Capitol Day 2012: Distinguished Service and Lifetime Achievement Award Winners announced

As part of the 2012 Bicycle and Pedestrian Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City, we are honoring a number of Missourians who have done amazing work to promote bicycling and walking in their communities, across the state of Missouri, and nationwide.

Award Winners from a previous year

Please join us under the rotunda of the Capitol at 10:30am on Monday, April 2nd, 2012, as we honor these outstanding Missourians.

2012 Distinguished Service Awards

• Royce Kallerud and Dan Martin, Kirksville
• Mayor Linda Goldstein, Clayton
• James Allen, Springfield
• Meg McFarland, Kansas City
• Kelley Brent, Debbie Newby, and Daniel Couch, MO State Parks, Columbia
• Julie Padberg-White, St Louis
• Ed Kraemer, Lee's Summit
• Caryn Giarratano, Jefferson City
• Michael Denehy, Columbia
• David Hutchinson, Springfield
• Kevin Keith, Missouri Department of Transportation

Special Lifetime Achievement Awards

• Larry Denny, Kansas City
• Chris Smedley, Kansas City
• Coy Hart, Springfield

Special Recognition: Lifetime Acheivement and Heart of America Bridge Renaming

• Bob Watts, Liberty

Special Recognition: National Advocate of the Year 2012/Alliance for Biking and Walking

• Eric Rogers, Kansas City

Our Annual Awards Ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate the progress Missouri has been making to become a state that is more welcoming to those of us who walk, run, bicycle, and use trails.

• Nominate an award winner for the 2013 Distinguished Service Awards
• See honorees from previous years

Award Texts

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARDS

JAMES ALLEN                                                                                                             

James is the program director for Springbike Club Bicycle Club in Springfield. He is THE key authority on bicycle history, and has spent his entire life promoting cycling and educating the state, and the nation, on bicycle history. Currently, James is developing the Pedalers Bicycle Museum in springfield, which will be one of the finest in the nation when completed. He is the Captain of the Wheelman, and is National Commander-elect.

MAYOR LINDA GOLDSTEIN

Linda’s commitment to sustainability, health and well-being has made her a leader and example to all elected. She has supported bicyclists and pedestrians in the vibrant city of Clayton at the policy level creating bike lanes and shared land markings. Recently, Linda’s support of the Clayton Complete Streets Policy ensured its passage.

MEG MCFARLAND

Meg is one of  our state’s pioneers of Safe Routes to School, and Walk to School Day Programs. She organized each program at Briarcliff Elementary in Kansas City. She coordinates the International Walk to School Day, and, the Walking School Bus. Meg serves as the PTA Treasurer at Briarcliff.

JULIE PADBERG-WHITE

Julie has been integral in planning, designing, and funding bicycle facilities in the St Louis Region for 15 years. She participated in both phases of the Bike St Louis Network identifying routes, mapping, implementation of facilities, marketing, and convincing public officials on the benefits that these facilities will bring to the community, then, getting them to identify and match funding. Julie has also been involved with the marketing, graphics, and planning process with the Gateway Bike Plan, the master plan for the St. Louis Region.

ROYCE KALLERUD/DAN MARTIN

The vision of an off-road trail connecting the City of Kirksville to Thousand Hills State Park was developed by Royce and Dan. They created the Forest Lake Area Trail System (FLATS) reducing the mileage to access the state park from 9 to only 4 miles. Within the state park, they connected off-road trails to amenities, such as the marina, and beach. Thus, making it safer, and a more enjoyable experience.

ED KRAEMER

Ed is the leader of the Livable Streets Lee’s Summit initiative to achieve a Complete Streets Policy. His leadership helped Lee’s Summit adopt the  first Complete Streets Policy in the Kansas City region. He created a model process for achieving broad community support for Complete Streets which has inspired other cities in the region.

DAVID HUTCHINSON

David has been as advocate for person-powered transportation in Springfield. He has worked to develop sidewalks, trails, and bicycle facilities encouraging more people to become active in both leisure activities and integrating activity into their daily routine, to develop programs to increase awareness, and provide training to improve roadway operation and safety.

