The
Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) recently honored five honorees of the inaugural Dick Weiland Community Relations Award: Bret Caller, Anne Heldman, Damon Lynch Jr., Francie Hiltz and the Rumpke family. They were recognized at the organization's 76th Annual Meeting June 8 for their work in creating a better community around Greater Cincinnati.
“The idea behind the Weiland Community Relations Award is to recognize community leaders who are working toward building a collaboration amongst diverse groups of people,” says JCRC Director Sarah Weiss. “They work on a variety of issues that strengthen our community.”
The Dick Weiland Community Relations Award was named in honor of local social justice advocate Dick Weiland, who has a been tireless advocate for getting involved within the community. The award also comes with a stipend for each honoree to give to an organization of his or her choosing.
Caller is a co-founder of
Viking Partners, where he manages general business activities, new business development and ongoing investor relations as well as directing asset management activities. He serves on the Advisory Board of Directors of BB&T Bank, Foundation Board of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and the boards of trustees of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, United Way of Greater Cincinnati and Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati.
Heldman and her late husband George have been active in Rockdale Temple and Wise Temple. Together with her children, she sponsors a college scholarship through JVS Career Services and supports the Jewish Family Service Barbash Family Vital Support Center. She sponsors the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Lollipops programming for children as well as other arts organizations.
Hiltz sits on numerous local boards, including Children's Theatre, Summit Country Day School, Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation, Cincinnati Area Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Schott Center for the Deaf and Handicapped. She is a trustee of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, co-chairing the development committee and the capital campaign's major gifts committee.
Lynch prepared for ministry by studying at Cincinnati Christian Seminary, where he received a BS degree, and the Graduate Theological Foundation at Notre Dame, where he received an MBA degree. He has been Pastor of
New Jerusalem Baptist Church since 1970, after early ministry years working with the giants of the Civil Rights Movement.
William Rumpke founded his
namesake company near Cincinnati in 1932, and today it provides environmentally friendly waste disposal and recycling solutions in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia. The family-owned and -operated company employs more than 2,600 people, 75 of whom are family members, and donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to area organizations and charitable causes.
“Cincinnati is blessed with a lot of people who make an impact on our community,” Weiss says. “We should all be proud of that
and get to know each other.”
Do Good:
• If you know someone who does great work in the community and would like to nominate them for next year's award,
send Sarah Weiss an email.
• Stay up-to-date with what JCRC activities and events by reading her
blog.
• Become involved with your community.
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