Four Creston residents who give community their all will be honor at an Ox Roast Saturday
Creston is marking its annual Fish Fry and Ox Roast with a two-day event − 5-8 p.m. on Friday and 1-7 p.m. Saturday at the Creston Community Park.
The roast, in its 75th year, will present the Citizens of the Year awards at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. The annual Fish Fry will take place 5-8 p.m. Friday. The Grady Miller band will provide music that evening. Festivities begin Saturday with a parade at noon. This year’s theme is Dancing Through the Decades.
Beef sandwiches will be on sale from 1 p.m. until sold out, at last year’s price of $5. There will be music, games, inflatables, and face painting. The Norwayne band will perform at 1:30 p.m., followed by the introduction of this year’s football team and cheerleaders.
Saturday’s entertainment will feature The Cookin’ Country Band at 3 p.m.
All proceeds from the Ox Roast go toward supporting youth programs. For the latest schedule visit www.crestoncommunityserviceclub.org.
As part of the festivities, four individuals are chosen for their outstanding service to the Creston community.
This year’s recipients are Tim Lawrence, Ralph Stanley, Melissa Sparks and Linda Kauf.
The Boy Scout motto, “Do your best,” exemplifies Lawrence. An Eagle Scout recipient himself, Lawrence has mentored boys from Cub Scouts to Eagle Scouts for over 30 years. Currently the Cubmaster for Pack 3455, he is responsible for overall scheduling.
Many weekends can find him camping, assisting with ceremonies, advising Eagle Scout projects, serving as a merit badge counselor, volunteering for community events such as Creston’s Ox Roast and selling popcorn to fund activities.
Lawrence said Scouting is a family-centered activity and offers skills that build confidence and leadership.
He has served in the Army National Guard for 27 years and has a passion for helping veterans. Sterling residents, Lawrence and his wife, Kim, have two children, Amber and Nicholas, plus six grandchildren, four of whom are in Boy Scouts.
Stanley demonstrates a positive attitude in all he does. He can be found volunteering in many activities, many involving his two daughters, Emma-Jean and Annabel. He has been a baseball coach, softball coach, Upward Bound basketball coach and soccer dad. He is involved with the Norwayne Athletic Boosters, assists in the food booth at the yearly Ox Roast and delivers meals for the Methodist Church SOUP program.
He is active in his church, serving as a trustee and on several committees. He and his wife, Kathy, support the Norwayne Schools system and appreciate the school’s values. Stanley was the recipient of the Norwayne FFA’s annual fundraiser, helping with medical bills for a recent illness. He continued to volunteer throughout his treatments, keeping that positive outlook. He believes in giving back to the community by serving, and does it well.
Anyone stopping by the Norwayne Elementary School will be greeted with a warm smile by Melissa Sparks. Born and raised in Creston, Sparks understands the importance of community as an extended family. She carries out the belief “it takes a community to raise a child.”
In addition to her work as a school secretary, a position she’s held for 11 years and counting, she has volunteered in many capacities: a cashier at the Ox Roast for over 15 years, cheer adviser for Norwayne Youth Football, vacation Bible school and junior church teacher and cook for church youth camp.
She was part of Reading Under the Lights at the school and has worked many hours at the concession booth. Sparks supports the Bobcat Community Closet, a program designed to help students with needed supplies. She and her husband, Bruce, have three daughters − Sarah, Rachel and Grace.
Kauf is a constant presence in the Creston community. For the past several years she has volunteered to help with the SOUP program at the Methodist Church. Serving Others Uniting People has become a staple in the Creston community, serving 100 to 120 meals each week, free of charge. Of those, 50 to 60 meals are delivered. Kauf also serves as treasurer for her church, as well as secretary for the Creston Community Service Club.
For the past two summers, she has organized art projects for the children participating in the Summer Day Camp program. She has taught Sunday school, worked the food booth at the annual Ox Roast for the past 28 years and makes cards for people needing personal contact, such as shut-ins. Kauf is a willing and humble servant. She and her husband, Daryl, reside in Creston.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Lawrence, Stanley, Spark, Kauf will be honored in Creston at Ox Roast
