Art
- Brian Hailes, 14, and Heather Fillmore, 12, were recent winners in a U.S. postage stamp contest and Brian's entry will be featured on 200 million first-class postage stamps scheduled for release in April. Brian, a teacher in the Millville 3rd Ward, Providence Utah South Stake, was one of four national winners in the environment stamp design contest sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service and McDonald's restaurants. His artwork depicted a boy planting a tree. Besides art, Brian enjoys tennis and skiing. There were 150,000 entries nationwide in the contest. Heather, a Beehive in the Sumter 1st Ward, Florence South Carolina Stake, was selected as one of two semifinalists from South Carolina. Heather enjoys art and nature.
- M. Charlene Wilkinson of the Pinnacle Mountain Ward, Little Rock Arkansas Stake, has been honored with a one-woman oil and acrylic painting exhibit at the Arkansas Territorial Restoration. The Restoration, a Little Rock historic, tourist and educational attraction, invites only the most gifted artists to display their works. Her 23 paintings of historical significance in the show include one of the interior of Nauvoo's Lyon Drug Store.
Agriculture
- Ronny Lee of the Princeton 2nd Ward, East Brunswick New Jersey Stake, was honored as Outstanding Young Farmer by the New Jersey State Board of Agriculture recently. Brother Lee runs the 54-acre Lee Turkey Farm in Hightstown, N.J., where he raises turkeys and grows fruits and vegetables. His family purchased the farm land in 1868, and today about 4,000 to 5,000 turkeys are raised each year.
Awards
- Scott Pace, 15, recently received one of two Publishers' Awards presented by the California Newpaper Carrier Foundation. The award was given to two carriers in California based in part on the carriers' answers to questions about goals and letters of recommendation. Scott, a sophomore at Brawley Union High School, was flown to San Francisco to accept the award which included a scholarship. A member of the Brawley 1st Ward, El Centro California Stake, Scott has also received the Hugh O'Brien Leadership Award and is an Eagle Scout. He has been a newspaper carrier for two years.
Service
- Mary and Kent Ballantyne and their son Cameron, 16, were recently recognized for offering a presence of spirit and nurture through their work at the HIV Day Center in Portland, Ore., to those with HIV. The award, "Volunteers in Ecumenism," was given for outstanding volunteer service on behalf of the ministries of the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon. The award is given annually to a person or family in the state to commend generous talents and efforts that make a difference. The Ballantynes are members of the Lake Grove Ward, Lake Oswego Oregon Stake. Sister Ballantyne was also recognized as "Caregiver of the Year" by members of the HIV community in Portland.
Athletics
- Mary Maycock, 81, won two gold medals and a silver medal in swimming at the World Masters Games in Brisbane, Australia. Sister Maycock of the McLean 1st Ward, McLean Virginia Stake, won gold medals in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle and the 400 freestyle in the division for ages 80-84. She has won several medals during the past several years competing in the National Senior Olympic Games.
- Jairo Machado, 18, was the top scorer in the Colombia Atlantic Soccer League juvenile division, playing for a Baranquilla, Colombia, team even though he didn't participate in Sunday games. During the recent season Jairo scored 34 goals. The achievement was also made difficult for the athlete because he had to split his time with employment at a pizzaria in order to earn money to pursue his studies to be an accountant. He is a member of the Barranquillar Cevillar Colombia Stake and plans to fill a mission next year.
Music
- Tyler Knight, 10, has been accepted to sing with the National Boys Honor Choir in Washington, D.C., this month. The group will be performing at Constitution Hall. Tyler, a member of the Southglenn 2nd Ward, Littleton Colorado Stake, auditioned by recording a tape and sending it to the Honor Choir director. Only 164 boys were accepted nationwide. Tyler is studying piano and is currently singing with the Littleton Children's Chorale.
Centennarian
- Zelma Beck of the Bloomington Hills 5th Ward, Bloomington Hills Utah Stake, turned 100 years old on Feb. 6, 1995. She was born in Layton, Ariz., to Joseph Ernest and Mariam Welker Westover. She married Leo Beck on Feb. 18, 1914, in the Manti Temple. They were married 73 years before he died. Sister Beck has held several Church callings and served two missions with her husband in the Southern States Mission. She was an ordinance worker in the Los Angeles Temple for 18 years.
- Thomas J. Van Den Berghe continues to receive cards and letters, including some from relatives in Europe, congratulating him on his long life and offering best wishes. He turned 100 years old on Dec. 29, 1994, and members of his immediate family informed as many relatives in The Netherlands as they could locate. There has been a steady response from many of those relatives who have written letters, sent cards and called on the telephone. Brother Van Den Berghe, a member of the West Valley 4th Ward, West Valley Utah Stake, was born in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He married Alida M. Waning on Sept. 7, 1921. Brother Van Den Berghe joined the Church in 1926 and immigrated with his family to the United States in 1930, settling in Salt Lake City. After his first wife died, he married Annie Grotepas in 1956 and they later served a mission to The Netherlands. He has also served in many other Church callings. He was a temple worker until a month before his 97th birthday. He has 89 great-grandchildren.
- Edwin Kenneth Slack of the Toquerville Ward, La Verkin Utah Stake, turned 100 years old Feb. 11, 1995. He was born in Toquerville. Brother Slack married Louise Thurston on July 16, 1919. She died in 1975. Brother Slack has 152 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. He worked as a civil engineer in southern Utah and served in the U.S. Army in France during World War I.
Professional
- Robert B. Turner, first counselor in the elders quorum presidency of the Spokane 7th Ward, Spokane Washington North Stake, has been elected president of the Inland Empire Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The section covers eastern Washington and northcentral Idaho. Brother Turner has been a member of the section's board of directors for four years. Brother Turner works for Spokane, Wash., as an associate traffic engineer.
- J. Gordon Holmes of the Lafayette Ward, Oakland California Stake, had a medical school scholarship established in his name upon his retirement as professor in the University of California Department of Health Sciences and Medical Education. He was also appointed professor emeritus after 22 years service at the university.
Performing Arts
- Steven Fucile of the Freehold Ward, East Brunswick New Jersey Stake, has been cast in Broadway's touring production of "Phantom of the Opera." The opera tenor from Orem, Utah, will perform the principal role Piangi, which will take him to cities across the country including Philadelphia, St. Louis, Dallas and Providence, R.I.
Education
- Gary L. Kramer, bishop of the BYU 166th Ward, Brigham Young University 3rd Stake and associate dean of admissions and records at BYU, recently received an award for excellence in advising. He was given the Virginia N. Gordon Award for Excellence in the Field of Advising from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) because of his extensive publications on advising. He was also honored for his leadership in using technology in advising and his efforts as chairman of the NACADA external relations committee.
- Frank Santiago, second counselor in the presidency of the Brigham Young University 12th Stake and an administrator in the BYU Division of Continuing Education recently received the Meritorious Service Award from the Association for Continuing Higher Education. He was given the award for his outstanding leadership and service in the field of continuing higher education. Brother Santiago served as ACHE national president in 1985. He serves as assistant to the dean for development and as director of LDS Church Educational System continuing education programs in northern Utah and the East.