2001 Citizen of the Year
The Citizen of the Year was announced at the Annual Polo Chamber of Commerce Dinner on September 24, 2001. Following is Merle McCaffrey's introduction:
After the tragic events on September 11 in New York City and Washington, DC, I was indeed thankful to live in this small Midwestern town where the tallest structure is Olsen's Elevator. Small rural communities, like ours, are made up of people who are the "salt of the earth". VOLUNTEERISM and caring about community are two attributes that keep our small rural towns on the map.
Since 1990, the Polo Chamber of Commerce has been recognizing those in our community who have tirelessly given of their time, and often money, to implement their ideas for the betterment of Polo. Louise Quick was our first "Citizen of the Year" and Bob Keefer received the honor in the year 2000. Let's look at the plaque now and see who among us has been chosen as Polo's Citizen of the Year for 2001.
Betty Obendorf.
Let me tell you why the committee has chosen Betty for this honor. One of the letters nominating Betty, and there were several, said, 'This past weekend I had a conversation with Ed Isley who was in Polo visiting his sister, Betty Obendorf. He told me that Betty walked him around downtown Polo, telling him of ideas that she and others have for some of our empty buildings. Betty gave her brother an in-depth report about the Mapping Committee's work, David Snedecker's ideas for a historical district for Polo, and about the Galena Trail connection to Polo. Ed said to me, "That woman is on a mission to save Polo!"' And so she is!!
After Betty's retirement from teaching in the Polo School System, she became very active int he Polo Historical Society and has worked herself into a FULL TIME volunteer job as curator of the Applington House Museum. She has sparked a new interest in Polo's long history and writes a weekly column in the Tri-County Press in which she reports about interesting people and events from Polo's past. She organizes fund raisers, gives tours and lectures to students and visitors to the museum. She's working for an eventual tie-in with Polo's connection to the underground railway during slaver and the Civil War. There will be a cemetery walk on October 14 - Betty's brain-child - at which time significant figures from Polo's past will be personified by local people, who will tell the story of some of our Polo founders and pioneers buried at Fairmont Cemetery.
Betty is a member and active participant in the activities of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, belongs to our local PEO Chapter, has contact with county and state historical organizations, works closely with Blackhawk Waterways Convention and Tourism Bureau, is a wife, mother and grandmother. She's a Polo promoter wherever she goes. There's more, but I'm running out of paper.
Betty's husband, Kenneth, should also be acknowledged because he works right along with Betty on fund raising, ticket selling, etc., and helps her with many of her projects. He does just what Betty tells him to do, as a good husband should!
Betty, you are the "salt of the earth" and are a splendid example of what volunteerism is all about. If the new ideas for improving Polo don't come to fruition, it won't be because Betty Obendorf didn't work hard enough toward that end!
I'm pleased and honored to present you with this plaque, Betty, which names you as the Chamber's "Citizen of the Year" for 2001.
