine Sargent 
Nadine Sargent is a quiet, willing and enthusiastic participant in the “Older American Klub” (OAK), a Columbia Parks & Recreation program that provides 50+ individuals opportunities to participate in a variety of activities during their retirement years with others who have common interests.
Sargent, always with a smile on her face, contributes her time by providing activities for nursing and retirement home residents. She sings in the OAK choir and plays in the OAK Bell Choir, Rhythm and Ukulele bands. Sargent is Chairperson of the OAK Ways and Means committee and a representative of the Rhythm and Ukulele bands.
Sargent faithfully attends bingo, helps stock bingo prizes, attends potlucks, and bakes some of the best cornbread available for OAK ham & bean fund raisers.
Sargent pitches in on clean up days, and is stays ready and willing to help when a may arise. Debbie Reschly with Parks & Recreation says Sargent, “has aged gracefully, not allowing aches and pains to stop her.” Sargent has been volunteering for 20-25 years, and helps to make our community a more wonderful place to live.
Article by volunteer Nancy Summers
Darlene Londeree 
The smile of our July Volunteer of the month, Darlene Londeree, naturally lights up a room when she walks through the door…and walking through the door to volunteer is something Londeree does often.
A City of Columbia volunteer since 1998, Londeree patrols Columbia parks and trails as a Park Patroller, has helped serve lunch to hundreds of Cleanup Columbia volunteers during the citywide spring clean up, and volunteers for the annual Mayor’s Bike, Walk, Wheel Challenge in May each year, a program designed to encourage citizens to commute under their own power.
“I appreciate the many things our community has to offer and volunteering is the way I give back,” says Londeree.
Londeree is also an active Retired Senior Volunteer Program, RSVP, volunteer who reads to school children, through the America Reads program, for nine years. Londeree also volunteers for the Show-Me Games each year and for the Missouri Symphony.
Article by Debra Hardin
Maria Cox and Bob Jett 
The August volunteers of the month, Maria Cox and Bob Jett, provide their volunteer time to the Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT).
CERT volunteers provide local disaster assistance. Cox and Jett have been involved with CERT since its 2003 inception and currently supervise two response teams for the Columbia Fire Department. These teams have helped at local engagements including Twilight Festivals, Salute to Veterans Air Show, First Night, and Mizzou sporting events.
Recently they were part of coordinating the Missouri River flood response sending CERT teams to Rocheport and Hartsburg. “I’ve always been interested in emergency preparedness and when the CERT program was established, I jumped at the chance to be involved,” explains Cox, “CERT gave me opportunities to learn emergency response skills that I use to help my community.”
As leaders, Cox and Jett know it’s important that they continue their own emergency response education and pass it along to their teams. “Recently, our team was given a written First Responder State Certification test that a remarkable 100% of our CERT volunteers passed,” said Jett.
Jett also volunteers his services to the Weather Bureau, HAM Radio, and finally, to his wife and children. The City of Columbia honors these individuals who have generously contributed their time and energy to our community.
Written by volunteer Annie L Schulte
Richard Poelling 
The City of Columbia recognizes Richard Poelling as September’s volunteer of the month for his service to the Columbia Police Department.
Poelling, a former St Louis Police Officer, and his wife Cheryl moved to Columbia with their two children in 1978.
“Even though I enjoyed being a police officer, the constant shift changes were difficult on my family so I went back to school in search of something different. Now I gravitate towards being a police volunteer because of this experience, starting with the Neighborhood Watch Board of Directors,” said Poelling. “The CPD volunteer program has grown over the years and I’m glad to have grown with it.”
Among his duties, Poelling maintains crime analysis burglary logs and pulls information from other reports, including vandalism and larcenies for department follow-up. Poelling also spends time helping with special events such as the Memorial Day Air Show and Show-Me State Games each year.
Aside from the generous time Poelling spends volunteering, he is a VA Hospital Health Physicist & Radiation Safety Officer and teaches a summer course on Radiation Safety at MU.
“Mr. Poelling has been a volunteer for the Columbia Police Department for five years, already contributing over 200 hours in 2007,” says Columbia Police Officer Jessie Haden Pitman. “He is a living example of linking the community with its Police Department.”
Written by volunteer Annie L Schulte
Scott Cristal 
The City of Columbia October Volunteer of the Month, Scott Cristal, brings energy, commitment and work ethic with him when he assists the City Office of Cultural Affairs (OCA) throughout the year.
As a previous six-year Cultural Affairs commissioner, Cristal continues his deep involvement toward bringing art and culture to Columbia by serving on the Columbia Festival of the Arts Steering Committee, responsible for the festival form and function. In a support mode, the festival marketing segment is part of Cristal’s responsibilities in addition to festival-goers surveying as a means to enhance and improve future festivals.
“Besides the fun side, it’s a chance to give back to this community and a great way to meet people I may not meet otherwise, “ says the ever-enthusiastic Cristal, “and it gives me a chance to help other people find ways to get involved with the community.”
Marie Nau Hunter, OCA Manager, said, “Scott’s efforts have an impact on the thousands of festival-goers who attend the event and the many artists who perform and exhibit.”
The City of Columbia extends thanks to Cristal for his volunteer spirit and commitment.
Douglas Stevens 
The City of Columbia recognizes Reverend Douglas Stevens as October’s volunteer of the month for his service to the Public Works Volunteer Program.
Stevens, who was recently engaged, is a recycling enthusiast, a brother to nine siblings, and a licensed minister. When not volunteering he works as an at risk youth counselor.
As a volunteer with the Public Works Volunteer Program, Stevens helps to maintain their goals of promoting waste reduction and environmental cleanup around the city through community education and encouraging volunteerism.
Stevens has performed as the program’s mascot, Mr. Bag It, at various events around the city including the Twilight Festival and Festival of the Arts.
While performing, Stevens “likes to bring people awareness and also loves to see them smile,” says his volunteer supervisor Rosemary Frank. “He is committed to recycling and wants to make a positive difference in Columbia.”
As an active volunteer with the department since 2003, Stevens has also contributed by giving recycling presentations at various local schools.
Written by Lauren Kilberg, volunteer
Trish Wallace
The City of Columbia recognizes Trish Wallace as November’s volunteer of the month for her service to the Columbia Parks and Recreation and Adaptive Sports and Recreation programs.
Wallace is a hardworking mother of three, one of which has Down syndrome. When not volunteering she works as an occupational therapist for the Columbia Public Schools.
The Columbia Parks and Recreation and Adaptive Sports and Recreation program provides adaptive recreational sports opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities. Wallace has been volunteering for the program for six years, coaching softball and basketball.
“Finding the ‘Trishs’ of the world is not always easy,” says volunteer supervisor Jody Crane. “Trish has a remarkable understanding and patience with kids that have developmental disabilities.”
Along with coaching comes a big time commitment that Wallace is more than willing to make. Often her role as volunteer requires chaperoning on tournament trips. “With the stresses of working full time, raising a family and the challenges that accompany a child with special-needs, Trish still makes time to volunteer,” says Crane.
Her involvement with the program has positively benefited not only the participants but the community as well.
Written by volunteer Lauren Kilberg
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