Golden Deeds Award Speech – May 11, 1999

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF FOND DU LAC 'S ANNUAL GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD BANQUET.

SINCE 1963, THE EXCHANGE CLUB OF FOND DU LAC HAS ANNUALLY RECOGNIZED AN INDIVIDUAL OR ORGANIZATION IN FOND DU LAC, THAT HAS OVER TIME GIVEN TIRELESSLY OF THEMSELVES FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND FELLOW CITIZENS.

THE PROGRAM BOOKLET ON YOUR TABLE LISTS THE PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD. THIS LIST INCLUDES FAMILIAR AND DISTINGUISHED NAMES SUCH AS: BEN SADOFF, E. P. GALLOWAY, SISTER BLANDINE, WILBER PFEIFER, DR. CERNY, STATE SENATOR WAITER HOLLANDER, E. C. KIEKHAEFER, AND LAST YEAR 'S RECIPIENT LEE MEISINGER.

I NOW HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE. ACCORDING TO TRADITION WE DO NOT REVEAL THE RECIPIENT OF OUR AWARD UNTIL THE BANQUET. ONE OF YOU, IS HERE WITH US THIS EVENING UNDER FALSE PRETENSES. YOU WERE TOLD A SMALL LIE TO ENSURE YOUR ATTENDANCE. WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DESCEPTION AND HOPE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND.

SO THAT YOU CAN ALL ENJOY YOUR MEAL WITHOUT SUSPENSE, PLEASE...JOIN ME NOW IN CONGRATULATING THE "1999 RECIPIENT OF THE FOND DU LAC EXCHANGE CLUB 'S GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD "...... MR. DON JONES!

THIS YEAR AS WE BRING A CLOSE TO THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, WE WILL HAVE TWO VERY DESERVING RECIPIENTS OF OUR GOLDEN DEEDS A WARD FOR 1999. ONCE AGAIN, PLEASE ...... JOIN ME AS WE CONGRATULATE OUR SECOND RECIPIENT OF THE "1999 FOND DU LAC EXCHANGE CLUB'S GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD "......MRS. TERRI JONES!

LATER IN THE EVENING, AFTER YOU HAVE ALL HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY YOUR DINNER, I WILL HAVE THE VERY GREAT HONOR AND PRIVELEDGE OF TELLING YOU MORE ABOUT THE NUMEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS AND LASTING IMPACT THAT BOTH TERRI AND DON HAVE MADE IN FOND DULAC.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE SOME ADDITIONAL INVITED GUESTS; TWO OF DON AND TERRI'S FOUR CHILDREN WERE ABLE TO JOIN US THIS EVENING, THEIR DAUGHTER CAROL AND SON JOE, THEIR SISTER-IN-LAW, KATHY JONES, DON AND TERRI'S CLOSE FRIENDS PETER AND BARBARA STONE AND LOUIE ANDREW JR., ALSO THE VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR FOR HOSPICE HOPE CATHY KORB.

LET ME NOW TELL YOU A LITTLE ABOUT DON JONES. DON IS A NATIVE OF SPRINGFIELD ILLINOIS. HE WAS EDUCATED AT SPRINGFIELD JUNIOR COLLEGE AND BLACKBURN COLLEGE WHERE HE GRADUATED IN 1966. THESE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES SO INFLUENCED DON, THAT HE HAS CONTINUED TO ATTEND SCHOOL THROUGOUT HIS ADUL T LIFE.

WHILE ATTENDING COLLEGE, DON BEGAN HIS BROADCASTING CAREER AT WTAX IN SPRINGFIELD, AND LATER AT WSMI IN LITCHFIELD, ILLINOIS. DURING THIS TIME, DON WAS NAMED THE BEST ILLINOIS LOCAL NEWS BROADCASTER IN 1966, WAS PRESENTED THE JAYEES DISTINGUISHED COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD, AND WAS SELECTED AS AN OUTSTANDING YOUNG MAN OF AMERICA.

IN 1968, JUST TWO YEARS OUT OF SCHOOL AND MORTAGED TO THE HILT, DON FOUNDED PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTERS AND AQUIRED RADIO STATION WTLM IN TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS. HIS COMPANY "PSB " QUICKLY GREW TO A TOTAL OF SEVEN RADIO STATIONS IN ILLINOIS AND INDIANA. IN 1973, PSB MADE IT'S LARGESTACQUISITION TO DATE BY PURCHASING THE KFIZ BROADCASTING COMPANY HERE IN FOND DU LAC. THIS ORDINARY BUSINESS TRANSACTION WAS TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE HISTORY OF FOND DU LAC.

AFTER THE ACQUISITION OF KFIZ IN 1973, DON DECIDED TO MOVE HIS FAMILY AND BUSINESS HEADQUARTERS TO FOND DU LAC.

