Several area seniors were recently honored as the newest members of the Ottawa County Senior Hall of Fame. The awards were presented during the “County & Western Jamboree” celebration held at Camp Perry May 11.

The recipients for this year’s awards include Carol Weihrouch representing the Elmore Golden Oldies Senior Center; Dennis Schutte representing the Genoa Senior Center; Hazel Franck representing the Oak Harbor Harbor Lights Senior Center; Doris and Doug Van Allen representing the Danbury Senior Center; Ginny Prusik, representing Port Clinton Senior Center and the first-ever Community Service Hall of Fame recipient – Dorothy Gackstetter.

• Carol Weihrouch, of Elmore, was lauded for her involvement in county senior activities, including setting tables and helping to get food ready to serve for the Elmore Senior Center lunches. She also serves as a voice for the Elmore “Golden Oldies” Senior Center at meetings, voicing her opinion and will making suggestions for improvements to senior programs.

Ottawa County Commissioner Mark Stahl with Dennis Schutte, Hazel Frank, Dorothy Gackstetter, Ginny Prusik, Doris and Doug Van Allen and Commissioner Jim Sass. Carol Weihrouch is not pictured.

As a member of St John’s UCC, she has helped set up and serve funeral lunches and has presided over programs for the women’s guild. She is also involved in the American Legion Auxiliary and has helped the Elmore Chamber of Commerce with many of the activities they sponsor.

Weihrouch is always willing to go out of her way to help anyone in need, her nomination stated. Weihrouch has been described as a very dedicated and conscientious person who is also both dependable and caring, remaining positive and keeping her sense of humor while facing many challenges in her life, including open-heart surgery and hip fracture.

• Dennis Schutte is a regular participant at the Genoa Senior Center and is known as someone who “does it all,” serving as an officer on the site council, participating in lunches, bingo and the Wii bowling team, and helping with clean-up after meals. Last year, he became a regular volunteer with the Ottawa County Home Delivered Meal program.

Schutte is described as a caring and compassionate person. Despite hearing problems, it has not stopped his enthusiasm for making sure Genoa Senior Center is the best it can be. “Moreover, his sense of humor is contagious,” his nomination read.

• Hazel Franck is recognized for being a strong leader and a good treasurer for Harbor Light Seniors. “She is very careful with how the money is spent and always works to make sure the needs of the seniors are met as much as possible,” her nomination read. “Serving as the treasurer, she is also involved in making the center a place that others will want to come to – to eat, or to enjoy the events. She also helps with the food drives that the center has frequently, where food and other items are collected for those families in need in the Oak Harbor area.”

Franck frequently lends a hand getting tables ready for lunch, cleaning up and helping with crafts for the nursing home. She also works with the church in making and preparing quilts for the needy and oversees the shipping of the quilts to those in need.

• Doris and Doug Van Allen have been very active with the Danbury Senior Center Board, serving for the last several years. Their contributions to the senior center have been described as “too many to list.”

• Virginia ‘Ginny’ Prusik is described as a “faithful, efficient secretary.” She has also been described as the peacekeeper at the center; always willing to take care of those things she feels needs to be done to keeping things moving. Active in her church, she is always willing to help when and where it is needed, whether it be calling on an ill friend or sending a much-needed card of encouragement.

• Dorothy Gackstetter was recognized as the first recipient of the Community Service Senior Hall of Fame award for her contributions to county senior programs, including her involvement in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the walking path at Riverview Health Care Campus. With her help, Mamie Rollins, Ohio State Track Coach and Olympic Torch carrier during 1996 Olympics, helped carry the actual Torch for the Riverwalk dedication.

Gackstetter also designed and created three Elliston, Ohio signs to recognize the achievements of the area’s own American Idol, Crystal Bowersox; participated in various community services projects with her horse demonstrations, and helped the Ottawa County Fair Board raise money for the barn-building fund.

She has shown her leadership qualities through her involvement with youths in 4-H, serving as an advisor for 30 years, and as a Cub Scout leader for 15 years. Her creative skills have been exhibited in her sewing lessons, art, ceramic and stained glass classes.

Gackstetter is also an active participant in the Senior Olympics, competing for the last 20 years and earning a berth at the Nationals in 2010. She continued to show horses until the age of 77, earning many championships along the way. She described her goal as “To inspire our seniors and our youth to continue in events that challenge their interests, this is how I can give back to America.”

Recipients received a plaque commemorating their service to the seniors and citizens of Ottawa County.

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