NEWS RELEASE

Volunteers recognized for service

Centerville Mayor honors longtime volunteer with award

Municipal volunteers were recently recognized at the City of Centerville's annual Volunteer Salute held at The Golf Club at Yankee Trace. The Volunteer Salute recognizes the more than 300 volunteers working in Centerville municipal offices and as members of council-appointed boards and commissions. Those recognized include members of the Stormwater Drainage Task Force, Board of Architectural Review, Board of Tax Appeals, Centerville Arts Commission, Centerville Property Review Commission, City Beautiful Commission, City Planning Commission, Personnel Appeals Board, Sister City Committee, Friends of Benham's Grove Board, Charter Review Commission and Centerville City School District Personnel Appeals Board.

Volunteers working in municipal offices as part of the CIVIC (Citizens InVolved In Centerville) Municipal Volunteer Program were also recognized. There are more than 200 volunteers giving their time in the following areas: City Manager's office, Benham's Grove, Public Works, Engineering, Tax, The Golf Club at Yankee Trace, Police Department, City Clerk's office and Zoning Office.

During the event, Mayor Mark Kingseed recognized 13 volunteers who have given 25 or more years of service to the City. They are: Karl Pauzar, 42 Years of Service;John Spoor, 37 Years of Service; Bob Perkins, 32 Years of Service; Sue Pirie and Jim Wasson, 30 Years of Service; Maxine Levinson, 29 Years of Service; Marty Hohl and Alice Nace, 26 Years of Service; and Sandy Baver, Dan Carfagno, John Dorko, Jack Lohbeck, and Barry McClain, all with 25 Years of Service. These volunteers will also be recognized at the June 21, 2010 Council Meeting.

Mayor Kingseed presented the Mayor's Award for Community Service to John Spoor, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the City of Centerville. Spoor was appointed to the Centerville Sister City Committee in 1973. Although it would be almost nine years before Centerville nominated a city for Sister-relationship, Spoor worked diligently to make it happen.

Beginning in 1973, he and another volunteer along with former Mayor JV Stone, wrote several letters and made numerous phone calls to consulates in France, trying to develop a friendship, but couldn’t form a Sister City relationship.

In 1976, Centerville joined the Sister Cities International organization. Because things weren’t moving, it was suggested by the Vandalia Sister City organization that someone from Centerville visit Bad Zwischenan, Germany. Since he and his family would be traveling to Europe that summer, Spoor offered to make a side trip to Bad Z. He met with the mayor, council and other representatives there. After his return, Spoor worked with Centerville Council and soon after, Bad Z and Centerville became Sister Cities.

Centerville’s second Sister City came along in 1983. According to Spoor, JV Stone, who was then Mayor, and Councilmember Leonard Stubbs were interested in adding another Sister City relationship. A decision was made to look to Canada for an interested city. This would provide a closer location. They also were looking for a city whose residents spoke both English and French. Through NCR, some Centerville residents had developed friendships with a few folks from Waterloo, Ontario Canada. Spoor said he, Stone and Stubbs loaded up in a car and made the eight-hour trip to Waterloo to meet with its council. A few months later, Waterloo and Centerville were officially named as Sister Cities.

Since that time, the Centerville Sister City Committee and other residents have made numerous visits to both Bad Z and Waterloo as well as visitors from those countries traveling here and being hosted by members of the Sister City Committee. Over the years, Spoor has made four trips to Bad Z and three to Waterloo.

Not only has Spoor been a volunteer with Centerville for 37 years, but he also gives his time to other organizations as well. For the past several years, he has been active with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). He meets two days a week with new and struggling businesses to help with business plans, offer advice and provide resource assistance.

A member of the Exchange Club service organization, Spoor works to raise funds to assist children in need. The club recently made a donation to the Ronald McDonald House in Dayton.

He also volunteers with his church, Christ United Methodist in Kettering. He gives his time to the after school program that offers sports, cooking classes and other activities for at-risk junior high students.

John and his wife of 49 years, Joyce, have two daughters, Jennifer and her family live in Ft. Wayne, IN, and Cindi and her family live outside of Chicago.

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