PSB CONTINUED TO GROW AND EVENTUALLY INCLUDED 14 RADIO STATIONS IN FIVE STATES. IN 1978, DON WAS AWARDED THE CABLE TELEVISION FRANCHISE FOR FOND DU LAC AND STAR CABLEVISION WAS BORN. STAR CABLEVISION GREW TO EVENTUALLY ENCOMPASS FRANCHISES IN 10 STATES SERVING OVER 250,000 CUSTOMERS!

IN 1974, DON AND TERRI WERE MARRIED. THEY PROCEEDED TO START A FAMILY AND BUILD A LIFE TOGETHER IN FOND DU LAC. THEY HAVE FOUR CHILDREN: DIANN WHO IS MARRIED AND HAS TWO CHILDREN, CAROL WHO IS A GRADUATE OF ST MAR Y'S COLLEGE IN SOUTH BEND, AND IS CURRENTLY A GRADUATE STUDENT AT THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN, MARY WHO IS A GRADUATE OF ST. MARY'S COLLEGE AND IS CURRENTLY A SOCIAL WORKER FOR "SAVE THE FAMILY" IN ARIZONA, AND JOE WHO IS CURRENTLY A JUNIOR AT ST. NORBERT COLLEGE.

SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE, DURING THEIR YEARS IN FOND DU LAC IT BECAME APPARENT THAT TERRI AND DON HAD BECOME FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL.

WE ALL HAVE OUR DREAMS OF "MAKING IT". WE MAY BE LOOKING FOR OUR OWN BUSINESS TO BE SUCCESSFUL, RAISING OUR FAMILY, LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR RETIREMENT, BUILDING THAT DREAM HOME, PAYING OFF OUR MORTGAGE, ACHIEVING SOME LEVEL OF FINANCIAL SECURITY.

"MAKING IT" GIVES US THE PRIVILEDGE OFCHOICE; WHERE WE CHOOSE TO LIVE, WHETHER OR NOT TO WORK, OR WHAT WE WILL DO WITH OUR NEWFOUND FREEDOM.

TERRI AND DON HAD ACHIEVED A HIGH LEVEL OF FINANCIAL SECURITY. THEY COULD CHOOSE TO LIVE ANYWHERE THEY WISHED; NEW YORK, FLORIDA, CALIFORNIA, ANYWHERE! THEY DID NOT NEED TO WORK. THEY HAD THE FREEDOM TO DO NOTHING AT ALL, BECOME BEACH BUMBS, PLAY TENNIS, TRAVEL,...... WELL YOU GET THE IDEA.

SO NOW, LET'S LOOK AT WHATBOTH TERRI AND DON CHOSE TO DO.

OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS, DON HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN NUMEROUS CIVIC ACTIVITIES BOTH ON A LOCAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL. HE IS CURRENTLY THE PRESIDENT OF; THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS MILLENNIUM FOUNDATION, THE EARNING BY LEARNING FOUNDATION, AND THE JONES FAMILY FOUNDA TION. DON IS OR HAS BEEN THE PRESIDENT, DIRECTOR, OR TRUSTEE OF NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE YMCA, MARIAN COLLEGE, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS, ST. JOSEPH'S PARISH, ROTARY, KIWANIS, THE FOND DULAC ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE, THE WORLD BEEF EXPO, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON!

DON HAS BEEN VERY INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. HE WAS APPOINTED BY AN ACT OF CONGRESS TO THE LIBRARY'S TRUST FUND BOARD. HE CO-FO UNDED; THE NA TIONAL DIGITAL LIBRARY, HE FOUNDED; THE PRESIDENT LINCOLN VIRTUAL LIBRARY, THE MILLENNIUM FOUNDATION, AND THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS MADISON COUNCIL.

DON HAS BEEN APPOINTED BY THE GOVENOR TO NUMEROUS STATE COMMITEES. HE ALSO SERVES AS A GRADUATE SCHOOL FINALS JUDGE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY; AND AT HARVARD.

IN SHORT, DON HAS BEEN, AND CONTINUES TO BE AN EXCELLENT AMBASSADOR FOR FOND DU LAC THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY: HE IS KEENLY INTERESTED IN ALL ASPECTS OF EDUCATION AND ACTIVITIES FOCUSED ON YOUTH.

IN 1994 AND 1995, A GROUP IN FOND DU LAC WAS TRYING TO RAISE THE FUNDS TO BUILD A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART ICE CENTER FOR THE YOUTH OF THE CITY: DON WAS APPROACHED FOR HELP, AND HE ISSUED A CHALLENGE GRANT OF $600,000 THA T WOULD HAVE TO BE MATCHED BY BOTH THE BLUE LINE HOCKEY CLUB AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. TODAY: BECAUSE OF DON'S CHALLENGE, WE HAVE A THREE MILLION DOLLAR OLYMPIC ICE ARENA IN FOND DU LAC.

