Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Development Group’s Uptown Theater Honors gala was held Saturday, Nov. 4.
Honored this year were Kristi Keast, Sue Coleman, Fred Burke, Jacqueline Briggs Martin and Tim Kelley.
Kristi’s son, Aaron, delivered the words in honor of the longtime music educator in Mount Vernon.
“When I heard mom was being honored with a community award, I was not surprised,” Aaron said.
Aaron noted the devotion to her students and music education entailed long hours of extra practice on pieces that she was performing, while balancing time with her family and caring for her kids.
“There were piano lessons for several students held as well,” Aaron said.
One of the big events Kristi was always preparing students for was the annual fifth grade musical.
Outside of her time with the school, she was also a music director at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church, and helped to form the bell choir at the church in 1998.
Kristi also ran for state house in 2012 and 2014, to make sure people who supported education and music were in the state house.
David Osterberg spoke about Kelley’s accomplishments.
Osterberg said that Kelley and his wife, Sara, arrived to Mount Vernon thanks to their grandchildren. Once he arrived, Kelley volunteered, bringing his years of engineering and work as a Disney Imagineer to Mount Vernon events.
“Magical Night existed before Tim arrived, but his animanegerie moved that festival up a notch,” Osterberg said.
Osterberg noted the recent project Kelley and members of the Magical Night committee are working on, making fences for the crossing with Hwy. 1 and First Street.
“Making ways to celebrate and keep people safe,” Osterberg said. “That’s Tim’s specialty and he has made Mount Vernon a better community.”
Rich Martin spoke about his wife, Jackie, and her career accomplishments.
He and Jackie met on a bus trip between Maine and Boston, Mass.
After spending an entire bus ride talking, Rich realized he had not got Jackie’s contact information.
Jackie, however, found a way to contact Rich after that bus ride. The couple eventually moved to Mount Vernon where they raised their children.
In Mount Vernon, Jackie was highly involved with getting two playgrounds built in the community, an effort that was featured in Smithsonian Magazine.
She also served on the planning and zoning committee for a number of years.
Her greatest accomplishments, however, may be in her works in writing children’s books. She has now penned 23 books for children and received a Caldecott Award.
“A lot of work goes into a book,” Rich said. “Authors sometimes have to travel, to get a sense of the world they are setting their books in.”
Rich said he has been on some of those trips, like the creek featured in “Creekfinding,” and others, like her exploring the remote regions of Tibet, he learns a lot more details after the trips.
“The thing is that all these trips and journeys she makes, she always returns to Mount Vernon with a story or book that readers will enjoy,” Rich said.
Doug Hansen spoke about fellow Cornell College professor Susan Coleman.
Hansen was one of those who had Coleman referred for a position with the art department in 2000.
Coleman was responsible for many artists exhibits at Cornell College, be that at a gallery show, or as Hansen explained, finding different places on campus to highlight the works of artists at the college or community.
“She didn’t just focus on the gallery space, but the campus library and the halls of Smith Commons as places to display pieces,” Hansen said.
Aside from that work, Coleman would take art students to places in Mount Vernon and Lisbon for her classes to get students to work on pieces outside the traditional classroom.
Hansen said that one of the traditions of Cornell College for employees who work for a notable number of years is to receive a piece of homemade pottery art to mark that achievement. When Hansen was reaching one of those landmarks, he asked instead if he could have a piece of Coleman’s original art. That piece is one that now hangs in the entryway of his home to welcome all guests.
“Art is important and something we need more of, especially in this day and age,” Hansen said.
Mike Smith spoke about Fred Burke’s contributions to Mount Vernon.
Burke came to Mount Vernon as a teacher in 1966, and then moved on to financial planning, a role he has held for numerous years.
“Those who play golf with him are used to him answering questions from a client,” Smith said.
Smith said that financial advising has allowed him to maintain his own wealth, and his philanthropy and behind the scenes support for numerous projects in the community, including the new activities complex at the Mount Vernon School or performing arts center at the school, or supporting the high school drama trip this past spring.
“He rarely talks about the projects he has financially supported,” Smith said.
What most people might know Burke is his tenure as women’s tennis coach at Cornell College for 28 years, a tenure that saw his team rarely finishing lower than third place in tough competitions.
One of those former players noted that Burke’s focus was on each and every player bringing out the best in their game, as well as giving advice on all sorts of life’s travails as well.