Rockton Lions members receive Foundation Fellow Awards; one given special recognition

By Marianne Mueller

Reporter

ROCKTON – Four Rockton Lions Club members received Foundation Fellow Awards recognizing outstanding contributions of each. Dale Adams, Dan Bellich and Scott Wallace each have served as President of the Rockton Lions Club. Each also has served in a variety of capacities earning them this well-deserved recognition.

Cyndy Fogarty who is among recipients has remained active in her nine-year tenure as a member.

What sets Fogarty apart is the fact that she was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma the week of Old Settlers Days; just one year ago. Since her diagnosis, Fogarty endured radiation, chemo therapy, hair loss, and lost a considerable amount of weight due to not being able to eat.

“The tumor from my cancer was close to my spine and moved some of my discs around. They can’t cure my cancer but can maintain it,” Fogarty said.

Currently Fogarty is on the road to improvement. She is doing physical therapy and is jumping back into action at this year’s OSD festival.

Fogarty has served on the Old Settlers Days committee for eight years as head of non-food vendors; helped vendors bring supplies in and out of the festival, sold t-shirts for bands, remains a financial sponsor, has carted people around the parade and helped handicapped people in addition to lending a hand anywhere extra help was needed.

The years that it has rained heavily at the OSD festival, Fogarty found farmers who sponsored the cost of bringing in straw to protect the grass in the park and to assure it isn’t muddy.

Adding fun to this year’s OSD festival, Fogarty is sponsoring miniature horses on Saturday to deliver children from the Hononegah High School parking lot to the main entrance.

Additionally, a mother and baby miniature horse will be on festival grounds in a petting zoo area. Many familiar young faces will be princesses on a princess carriage ride sponsored by Jack’s Tire.

Extending beyond the OSD festival, Fogarty has collected items and assembled over 74 baskets for the Wimpy Fund auction at during Rockton’s Christmas Walk.

Last year Fogarty was in the hospital during the process of organizing the Wimpy fund auction. Fogarty made calls seeking donations then sent texts to committee chairs informing them of where donations could be picked up.

“It was so much fun talking to store owners while in the hospital, they were all so generous,” Fogarty said. “While I was in the hospital I also created over 75 bows for baskets.”

Fogarty has helped with the Rockton Lions Candy Day and over the years and has helped deliver food and Christmas baskets for the Wimpy fund. Anytime the Lions Club needs a gift basket donated for conventions Fogarty always is ready and willing to give back.

Fogarty has developed nice network of business contacts over the years. She opened Cyndy’s Country Cottage over 12 years ago.

Additionally she has served on the Rockton Chamber of Commerce Board, also donating numerous items, gift baskets plus making ribbons for ribbon cuttings.

“I’ve put together 1000 baskets and never had so much fun in my life with some of the greatest people.”

“I try to help any chairman whenever I can,” says Fogarty. “I was so honored to receive the Foundation Fellowship award and to be a part of a group of people that have stuck it out in Rockton. I have known some of these people for 20-plus years. It’s just brings tears to my eyes to be part of it.”

By meeting the people on the Chamber of Commerce and the Rockton Lions it gave me a sense of belonging to a great community.”

Marianne Mueller photos

Dale Adams is among four member of the Rockton Lions Club who were recently awarded with Foundation Fellow Awards.