OVER THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL ADDITIONS TO OUR YMCA, AND EACH TIME DON AND HIS FAMILY WERE THERE TO GIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

AS THEIR DAUGHTER CAROL AS APPROACHING HER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, TERRI AND DON GAVE THE "GIFT OF GIVING" TO CAROL FOR HER GRADUATION GIFT. CAROL WAS ABLE TO CHOOSE "A GIFT" TO GIVE TO ST. MARY'S SPRINGS WHEN SHE GRADUATED. CAROL DECIDED TO PAVE THE STUDENT PARKING LOT. THE NEXT YEAR WHEN MARY GRADUATED, SHE CHOSE TO PURCHASE TWO EXTENDED CAB VANS TO BE USED FOR ALL STUDENT ACTIVITIES. TWO YEARS LATER, JOE ASKED THAT COMPUTERS BE DONATED TO THE SCHOOL. JOE'S "GIFT" TOOK ON A LIFE OF IT'S OWN, AND INSPIRED DON TO INSTALL COMPUTERS IN ALL OF THE CLASSROOMS AT ST. MARY'S SPRINGS.

UPON LEARNING OF THIS "GIFT", THE FOND DU LAC AREA CATHOLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM (F.A. C.E.S, APPROACHED THE JONES FAMILY FOUNDATION ABOUT A DONATION TO PROVIDE COMPUTERS FOR ALL OF THEIR SCHOOLS. THE JONES FAMILY ISSUED A CHALLENGE GRANT TO F.A.C.E.S., WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY MATCHED BY THE COMMUNITY.

AS A RESULT OF THIS JOINT EFFORT, ALL OF THE CLASSROOMS AT ST. JOSEPH'S, ST. PATRICK'S, ST. MARY'S, AND PRESENTATION SCHOOL HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY COMPUTERIZED.

DON CREATED AND FUNDED A PROGRAM FOR OUTSTANDING HIGH SCHOOL SCIENCE STUDENTS TO TRAVEL TO SCIENCE KNOWLEDGE CENTERS SUCH AS BOSTON, THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, AND WASHINGTON D.C.

HE ALSO DESIGNED, BUILT, AND CONTRIBUTED A FIBER OPTIC VIDEO NETWORK ON THE CAMPUS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MADISON.

DON FOUNDED AND IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE JONES FAMIL Y FOUNDATION. THE FOUNDATION WAS ESTABLISHED TO AND DOES PROVIDE ONGOING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO A WIDE VARIETY OF ORGANIZATIONS.

AND FINALLY, JUST THIS YEAR AS OUR COMMUNITY WAS STRUGGLING WITH THE DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO BUILD A NEW HIGH SCHOOL, DON STEPPED FORWARD AND CHANGED THE TONE OF THE ENTIRE DEBATE. DON ENDED ALL THE SPECULATION ON HOW MUCH THE LAND FOR THE SCHOOL WOULD COST, AND WHERE THE NEW SCHOOL WOULD BE LOCATED. HE DONATED 100+ ACRES OF LAND IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO BOTH M.P.T.C. AND THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - FOND DULAC. THIS DONATION WAS THE LIGHTENING ROD, THAT INITIATED THE PASSAGE OF THE REFERENDUM AND A NEW HIGH SCHOOL WILL SOONBE BUILT IN FOND DU LAC.

I SOMEHOW GET THE FEELING, THAT THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL WILL HAVE A STATE-OF-THE-ART COMPUTER AND FIBER OPTIC NETWORK SYSTEM TOO!

NOW, LET'S LOOK A LITTLE CLOSER AT TERRI'S CHOICES.

TERRI JONES IS A NATIVE OF NEWCASTLE, INDIANA, AND HAS A DEGREE IN EDUCATION FROM MARION COLLEGE.

OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS TERRI HAS BECOME ONE OF FOND DU LAG'S PREMIER FUNDRAISERS.

IN ADDITION TO CARING FOR AND RAISING A FAMILY TERRI CHOSE TO GIVE OF HERSELF BY VOLUNTEERING HER TIME TO WORK WITH MANY ORGANIZATIONS. TERRI IS A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES AT MARION COLLEGE, HAS BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE ST. AGNES HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, F.A.C.E.S., THE ST. MARY SPRINGS FOUNDATION, ASTOP, FAVR, THE SERVICE LEAGUE, THE SAMARTTAN FREE HEALTH CLINIC AND THEIR HOUSE RAFFLE, BETHANY HOUSE, HOSPICE HOPE, THE FOND DU LAC ARTS CENTER, AND ONCE AGAIN, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON!

