Heritage Awards ‘a night to remember’

By Brian M. Boyce
The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE April 11, 2008 02:22 pm

— Downtown Terre Haute Inc. offered up reasons to celebrate as four area projects and one man were honored Thursday evening.
The organization hosted its “A Night to Remember” Heritage Awards banquet in The Ohio Building, featuring awards by the Design, Promotions and Economic Restructuring committees of Downtown Terre Haute as well as Volunteer of the Year.
Surrounded by friends and family, Downtown Terre Haute’s “Clabber Guy” was honored for his volunteerism, as Roy Dressler of Thompson-Thrift was named Volunteer of the Year.
Friends from Clabber Girl produced large posters with Dressler’s picture and the word “Clabber Guy” printed across.
Andrew Conner, executive director of Downtown Terre Haute Inc., said Dressler, who is also chairman of the organization’s board, is “universally loved and respected.”
“And he’s my boss,” Conner joked, but noted more seriously that one of the projects spearheaded by Dressler was the Terre Haute Street Fair, which drew more than 10,000 people.
“Roy’s efforts in leading the Street Fair went far in helping Downtown Terre Haute financially,” Conner said.
Dressler laughed off the praise, joking, “Well with that, there goes the speech,” and offering any credit for his achievements back to friends, family and his employer, Thompson-Thrift.
“I’ve led a pretty fortunate life,” he said, noting that he has the kind of friends that when he calls up to say “I need help moving 200 picnic tables,” they come and do it.
“Without my parents laying the groundwork, and without my friends to help us out, and without an employer that allows me to do it, I would not be up here accepting this award,” Dressler said.
Brad Emmert of Timberland Lumber Co. and The Emmert Group, and one of the friends referred to in Dressler’s speech, noted that a lot of hard work went into earning the award.
“Roy’s spent many, many hours doing a fine job for Downtown Terre Haute,” Emmert said. “Roy deserves the award. He’s done a great job.”
Todd Nation of Book Nation, and president of the Terre Haute City Council, presented awards on behalf of Downtown Terre Haute’s Design Committee to the Cherry Street Multi-Modal Transportation Facility, as well as St. Benedict’s Church.
Nation explained that each year the committee hands out two awards, one to a private sector group and one to a public sector organization.
Work on the transportation facility has been an ongoing project, he said, noting that it began under former Mayor Pete Chalos.
“It takes a long time to get these projects founded and built,” he said, adding that the facility will be completely open in a few weeks.
Recent work at St. Benedict’s Church garnered its award, with Nation describing a picture of it as “one of the most arresting photographs in Terre Haute.”
The 140-year-old church has a storied history, surviving a fire in 1930 which rendered it nothing but a shell, he said.
“They have a very dedicated group of caretakers,” he said.
Veronica Dougherty, executive director of Junior Achievement of the Wabash Valley, presented The Sheldon Swope Art Museum with the Promotions Committee award for its “Horsing Around in Terre Haute Exhibit.”
“The Swope is one of the foundations on which our downtown is built,” she said.
Craig McKee, master of ceremonies for the event, recalled how as a boy from Rockville, coming to Terre Haute was a big deal in the 1960s.
McKee recalled a variety of stores and businesses no longer in existence, and asked, “one wonders what a 7-year-old today will remember about Terre Haute 43 years from now?”
Brian Boyce can be reached at (812) 231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.

• Volunteer of the Year — Roy Dressler, Thompson-Thrift
• Design Award — Cherry Street Multi-Modal Transportation Facility and St. Benedict’s Church
• Promotions Award — Sheldon Swope Art Museum
• Economic Restructuring — The Hilton Garden Inn
• For more information, call Andrew Conner at (812) 237-2581 or visit www.downtownterrehaute.org.