(News Photo)
HUMANITIES AWARD
By Nancy Bliss Slepika November 7,2004
John A. Clark, retired farmer and volunteer extraordinaire,was presented the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award at a Sunday afternoon reception at Irving Century House.
Exibiting the personal generosity the award champions, Clark thanked everyone present saying, "You all have made up the community that we're glad to call home."
Mayor Harold Jurgena noted that Irving is "batting 1000" in that both men he's nominated have been selected for the award by the Illinois Humanities Council, Lamar Hartman in 2002 and Clark this year.
Named after Studs Terkel, oral historian and auther, the engraved medal recognizes extraordinary accomplishments by ordinary people, Jurgena said. Only 72 Illinois residents received the award this year.
Although John is the official award recipient, Mayor Jurgena said that Lou Clark is equally as worthy, saying the pair are active volunteers in three communities and take care of their neighbors.
Clark has devoted much time and his carpentry skills to the creation and upkeep of Irving Area Historical Museum, and serves on its board of directors.
He is commander of Irving Post 425, American Legion, and Past commander of Kershaw-Harmer VFW Post 1306, Taylor Springs. He's a veteran of the Korean War.
Clark often marches in parade color guards and helps conduct burial rites for veterans.
The Clarks are volunteers with Coffeen Food Pantry, deliver meals on wheels and work anually on the Montgomery County Farmers, Institute & Household Science Section at Witt. They are members of St. John's Church, Coffeen.
Sunday's gathering was attended by many friends and neighbors, plus their daughter, Joanie and her son, Franz, and grandson, Kameron, of Ridgeville, IN.
WHEREAS, individuals who donate their time to the humanities are building communities
for the next century, and
WHEREAS the Illinois Humanities Council is dedicated to fostering a culture in which the
Humanities are a vital part of the lives of individuals and communities, and
WHEREAS Studs Terkel has recognized the extraordinary accomplishments of ordinary
People in his chronicles of American life; and
WHEREAS the Illinois Humanities Council has initiated the Studs Terkel Humanities Award
To honor those humanities heroes whose efforts are often unnoticed and unsung; and
WHEREAS, JOHN CLARK has kept the humanities alive in THE VILLAGE OF IRVING through
his work on THE IRVING AREA HISTORICAL MUSEUM; AND
WHEREAS, JOHN CLARK A KOREAN WAR VETERAN, IS THE POST COMMANDER
FOR THE IRVING AMERICAN LEGION POST 425, HE IS RECOGNIZED FOR HIS
VOLUNTEER SERVICE AT THE IRVING AREA HISTORICAL MUSEUM, WHERE HE
SERVES AS A BOARD MEMBER AND HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING DISPLAYS,
ACQUJIRING MILITARY ITEMS FOR THE MUSEUM, AND PROVIDING UPKEEP AND
MAINTENANCE ON THE MUSEUM BUILDING; AND
I, HAROLD JURGENA, Mayor of THE VILLAGE OF IRVING, do hereby Recognize JOHN
CLARK as a recipient of the Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award and as a Champion of the
Humanities in THE VILLAGE OF IRVING.
