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TN DISTRICT WEBSITE NATIONAL EXCHANGE CLUB NATIONAL EXCHANGE NEWSLETTER CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION CROSSVILLE CHRONICLE LAKE TANSI POA
Book of Golden Deeds
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Book
of Golden Deeds |
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Congratulations 2006 Book of Golden Deeds Winners! |
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| Halpers
get the Book of Golden Deeds award
By Clayta Richards / Chronicle staffwriter "I was working as a tool and die specialist at an aircraft manufacturing company in California," said Chuck Halper. "They sent me to help out this government plant in Sandusky, OH. One evening I was having dinner at the hotel and I noticed a couple of ladies dining next to me. One of them said, 'Hello.' By golly, a year later, we were married," Chuck explains of how he met and came to marry his wife, Mary Ann. Mary Ann corrects his timeline a little, "It was just five months later that we were married." Charles "Chuck" and Mary Ann Halper are the 2006 recipients of the Book of Golden Deeds award from the Lake Tansi Exchange Club. The ceremony took place on Thursday, Oct. 26, at Forte's at Lake Tansi, where several dozen family and Exchange Club members recognized the couple's commitment to making the world a better place. Chuck worked 30 years on the West Coast as a tool and die specialist for the aircraft industry, but he eventually ended up in Ohio where his plant shut down. Chuck said he had no plans to leave Ohio, because he and Mary Ann had plans to get married by then. But, he did wonder what he'd do to stay busy, "mow grass?" That was when more very good fortune (besides Mary Ann) intervened in his life. The vocational high school in Milan, OH needed someone to teach machine trades to juniors. It was a hand-in-glove calling for Chuck. "It was the most rewarding job of my life," he admits. He later received the "Teacher of the Year" award from the state of Ohio due to his innovations in teaching. He wrote a course of study that was used by the state, and he also helped write the state's achievement test for machine trades. Mary Ann comments of his dedication to the success of his students, "At one point he had some students whose family was moving to Kentucky six weeks before the end of the school year. There was no vocational education program where they were moving. Chuck just said to the boys, 'Come live with us for six weeks.'" They did and finished the year with their grades and credits intact. Mary Ann spent 30 years as a special education teacher in Milan. During that time she taught grade levels from primary through high school as well as trained special ed teachers at Ohio's Bowling Green State University. Not to let any grass grow under her feet, she also supervised the county's special education teachers and negotiated jobs for her own students. "One kid had saved enough money to get a new car when he graduated," she remembers. Chuck will tell you, "In 1995 we moved to Tansi and we found a piece of heaven." Ever since, they've both been working to make this community the best place they can imagine. They've been Lake Tansi Exchange Club members since late 1996. Chuck runs the main delivery vehicle for the Exchange Club, famously making his rounds every year to pick up furniture for the benefit yard sale and the "dead chickens" for the July 4 barbecue. "Chuck is always helping everybody," says Mary Ann. "He's a good neighbor." She remembers when Chuck was president of the Milan Rotary Club and he volunteered them to host two exchange students from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. They were brothers and each spent a year with the Halpers. At Tansi, the couple has faithfully donned their reflective vests and picked up their plastic bags to help the club with the thankless job of garbage pickup along the roadsides leading to Tansi, an Exchange Club project. "They participate in just about every volunteer aspect of the Exchange Club," said Ken Deadmon, "and they are very giving of their time. They're first in line to volunteer." Chuck is currently president-elect of the Exchange Club and will serve as president in 2007. Mary Ann has served as secretary, president-elect and president of the Exchange Club. During her term as president, she received from the national Exchange Club office the Outstanding President's award for the club's project which raised $20,000 to purchase a patrol car. She thinks she may have been the first to receive that award at Tansi. Additional club projects during her term as president resulted in two defibrilators being placed in patrol cars and the purchase of flak jackets for the police officers. When the POA was a little short of funds, a fireplace at both the country club and the 19th Hole were repaired. "It was for the whole community," says Mary Ann. She has also served as scholarship chairman for the club. "That's the one thing I thought was the best," says Mary Ann. "I think we're giving about $5,000 a year in scholarships. We stress that we want them to go to students who are in need and possibly from single-parent families." |