LET'S EXAMINE TERRI'S INVOLVEMENT IN A FEW OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

THE BETHANY HOUSE WAS FOUNDED IN 1989, AS A HOMELESS SHELTER. TERRI HAS BEEN INVOLVED FROM THE BEGINNING. WHETHER IT WAS STUFFING NEWSLETTERS, OR PROVIDING THAT EXTRA ASSISTANCE TO HELP SOMEONE GETBACK ON THEIR FEET. TERRI COULD ALWAYS BE COUNTED ON TO HELP. SHE HAS BEEN INVOLVED EACH YEAR IN THEIR FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES SELLING CALENDARS OR CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS. FOR MANY YEARS TERRI AND DON HOSTED THE AUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL CALENDAR ART AT THEIR HOME.

TERRI'S INVOLVEMENT IN THE FOND DU LAC ARTS CENTER IS ABOUT TO TAKE ON A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY: TERRI IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE CAPITAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO COMPLETELY REMODEL THE ARTS CENTER. THE ARTS CENTER HAS BECOME A HIGHLY USED FACILITY BY THE YOUTH IN FOND DU LAC, AND WITH TERRI'S LEADERSHIP, I'M SURE THAT THE CENTER WILL BE PART OF OUR COMMUNITY FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

TWELVE YEARS AGO, TERRI CHOSE TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER WITH HOSPICE HOPE. CHOOSING TO HELP PEOPLE AS THEY ENDEAVOR TO END THEIR LIVES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, IS SOMETHING YERY FEW OF US HAVE THE STAMINA AND FORTITUDE TO DO. THIS TAKES A VERY SPECIAL AND GIVING PERSON LIKE TERRI.

BECOMING A VOLUNTEER FOR HOSPICE IS NOT JUST A SIMPLE ACT OF SHOWING UP AND OFFERING YOUR HELP. A POTENTIAL VOLUNTEER MUST ATTEND TWENTY HOURS OF CLASSROOM TRAINING PRIOR TO HELPING THEIR FIRST PATIENT. TERRI WILL DO AND HAS DONE JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING TO HELP HER PATIENTS. WHETHER HELPING A PATIENT BATHE, SCRUBBING A FLOOR, COOKINGA MEAL, OR CLEANING THEIR HOUSE, SHE ALWAYS GIVES 150% EFFOR T.

SHE HAS WORKED WITH 53 PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES SINCE JOINING THE HOSPICE PROGRAM. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, TERRI HAS SPENT TIME WITH HER PATIENTS, EXHIBITING GENTLENESS AND WARMTH.

DON AND TERRI JONES WERE NOT CHOSEN TO RECEIVE THE GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN FINACIALLY SUCCESSFUL, BUT, BECAUSE OF THE CHOICES THEY EACH HAVE MADE!

THEY CHOSE TO LIVE IN FOND DULAC, THEY CHOSE TO BE INVOLVED IN THEIR COMMUNITY; THEY CHOSE TO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME AND EFFORTS TO WORTHY CAUSES, THEY CHOSE TO FINANCIALLY CONTRIBUTE TO NUMEROUS CHARITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS, THEY CHOSE TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TO OUR CITY.

AS WE PREPARE TO ENTER THE NEXT MILLENIUM, TERRI AND DON HAVE BEEN, AND CONTINUE TO BE AN INSPIRATION AND ROLE MODEL GUIDING ALL OF US IN MAKING OUR CHOICES.

AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO PRESENT THE 1999 GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD TO.....DON AND TERRI JONES.

(PRESENT AND READ THE PLAQUE INSCRIPTIONS)

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR GUESTS AND MEMBERS FOR BEING HERE THIS EVENING TO CELEBRATE THE WONDERFUL AND GOLDEN DEEDS OF TERRI AND DON JONES.

ALSO, AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE MY COMMITTEE CO-WORKER, PAUL MICHLER. I ALSO MUST EXTEND MY VERY SINCERE THANKS AND LOVE TO MY WIFE LINDA, WHO SPENT MANY HOURS HELPING US PREPARE FOR THIS BANQUET.

LET ME NOW LEAVE YOU WITH TWO THOUGHTS AS WE END THE EVENING... ...... TAKE A MOMENT TO CONSIDER..... WHAT FOND DU LAC WOULD BE LIKE IF TERRI AND DON HAD NOT CHOSEN TO REMAINPART OF OUR CITY........................AND WHAT CHOICES WILL YOU MAKE TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR COMMUNITY?

THANK YOU, AND HAVE A GOOD EVENING.

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