(WARRENSBURG, M.) – The University of Central Missouri and the Greater Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center recognized individuals and groups who have made contributions to the Warrensburg community as part of UCM’s 2013 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. celebration.
The MLK Community Services Awards were presented Wednesday, Jan. 16, during the chamber monthly networking luncheon.
The Rev. Terrence Moody, pastor of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church of Warrensburg, accepted the Humanitarian Award on behalf of the church’s Harvest of Hope outreach ministry.
Harvest of Hope includes the Nehemiah Feeding Project, which provides a community meal two evenings per week; the Manna Harvest Food Drop, which serves nearly 1,200 people per month in cooperation with Harvesters; and the Senior Citizens Commodities program, which distributes government commodities to senior citizens on a monthly basis.
Bob Vickers, executive director of the Johnson County United Way, received the Leadership Award. In addition to his work with the local United Way, Vickers is lead grant writer and grants manager for The Food Bank for central and northeast Missouri. He also is an accomplished nonprofit fundraiser and author of several books on fundraising and philanthropy.
Willie Shields, director of the Destiny House homeless shelter in Warrensburg, and Paige Becker, a UCM senior working with the local “Building Community Through Education” Habitat for Humanity project, each received the Service Award.
Becker, a construction management major, was recognized for her role as a student volunteer coordinator and project manager for the program that is a cooperative effort between UCM, the Warrensburg R-VI School District and Habitat for Humanity of Johnson County.
Shields, with his wife, Inell, is the director of the Destiny Community Development Corp., a nonprofit organization that is the parent organization of Destiny’s Door to Recovery, located in Warrensburg, Knob Noster and Clinton, and Destiny House. He also serves as the superintendent of the Johnson County Juvenile Justice Detention Center in Warrensburg and is an adjunct instructor for State Fair Community College in Sedalia.
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