CARYN GIARRATANO

Caryn has a long history of being involved in cycling leadership positions. She was a founder of MOBikeFed in 1993, and was selected as the first Chairperson, and first newsletter editor, later serving as Vice-Chair. She compiled all the Missouri State Statutes mentioning cycling paving the way for ground breaking changes. Caryn served as the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator with MODOT from 2002-2007 chairing the Bicycle Pedestrian and Advisory Committee.

MICHAEL DENEHY

A native Iowan, and regular participant in RAGBRAI, opened his mind on how a cycling event can be beneficial on recreation, social, fitness, and the economy of the region. Four years ago, Mike founded the Pedeler’s Jamboree, a bicycle/music festival on the Katy Trail from Columbia to Boonville on Memorial Day weekend, attracting 1,500 participants, many from outside Missouri.

KEVIN KEITH

Keith’s career spans more than 25 years with MODOT. Now the Director, Keith was instrumental in working with MBF to develop the “High Priority Bicycle, Pedestrian, and ADA Projects List”, a prioritized list of 300 projects. MODOT selected 13 Best Projects and announced $13 million in funding to complete the projects.

KELLEY BRENT, DEBBIE NEWBY, DANIEL COUCH, AND MISSOURI STATE PARKS

These three are most responsible for completing the Kelley Branch Mountain Bike Trail at Finger Lakes State Park, a three mile hiking and biking trail. The trail incorporates numerous technical features appealing to mountain bike enthusiasts, while including design elements the prevent erosion and preserve the integrity of the surroundings.

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS

CHRIS SMEDLEY

Chris epitomizes the bike shop owner in the center of the community actively working to promote bicycling. He supports local rides, sponsors a racing team, and sponsors a series of three community bike rides a week. The Bicycle Shack’s Cycling 101 Saturday bike rides are for novice cyclists to learn basic skills in a safe and supportive environment.

BOB WATTS  

Bob has spent over 30 years encouraging people to bicycle in the Kansas City area, and spent many hours advocating for bicyclists in local city halls, Jefferson City and Washington DC. In 1980’s, he sought Rails-to-Trails which became the Katy Trail. In 1987, the Heart of America Bridge did not accommodate cyclists/pedestrians, Bob encouraged MODOT to restripe wider shoulders and remove hazardous drain grates.  A bill to rename the HOA Bridge’s new bike/ped path, the Bob Watts Memorial Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge is a fitting honor for this hard working advocate, who passed away in 2006.

COY HART

Coy has spent a lifetime promoting and advocating for bicycling. He has served on numerous Boards including MBF and MO Foundation for Bicycling/Walking, MODOT Bicycle/Pedestrian Committee. In Springfield, Coy was active on the Bicycling Advisory Committee, Ozark Greenways, as an LCI, and many more. At the Tour of Missouri, Coy was in the MBF booth everyday collecting signatures for the completion of the Katy Trail and our new state bicycle license plates.

LARRY DENNY

A pillar in the Kansas City bicycling community, Larry has generously contributed his Time, Talent and Treasury over decades. His active involvement has introduced people to cycling, encouraged people to participate in rides and tours, promoted safe bicycling practices, helped others find cycling partners, communicated events and ride calendars to many. Larry’s ongoing and generous support of MBF ranks him amongst the top  five individual donors of all time.

SPECIAL RECOGNITION: 2012 NATIONAL ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR - ALLIANCE FOR BIKING AND WALKING

ERIC ROGERS

A tireless and passionate advocate, Eric has been involved with the bicycling movement on the local and state levels. His vision and ability to get the job done in outstanding. Eric has organized the Legislative segment of Capitol Day for the past 5 years. Recently, he was recognized as the 2012 National Advocate of the Year by the Alliance for Biking and Walking. The first Missourian to receive the award.

Eric's award announcement from the Alliance for Biking and Walking.

• Nominate an award winner for the 2013 Distinguished Service Awards
• See honorees from previous years