Founders Day
Founders Day is a reminder of the substantial role PTA has played in the lives of children. It is also the time Kingsville Elementary PTA honors exceptional volunteers and/or local businesses that exemplify the ideals of PTA. Individual honorees are recognized with an Honorary Life Membership to Maryland PTA, a pin, and reception. Local businesses are recognized with our appreciation and a plaque for displaying. This year's recipients Tammy Dawson and Vicki Heckel were honored at the March PTA Business meeting on March 8th. This reception was rescheduled due to inclement weather.
Tammy Dawson is the coordinator of the Kingsville PTA directory, a tool used by many, if not every, family of Kingsville Elementary School. She coordinates the volunteer scheduling of KES PTA's award-winning Patriotic Program. She has been room mom and has chaired the following PTA committees: Incentives, Friends of the Kingsville Library, and Teacher Appreciation, as well as the Class of 2007 and 2010 5th grade committee. For the 2007/2008 school year, she headed up the My School's Cool program for Kingsville Elementary School, which won our school more than $6,500 for programs enjoyed by all of the KES students. She is the KES PTA webmaster, which is a never-ending task, as the site is constantly updated with current information useful to parents and students. As if running one website isn't time-consuming enough, Tammy is also the webmaster for her sons' Boy Scout Troop 877 and for the Churchville Lions Club. Tammy also sends the weekly emails of KES happenings to those who subscribe. Tammy is an avid supporter of her sons' sporting involvements, and is involved with her neighborhood and is always available to provide assistance. Her volunteer "jobs" are not limited to these listed here, and will certainly continue as she moves from Kingsville Elementary School.
Vicki Heckel volunteered for the daunting task of organizing the Fall Fun Fest five years ago during her very first KES PTA business meeting. The PTA board was ready to push the event to everyone's memory, but with less than four week's planning time, Vicki pulled the event together. She ran the tie-dye station year after year, and even kept the left over shirts in her house. Of course, this after washing and line-drying them so the dye will do a better job. She has been the KES PTA secretary for four years in a row. She assists with the Patriotic Program, Shamrock Shuffle, and classroom/teacher needs as well as the Bunny Hop. She is at every one of her daughter's basketball and softball games, and she works the softball snack stand and helps with the score card and cheering. Vicki is also active in her church, performing duties there as needed. She does many more than these examples of volunteerism, and she is a huge asset to every organization in which she is involved. Vicki is special to all those with whom she is involved. She will certainly be missed as she moves along with her daughter from Kingsville Elementary School.
A complete list of past honorees can be found on the Founders Day Honorees webpage.