By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The annual Sherwood Chamber of Commerce banquet Tues-day honored several residents who have made a difference in the city.
The Denver Gentry Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to former Alderman Becki Vassar.
She recently retired from the city council after 32 years. She led Sherwood in acquiring The Greens at North Hills golf course. Earlier this month the clubhouse was named to honor Vassar.
Second War World veteran Bernard Olds was selected as the man of the year.
Olds, 90, is a member of the Sherwood Senior Citizens program. He checks on seniors daily, runs errands and takes them to doctor appointments. Olds makes hospital and nursing home visits and along with birthday calls. He brings seniors their newspaper to their door. He takes out their trash and brings in their trash cans. Olds helps deliver Meals on Wheels every other Thursday. Olds was born in 1920. During the war, he was wounded twice and received the Purple Heart. He moved to Glenora Avenue in 1947 and still lives there 64 years later. Olds helped with a petition for Sherwood to become a city. He also helped start the Sherwood Volunteer Fire Department.
Alderman Mary Jo Heye was honored as the woman of the year. Heye oversees the Sherwood Sharks swim team. The swim team is one of the state’s largest with over 300 youngsters participating during the summer. Heye took over the swim team from the request of her late son, Trey, who passed away in 2000 from a hospital error regarding medication.
She and her husband, Lt. Col. Paul Heye Jr., vice commander of the Arkansas Air National Guard 189th Airlift Wing based at Little Rock Air Force Base, manage rental properties in Sherwood and North Little Rock.
Mary Jo Heye serves on the Sherwood Parks and Recreation Committee, and the Sherwood Street Committee. Heye is also a member of the Sherwood Rotary Club.
Randy Hambrick was honored as the emergency-medical technician of the year. Hambrick began working for MEMS in 1994 and was promoted to captain in 2010. He works at the North Pulaski area MEMS station.
Lt. Kenneth Sartin was presented with the firefighter-of-the-year award. Sartin is an engineer with the Gravel Ridge Fire Department. He began his firefighting career at the Mt. Carmel Volunteer Fire Department while in high school. Sartin joined the Air Force and became a security forces member. He was stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base in May 2000. A month later, he joined the Gravel Ridge Fire Department and was soon deployed supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
In December 2003, Sartin left active duty and joined the reserves. He was deployed to Iraq in 2005.
Officer Keith Waymire was honored as the law enforcement officer of the year.
Waymire joined the Sher-wood Police Department in 2009. Waymire graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a degree in sociology and a minor in religion. He served in the Army Reserves reaching the rank of captain before leaving.
Waymire has received many thank-you letters from residents who he has assisted.
The business of the year was Moose Lodge 942. The lodge received its charter in 1952. It has been at 4000 E. Kiehl Ave. since 1985. The lodge has more than 800 members. During the past four years, the lodge has given more than $300,000 to local charities, youth groups, civic organizations and community-service projects.
Past president Bob Douglas accepted the award on behalf of Moose lodge.
Phyllis Eubanks was honored as the educator of the year. Eubanks teaches religious classes to kindergarten, second-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh- grade students at Immaculate Conception School on Hwy. 107.
She was hired in 1991 and has taught classes from kindergarten to eighth grade. Eubanks is also the director of religious education.
