Indianapolis, Ind. — Four area residents were among 22 Hoosiers who have been presented with the Golden Hoosier Award. The award recognizes people for their lifetime of community service to their neighbors.
Bob Dwenger | Rushville Nominated by Tony Foster
Bob Dwenger is a dedicated member of his community. Bob serves as a foster grandparent at St. Mary’s School through tutoring, providing supervision and being a role model for the children every day. He also visits nursing home residents weekly, works at the local food pantry, assists veterans with transportation and is a friend to the homebound in his community through the Homebound Citizens program. Bob is dedicated to service and is a Trustee of the Knights of Columbus and has been appointed extraordinary minister of Holy Communion at St. Mary’s Church. He is known as humble, honest, sincere and selfless. Bob has touched lives spanning all generations of his community and is always there to lend a helping hand to those in need.
Paul Filter | Dillsboro Nominated by Susan D. Greco
Paul Filter is the type of person that sees a need in the community and steps up. He has been saving lives his entire career and has received such prestigious awards for these efforts as the Martin A. Werner 9th District American Legion Firefighter of the Year and the Indiana State Fire Marshall Award for 32 years of dedicated service to the Dillsboro Volunteer Fire Department. He has also been recognized as a Chamber of Commerce community leader and received the Syrian Shrine Organization leadership award. Paul moved to Dillsboro in 1971 and purchased the local funeral home, which became the dispatch center for local emergency calls. Since the 70s, Paul has been a dispatcher for the life squad and fire department. He is still the “go to” person in the community. If you need something done, and someone reliable to do it, the community looks to him. Paul has the type of energetic personality that spreads and gets others excited to be involved in community projects.
Donna Schroeder | Glenwood Nominated by Tony Foster
For the past 30 years, Donna Schroeder has spent countless hours devoting her time to preserving the history of her community and helping her neighbors in need. She is the president of Historic Connersville, chair of the Connersville Bicentennial Committee and president of the Fayette County Tourism Bureau as well as a member of several other community groups and events. Donna also co-founded the first mini 4-H club in the county. She has also been an avid advocate for victims of crime and foster children in her community ensuring the most vulnerable of her community have a voice. Donna’s commitment to her neighbors and pride in her community shines through in her advocacy and tireless work for Fayette County.
Ramona Wilkinson | Rushville Nominated by Tony Foster
Ramona is passionate about things that bring her community together and so, after retirement, she continues to work and advocate for those around her. For over 25 years, she has worn many hats and pitched in where needed. Ramona serves on numerous boards throughout her community, is an active member of several groups at her church and is a member of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority. She is a tutor at Rushville Elementary School and a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for foster children. Ramona also assists the Rush County Chorale, the Rush County Players and the Heart of Rushville in the promotion and preservation of arts in the community, ensuring all generations will have access to great music, theater and literature.
All 22 were honored during a recent ceremony at the statehouse.
