INA, Ill. (December 13, 2022) 鈥� The 海角视频 Foundation (RLCF) hosted its 43rd annual dinner on December 8 at the Rend Lake Event Center in Ina, Illinois. Nearly 300 guests attended the event, including alumni, community members, college staff, and faculty.
The dinner began with a cocktail hour, where guests had the opportunity to mingle and catch up with old friends. The program started with a welcome from RLCF Board Chairman Tony Wielt. Wielt thanked Peoples National Bank and Eggemeyer Associates Architects for their sponsorship of the annual dinner. Wielt also recognized the Jefferson County CEO Program for its contributions to facilitating the coat check and escorting guests and the RLC choir, under Sara Alstat-Sanders, for singing before the event.
"Tonight is a very special night for the Foundation," said Wielt. "We get a chance to recognize the past, celebrate the present, and create a vision for the future."
Wielt spoke about the recent changes in the RLCF office. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 transition has allowed us to reevaluate and restructure the roles within the organization. This work will position us to be even more effective moving forward and set us to impact even more students in the next chapter.鈥� He completed the introduction with a special mention of RLCF board member Pat Kern. 鈥淭he work you have done for the Foundation has been extremely important. I want everyone here to know how grateful the Foundation and the college are for your time and talents. Your help and guidance during this transition have been vital. It is why we are here tonight, stronger than we have ever been.鈥�
Wielt invited Amy Newell, RLCF Assistant Director of Development, and Dawn Johnson, RLCF Major Gifts officer, to the podium. Johnson recognized special guests in attendance, Illinois State Senator Terri Bryant, RLC Board of Trustees Chair Randy Rubenacker, Board Vice Chair Larry Manning, Board Secretary Brian Dorris, Board Member Dr. David Asbery, Board Member Randall Crocker, Board Member and Illinois Community College Trustees Association Representative (ICCTA) John Kabat, and Board Member Jeff Jones.
Newell recognized the RCLF Board 鈥� President Tony Wielt, Vice President Mary Ellen Aiken, Secretary Mark Ballard, Treasurer Joshua Esser, Randy Dauby, Matthew Flanigan, Will Davis, Pat Kern, Jeff Lueke, Dr. Charles Roe, Randy Rubenacker, and Dr. James Wittenauer.
Newell then recognized the RLC administration 鈥� President Terry Wilkerson, Associate Vice President of Career Technical Education and Student Support Kim Wilkerson, Associate Vice President of Academic and Student Services Buster Leeck, Associate Vice President of Institutional Outreach Chad Copple, Chief Financial Officer John Gulley, and Executive Director of Administrative Services Cathy DeJarnette.
John Kabat, 海角视频 Board Member and ICCTA representative, delivered the invocation.
Tim Wills, 海角视频 Athletic Director, announced the RLCF 2022 Alumnus of the Year Award.
鈥淚 got to know this gentleman 40 years ago,鈥� said Wills. 鈥淲e both showed up on this campus in August 1982 with eight other guys, all wanting to be college basketball players.鈥�
Wills told the exciting story of Dean Merder, including his time playing basketball as a 海角视频 Warrior, moving on to play at a 4-year university at Oakland City, becoming a leader in his industry at Kimball International, and finally becoming a President and CEO at TrueScripts.
鈥淒ean has charisma and leadership qualities that attract people to him,鈥� Wills said. 鈥淗e was a great teammate. He is a hard worker. He is competitive. Most importantly, he鈥檚 been a really good friend for 40 years. It is my privilege and honor to introduce our alumnus of the year for 2022, Mr. Dean Merder."
The audience greeted Merder on the stage with a standing ovation.
Merder displayed humility when accepting the award, explaining how he told Pat Kern during their initial phone call that there must be someone more deserving than him.
Merder grew up in Jasper, Indiana. He was recruited to play basketball by RLC coach Mitch Haskins. It wasn鈥檛 until looking back that Dean realized some of his most pivotal moments as a leader. Dean explained his story and gave credit to his accomplishments to God. - Read Dean's Full Story Here.
A true testament to his impact, Dean, was surprised by nearly 20 friends, family, and co-workers at the event. Showing his gratitude, Dean thanked almost every person that attended for him individually.
His philosophy in leadership is to give everyone a chance. 鈥淢y entire career has been focusing on giving people a chance,鈥� Merder said. 鈥淧romoting people, giving them a chance, mentoring and coaching them. We all make mistakes. We all struggle. The biggest joy I have is seeing people grow and develop. I love seeing people reach a goal or a dream.鈥�
Dean then thanked the individuals that came for him and let them know they had a significant impact on his development.
鈥淚 hope to make you proud as the Alumnus of the Year,鈥� said Merder. 鈥� I will do everything I can to represent 海角视频 at the highest level with the highest honors I can.鈥�
Terry Wilkerson, RLC President, and Pat Kern, RLCF Board Member, took the stage.
鈥淒o you remember the movie It鈥檚 a Wonderful Life with George and Mary Bailey?鈥� Kern prompted the audience. 鈥� Because of their giving back to the community, the Bailey鈥檚 changed the lives of so many. The story of George and Mary Slankard is much the same. They started giving to the RLCF 35 years ago. They donated to the RLCF Children鈥檚 Center because they believed in education. They believed education could change lives. The Slankard鈥檚 donated $175,000 to the new Mary and George Slankard Learning Resource Center. They have reached a lifetime amount of giving to the RLCF in the amount of $911,000.鈥�
The audience erupted with applause for the figures stated.
