Public safety officials Bob LeVelle and Clint Lee were presented Creative Community Living’s humanitarian award for 2009 at the board’s annual dinner on Dec. 3.
LeVelle, a master patrolman for the Kansas Highway Patrol, and Lee, a natural resources officer for the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, risked their own lives last December when a CCL van skidded on ice north of Winfield and went off the roadway. Two clients and one staff member from El Dorado were in the van. Officer Lee and Trooper LeVelle were attending to other weather-related accidents when they got the call about a van on fire with people trapped inside.
According to a later Winfield Courier article, Officer Lee figured he could help direct traffic near the accident, even though that isn’t something game wardens normally do. When he arrived, however, he saw that Trooper LeVelle, who was already on the scene, needed help. Both men used fire extinguishers in an attempt to put out the fire and rescue the occupants. Lee entered the van and with the driver, who was injured, tried to free the passengers. They got one man outside so LeVelle could tend to him. Despite several attempts to rescue the unresponsive second passenger, the fire became too intense and forced them to leave. LeVelle helped extract Lee, the last one to exit the van. The heat and intense flames destroyed every part of the vehicle. Both officers suffered minor injuries.
“Thanks to the courageous efforts of Officers Lee and LeVelle, there was one fatality that icy, winter day instead of three,” said CCL’s executive director, Linda Misasi, during the presentation. “These two compassionate public servants risked their own lives to save the lives of strangers. They are true humanitarians.”
Lee and LeVelle were the community recipients of the Sharon K. Bird Humanitarian Award given annually by CCL’s board of directors. Amber Crowl, administrative assistant in the Winfield office, was chosen to receive the staff award and was honored earlier this fall.
Crowl has been active in raising money for needy clients at CCL’s Casino Night for seven years. She is prolific at bringing in donations, and she and her husband, Cliff, refurbished a Plinko game and created a Wheel of Fortune game that are extremely popular with people attending the fund-raiser. Last year she planned, purchased and prepared all the food for Casino Night. These are just a few examples of how Crowl goes the extra mile to make CCL’s main fund-raising event a success.
Several years ago, CCL purchased three vending machines for its day centers/office buildings. The original plan for stocking the machines and paying back the purchase money didn’t work out. Crowl was asked to take on the project in October 2008. She worked hard to get the best prices on foods and beverages and to keep the machines stocked with items people wanted. She soon turned the project around so the purchase money was being paid back. That money goes into a fund to assist clients with special needs.
Crowl doesn’t often have an opportunity to do the tasks that most other administrative assistants work on. She tackles projects when others have run into roadblocks. Whether it is scheduling the fire marshal for inspections or finding the best price on a new copier, she gets the job done and doesn’t tolerate mediocrity.
Crowl gets involved with the individuals served by CCL as well. For example, one young man really wanted to deliver mail in Meyer Hall, but there were a number of accessibility questions. She assessed each one, and solutions were achieved. The young man was able to deliver mail!
“No matter what Amber is asked to do, she works hard to complete the task,” Misasi said. “She believes it all leads to providing the best life possible for the individuals we support.”
Anyone associated with CCL can nominate someone for the annual humanitarian award. Leaders from the community then serve as judges and choose the winners. This year’s judges were: Bev Grunder, chairperson of the Business, Computers and Information Technology Department at Cowley County Community College; David A. Seaton, publisher of the Arkansas City Traveler and president of Winfield Publishing Co.; Kris Trimmer, teacher at Winfield High School; Brian Gentry, chief technology officer for Citizens Bank of Kansas; Cheryl Lyn Higgins, chief executive officer of the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Don Anderson, retired Southwestern College professor; Kathy Guy, retired assistant director of Butler County Department of Emergency Management/Homeland Security; and Tony Allison, vice president of Bank of the West in El Dorado.