PAST CITIZENS OF THE YEAR
1987: Jackie Parrish
1988: Jack Becker
1989: James Brown
1990: Richard Fitton
1991: Ray Nichting
1992: Harry Wilks
1993: Linda Good
1994: Sherry Corbett
1995: Eva Lande
1996: Henry Cepluch
1997: Chuck Thackara and Adeline Zoller
1998: Mike Cox
1999: The Rev. Bill Banks
2000: John & Shirely Moser
2001: Ralph & Donna Carruthers
2002: Gerry Hammond
2003: Frank Pfirman
2004: Bill Wilks
2005: Jim Blount
2006: Larry Bowling
2007: Tim Nichting
2008: Tom Fritsch
2009: No award was given
2010: Bob Weigel
2011: Don Ryan
2012: Mike Dingeldein
CRIS CROWTHERS
Age: 54
Family: Mark Crowthers, husband of 20 years this May; children: Heather Frechtling, 33, Eric Malone, 30, and Kyle Malone, 27; stepchildren Christopher Crowthers, 35, and Kyle Crowthers, 30; grandchildren: Lela Frechtling, 3, and Claire and Kendall Frechtling, 16 months (twins)
Residence: Hamilton's West Side, Highland Park
Employer: Registered Nurse at Fort Hamilton Hospital, runs the employee health department
Community involvement: Founder and operator of The Caring Closet, 6 S. D St., second floor
Online: www.thecaringclosethamilton.com or www.Facebook.com/thecaringcloset
HOW TO GO
What: Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Dinner
When: Jan. 31
Where: Courtyard by Marriott, One Riverfront Plaza
Info: Social hour begins at 5:45 p.m., dinner served at 7 p.m.; $75 per person, $700 per table of 10
Tickets: Call Nancy O'Neill at 513-844-1500 or email nancy@hamilton-ohio.com
Cris Crowthers said she is humbled and honored to be this year’s Citizen of the Year, but said the award is the fruit of the community’s labor.
Crowthers is the founder and operator of The Caring Closet, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Hamilton City Schools students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Since May 2010, more than 600 Hamilton children have received clothes and basic necessities, as well as books, through the organization.
The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, along with the Journal-News, will honor Crowthers during a reception Friday, Jan. 31, at the Courtyard by Marriott in downtown.
“The foundation of the community is the kids growing up. We recognized that some didn’t have the basic necessities,” said the 54-year-old registered nurse at Fort Hamilton Hospital. “We saw the need and decided we needed to act on it. A lot of times people recognize a need, or say something needs to be done, but they don’t act on things. If you chose to live here, make difference.”
Crowthers is an example of the impact that just one person can have, said Janet Baker, Hamilton City Schools superintendent.
“She was one person who saw a need (and started The Caring Closet in her home’s basement) …,” she said. “A lot of people could have lost heart and said that it was too disruptive, but she saw the importance.”
“If the basic needs aren’t met, it’s very difficult for (students) to reach their full potential,” Baker said.
Crissy Hutzelman, dean of students at Fairwood Elementary, said many of the school’s parents “can’t afford some of the things others can. Many of our students didn’t have a Christmas.”
Hutzelman said she doesn’t believe Crowthers truly understands the impact she’s had on the hundreds of children through her organization.
“I can’t put into words how special a person is to take on a project to help kids and families she doesn’t even know. She goes above and beyond,” she said. “If she never had this vision, this never would have started.”
The Caring Closet is a “crucial” part of the mission for the Butler County Success Program, said Karen Daugherty, program liaison from the Butler County Educational Services Center.
“We have families struggling to provide food on the table,” she said. “Clothes are secondary.”
Daugherty said many of the Success Program’s partners provide two days worth of clothes for children, so the two weeks worth of clothes provided by The Caring Closet “is unheard of.”
“She has a full-time job, her own family and she still makes time for a family in need,” she said.
While The Caring Closet began with Crowthers, she said it isn’t possible without a core group of about eight volunteers and an extended support group of nearly 40 people.
“It’s not just me,” Crowthers said. “This is an effort by so many people and we really are trying to change the future by helping these children with their basic needs, their self-esteem.”
After outgrowing space in her home’s basement and a warehouse, The Caring Closet moved to 6 D. St. and is located on the second floor above Bargain Bungalow.
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kenny Craig said for 26 years the chamber has honored an individual, or a pair of individual on three occasions, that leaves a “special, positive mark on the community.”
“The chamber selection committee looks for a person that is leaving this positive mark in a way that transcends his or her every day job,” he said. “Her vision and her commitment to The Caring Closet continues to enhance the lives of hundreds of children in Hamilton while making a real difference in the local quality of life.”
Crowthers was nominated for the honor by Hamilton resident Joe Copas.
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