Kern explained that the RLCF reached $5.5M in total endowment, and the Slankard鈥檚 Scholarship Fund comprises 13% of the total fund.
Accepting the 2022 海角视频 Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of the Slankards were Tom Mallory and RLC Board of Trustees Member and Longtime friend Randall Crocker.
President Wilkerson commented on the award, 鈥淚 had the pleasure to visit with Mary and George. When someone doesn鈥檛 have to do something and does it for the youth and the region, that is powerful. Congratulations.鈥�
RLC President Terry Wilkerson presented two Presidential Awards.
The first recipient was the new chair of the RLCF, Tony Wielt. 鈥淚 have personally seen Tony dive right in,鈥� said Wilkerson. 鈥淗e has things he needs to do but is quick to put the college first. He is quick to have extra meetings. Some of our transitions have taken extra time. He has been about the college for no other reason than to be about the college and what the college鈥檚 mission is.鈥�
Cathy DeJarnette, RLC Executive Director of Administrative Services, announced the second Presidential Award recipient RLCF Board Member Pat Kern. 鈥淲e are all here tonight because we all believe that we can make a difference in the life of a student,鈥� said Dejarnette. 鈥淭he next person I would like to honor with a presidential award is a true believer and supporter of the RLCF.鈥�
DeJarnette described Pat Kern鈥檚 time with RLC. Kern started at RLC as a student worker and was hired full-time in 1992 as a data entry clerk. She was named one of the college鈥檚 50 influencers in 2017 and led the RLCF for 15 years. She is currently a member of the RLCF Board of Directors.
鈥淢ost recently, Pat has given up her time and talents in the Foundation Office as we transitioned to a new team,鈥� said Dejarnette. 鈥淪he has shown up, day after day, and week after week, volunteering her time and sharing her knowledge to ensure our students are being served and that the Foundation Office continues to thrive, grow, and carry out its mission.鈥�
DeJarnette followed up the Presidential Award with a Special Recognition Award.
鈥淭his recipient was a former student worker who was hired full-time by RLC in January of 1992 as a finance and registration assistant,鈥� said DeJarnette. 鈥淭hree years later, she was promoted to Business Office Financial Coordinator and then to Controller in 2004. After nine years, she was the obvious choice for our next VP of Finance and Administration in 2013. Where she remained until retirement in May 2022.鈥�
DeJarnette noted that the recipient, Angie Kistner, had served 海角视频 for more than 30 years.
Kistner was described as a hard worker who was often in the office before the sun was up. She helped online during COVID, kept a watchful eye on the college鈥檚 finances, and assisted with millions of dollars in grants. She was named one of the college鈥檚 50 influencers in 2017, was a member of the president鈥檚 cabinet, and was an inaugural member of the President鈥檚 Executive Leadership Team in 2019.
鈥淲hen she won the 海角视频 Outstanding Staff Award in 2011,鈥� DeJarnette said. 鈥淪he was nominated by the staff from one of her favorite causes, the 海角视频 Children鈥檚 Center. She鈥檚 truly made a difference in the lives of so many students. The college and the Foundation appreciate her continued and endless support.鈥�
Amy Newell, 海角视频 Foundation鈥檚 Assistant Director of Development, listed many of the causes and events that Kistner was a part of during her time with RLC and following her retirement.
Newell and DeJarnette presented Angie Kistner with the 2022 海角视频 Foundation Special Recognition Award.
Newell recognized student athlete Madyson Barton in the student spotlight. Barton was the recipient of the Coach Wayne Arnold Scholarship. She spoke about the adversity she had to overcome to attend college and thanked the RLCF for its support.
鈥淐ollege wasn鈥檛 part of my plan due to my financial situation,鈥� said Barton. 鈥淚n high school, I moved in with my grandparents. They were instrumental in helping me, but financially they couldn鈥檛 help me as much as they would have liked.鈥�
Barton was brought to emotions when described checking on her grandmother following her Grandfathers death in July. She mentioned balancing work with college and sports.
鈥淚 also wasn鈥檛 planning on playing college softball,鈥� Barton said. 鈥� I had a change of heart after my friend CJ passed away. He wanted to play college baseball, so I reached out to Matt Knox, 海角视频鈥檚 Softball Coach, to honor CJ鈥檚 memory. Without the assistance of the Coach Wayne Arnold Scholarship, that wouldn鈥檛 have been possible.鈥�
Barton will graduate from 海角视频 this spring and has been accepted to Eastern Illinois University, where she plans to study Chiropractic Medicine in the fall of 2023.
After the recognition ceremony, Dawn Johnson announced a major fundraising project, The Game Plan.
She showed a video highlighting the coaches and players at 海角视频 and explained how donations to the project would significantly impact many students' lives.
鈥淭he caliber of students we are attracting at Rend Lake is a shoutout,鈥� said Dawn Johnson, RLCF Major Gifts Officer. 鈥淲e have to have the facilities to match the quality of students we are trying to recruit.鈥� Johnson explained that there had not been a significant renovation to the Waugh Gym or its facilities in 55 years.
Johnson invited guests to learn more about The Game Plan by contacting anyone in the office or visiting them online at rlc.edu/gameplan.
The dinner concluded, and guests could continue their conversations and learn more about the foundation and its work.
The 海角视频 Foundation is grateful to all those who attended and supported the 43rd annual dinner. The Foundation looks forward to continuing its mission.