Deadmon remembers when Mary Ann brought a young girl before the club for scholarship. The girl was from a meth home, her parents were in jail and she was working three jobs and going to college. The club ended up supporting the girl with scholarship funds through several years of school. "Without Mary Ann recognizing that girl's need and her own giving heart, this girl would probably be at the mercy of the courts," said Deadmon. The young lady graduated from high school, got a BS in pre-med and an RN degree. She has now applied for pharmacy school. Mary Ann served a year as a board member to the Stephens Center, the Exchange Club's main project to help children of abuse. Of Tansi, she says, "I just love this place so much, I thought I should get in there and do something rather than complaining." In that light, she served a year as POA president during the two terms she served as a board member of Lake Tansi Village. She also served on the ACC committee one year. Chuck is a past chairman of the ACC and served as ACC coordinator for several years, making sure the buildings were within specifications as far as lot lines, etc. "Commitment is the one word that characterizes both of you," said Dr. Paul Dixon at the awards ceremony. He pointed out Mary Ann's services as a Lake Tansi Village POA board member, and that Chuck is most notably committed to Mary Ann. Elsie Kostyo, Mary Ann's sister from Youngstown, OH, told the crowd, "I admire my sister. She's my very best friend in the world." She also told of Mary Ann's diligence to get both her bachelor's and master's degrees after she had her children. She also was lauded for care giving to several family members, including her first husband, another sister and to Elsie during recovery from an operation, etc. Steve Halper, Chuck's son, lauded his father for his entrepreneurial efforts, athletic ability and his willingness to teach him sports, and teaching other youth vocational trades. "He taught many youngsters a trade, making their lives more meaningful." Halper ended his remarks with a brave rendition of "I Did It My Way," never dropping a note. Mary Ann's brother, Fred Pestner, summed his sister up with, "She is a giving, helpful, friendly person. This is something that just doesn't happen overnight; it develops over a lifetime. She always helped me." Fred noted Mary Ann's giving spirit led her to teach special education students and be involved with Special Olympics for many years. Kathy Carrick, Chuck's daughter from California, remembered his carefree nature, "He's the oldest little kid I know." Mary Ann's daughter, Nancy Smith of New York, NY, said, "Chuck made a great father to me when he came into our lives." Phil Halper, Chuck's brother from Minnesota, told of all the "Misadventures of Chuck," causing may Exchangites to roll in the aisles and Chuck to beg for a mercifully short presentation. Ken Deadmon reported on the state of hospitality at the Halper house — "If you get an invitation, go, it's worth it." "Mary Ann stands for something and lets you know about it. You can put your trust in her," said Deadmon as he recalled her trustworthiness on the POA board. He spoke of Chuck's valuable contribution when he served on the ACC for several years. "When he believes in something, he believes it," said Deadmon. "They have both always been there," said Deadmon speaking of Chuck's generosity in loaning him a truck to move some important items from his wife's family home in North Carolina. "He just handed me the keys," said Deadmon, "told me to use it as long as I needed it." When the couple got to the podium to accept their award, they stated they really appreciated the honesty of the people down here, remembering their introductory experience with home builder Steve Bollinger, who operated on a well-established hand shake. They had come to Tansi on a time-share week that was supposed to be spent elsewhere. When they couldn't get in, they found that Tansi had an opening so they took it. They liked Tansi so much and had fallen so in love with the people that before their week was over, they owned four lots and had a contract on a new home. Later, Mary Ann said, "We did enjoy this honor. We consider it a privilege to have a civic duty." Deadmon closed by saying, "Anytime you need anybody to help you with anything, you are looking at them right here." Between the two of them, Chuck and Mary Ann have eight children. Chuck's children include Steve, from St. Charles, MO, and Kathy Carrick, from Huntington Beach, CA, who were both at the ceremony. His son Tommy is running for sheriff in White Dove, CO, and had prior commitments; his daughter Kim lives in Huntington Beach as well; and daughter Kari lives in San Francisco. Mary Ann has one daughter, Nancy Smith, of New York, NY, who was at the ceremony; and two sons, Mark Hutchinson, of Cleveland, OH, and Dan Hutchinson, of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Dan carries on the family tradition as an English teacher south of the border. |
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