Winner anything but ordinary

The following remarks were made Saturday night by Jack Ronald in conjunction with the presentation of the Citizen of the Year Award at the annual meeting of the Jay County Chamber of Commerce:
The newspaper business can be challenging.
But one of the great joys of journalism is that you get to meet so many interesting people and share their stories with others.
A couple of weeks ago, for instance, I had the privilege of spending the afternoon with a retired glass worker in Dunkirk. It was his 96th birthday, and the two of us sat in front of his wood stove while he talked and I listened to his reminiscences of days gone by. It was, indeed, a joy.
Professionally, nothing gives me more pleasure than when the newspaper is able to shine its spotlight on someone whose deeds might otherwise be overlooked, someone who isn’t rich or powerful or famous, someone who doesn’t often get his or her name in the paper.
It seems to me that the award we’re presenting tonight provides a similar opportunity, a chance for the community to say, “This is our Citizen of the Year” and shine the spotlight on someone who is particularly deserving but whose contributions might have been overlooked.
The person we’re honoring tonight has been involved in Jay County 4-H leadership for 22 years, 12 of those years on the 4-H Council. He was a 10-year member of 4-H himself, and that involvement shaped his life. He farmed for 50 years and worked at Portland Forge for more than 40 years.
Throughout that time, he has been selflessly focused on helping Jay County’s young people. I first encountered Bob Schmit several years ago at the 4-H Livestock Auction at the Jay County Fair.
The auction crowd changes a little every year, with a new set of parents or businesses involved in the action. But a few things are consistent: The auctioneers are there, donating time; the radio station’s there to broadcast the bidding; the newspaper’s there to take photos. And Bob is there, bidding.
Many bidders at the auction are there to promote their business. Some are there to support their neighbors or their grandchildren.
Bob’s probably the biggest individual bidder, and he’s just there to support the kids in 4-H. “Within each of them is a winner,” Bob says. And he lets them know he believes in them.
Bob likes to collect inspirational sayings, and countless 10-year 4-H members have gone off to college with the gift of a bath towel from Bob with meaningful advice embroidered on it. One of my favorites is this: “Refuse to be ordinary. And then a miracle happens.”
Bob Schmit, because you have steadfastly refused to be ordinary, it is my honor and my pleasure to present you with the Jay County Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award for 2012. — J.R.[[In-content Ad]]