Buchholz, Hovde presented with Hendricks Community Spirit Awards

By Tammy Mathison
hpioneer@itctel.com

Russel “Tut” Smith, President of the Hendricks Community Foundation, presented the first Community Spirit Awards to Harvey L. Buchholz and (posthumously) Towee Hovde as part of the formal program during the All School Reunion held on Saturday, July 3.

The following background information on the award was provided by Smith.

“From the time of its founding until the present day, the Hendricks community has been blessed with citizens who have created and sustained a tradition of commitment, compassion and love of community. All who have gone before and all who are present today have shaped our values and made Hendricks the wonderful place that it is; therefore the Community Spirit Award is not intended to honor some and not others. However, there is a need to thank and honor certain extraordinary individuals and so the Community Spirit Award recognizes two individuals per year – one from the past who will be honored posthumously and one contemporary who is making contributions today. It takes everyone to make a community such as Hendricks a strong, caring one where people are happy to live. Each year we will be able to recognize just two of these individuals, but the entire community deserves thanks for what it has accomplished and the spirit it demonstrates.”

Smith then read the following resolutions:

Whereas Harvey L. Buchholz has served the community of Hendricks, Minnesota since graduation from the University of Minnesota School of Pharmacy in 1950, and has distinguished himself as the pharmacist in residence for 47 years serving the needs of citizens of Hendricks, and continuing his profession to serve other communities now marking over 60 years and

Whereas Mr. Buchholz has demonstrated a keen sense of civic responsibility by serving as Mayor for 37 years, a Charter Member and Secretary for the Kiwanis Club, spearheading the creation and development of the Hendricks Golf Club, serving many years as its President and Treasurer, as well as volunteering as President of The Lincoln County Cancer Society, Lincoln County Community Chest and later the City Community Chest, Treasurer of the Hendricks Housing Authority, the Service Club and the Boy Scouts of America, and

Whereas, Mr. Buchholz has served the Western Community Action Agency  in an exemplary manner for a total of 45 years, an agency dedicated to providing basic human needs for the less fortunate.

Now Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the City Council of Hendricks and the Hendricks Community Foundation Board of Directors do hereby express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Harvey L. Buchholz for his distinguished service and outstanding contributions to Hendricks and to the wider community.

Resolved, Further, that the joint boards bestow upon Harvey L. Buchholz the “Hendricks Community Spirit Award” for 2010.

The resolution is signed by Mayor Rick Hamer and HCF President Russel Smith.

Buchholz was very surprised to find himself the recipient of the award and received a standing ovation from the crowd as his son, Kevin, wheeled him to the front of the gymnasium where Gary Johnson, member of the Hendricks Community Foundation, presented him with the award.

Smith also read the following resolution which awarded Towee Hovde the Award posthumously.

Whereas, Towee Hovde served the Community of Hendricks over a period of five decades as a volunteer and inspiration to the youth of Hendricks as a mentor and ice skating teacher to every young person wanting to engage in this winter sport and in so doing gave the youth a lifetime of cherished memories while learning to appreciate winter and its rigors at a time when the Depression and post-Depression economics in a small town with long, cold winters provided few alternatives for wholesome and active entertainment, and

Whereas, Mr. Hovde personally took charge of site selection, building ice rinks in the town as well as supervising, clearing snow and providing a warming house, and

Whereas Mr. Hovde was a veteran of World War II serving in France and upon returning from the military service he single-handedly constructed a unique home modeled after a structure in France which became a Hendricks landmark known affectionately as The Chateau, and as a self-taught photographer documented his favorite subjects, the young ice skaters of town, and

Now Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the City Council of Hendricks and the Hendricks Community Foundation Board of Directors do hereby express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Towee Hovde for his distinguished service and outstanding contributions to the youth of Hendricks.

Resolved Further, that the joint boards posthumously bestow upon Towee Hovde the “Hendricks Community Spirit Award” for 2010.

This resolution also was signed by Mayor Hamer and President Smith.

As there were no family members to accept Hovde’s award, it will hang in City Hall. Buchholz will also be represented as a recipient of the Community Spirit Award on a wall in City Hall.

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