EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wis. - (Nov. 8, 2002) - Dorothy Mirkes, a lifelong resident of Oshkosh, was honored for her leadership in the community and commitment to EAA activities and programs on Friday, Nov. 8, as she received the “Henry Kimberly Spirit of Leadership Award” during the annual EAA Halls of Fame dinner.

Mirkes was named the award’s recipient for her efforts supporting EAA over the past three decades. She helped establish and build the Emergency Medical Services area for the annual EAA AirVenture fly-in and has served as the area’s chairperson since 1994. In that role, she actively recruits local and visiting health care professionals to volunteer time serving the thousands of EAA visitors. Mirkes has also been a Docent at the EAA AirVenture Museum since it opened in 1983.

“Volunteers have always been a key element of EAA’s high standards and success,” said Greg Anderson, Executive Vice President of the EAA Aviation Foundation. “Dorothy Mirkes has been an outstanding volunteer for EAA and many other organizations through the years. She epitomizes what it means to give back to one’s community and make it a better place to live.”

Mirkes is an Oshkosh native who graduated from the Mercy School of Nursing. She worked at Mercy Hospital in Oshkosh, served as a faculty member at the Mercy School of Nursing and was director of the Visiting Nurses Association. She began her service to the EAA fly-in in the early 1970s, including family members in the volunteer efforts. Along with her EAA activities, she has been a leader in many other community organizations, including Mercy Hospital and Bethel Home.

The award is named for Henry Kimberly, a longtime Oshkosh business and civic leader who championed the effort to bring both the fly-in and EAA Headquarters to Oshkosh. Kimberly was recognized in 2000 for his ongoing support. During that recognition, another Fox Valley business leader, Donald Jones of Fond du Lac, stepped forward to fund an annual award named in Kimberly’s honor. The award is presented to a local resident who preserves Kimberly’s spirit and leadership role in EAA activities.

Mirkes received a specially designed statue for her to keep as an award winner. A duplicate award will be on permanent display at the EAA AirVenture Museum, along with a listing of the annual award recipients. Mirkes also received a $1,000 gift from the award’s endowment that can be directed to any EAA Aviation Foundation program.

The EAA Aviation Foundation was founded in 1962 and is dedicated to aviation education, preservation and research. Its headquarters are at the EAA Aviation Center in Oshkosh, Wis.