CFO announces Humanitarian of the Year

Community Foundation of the Ozarks' choices for the 2009 Humanitarian of the Year award were selected because of years of work in south central Missouri.

CFO gave the honor Tuesday to Roger D. "Dusty" Shaw Jr. and his brother, William Shaw, both of Thomasville, about 20 miles east of West Plains. The brothers are co-owners of Eleven Point Ranch and have found numerous ways to help their community, including rehabilitating an abandoned school building in Thomasville into a community center housing the public library, museum and community meeting space.

Additionally, Dusty Shaw serves the Thomasville Volunteer Fire Department and chairs the Ozarks Medical Center Foundation Board of Directors, while William serves on the board of Christos House, a local safe house for abused women.

The two also have established scholarships in their parents' names at the Missouri State University campus in West Plains, providing tuition assistance for 22 students, as well as offering support for the Southwest Baptist University Mountain View campus and the Alton Public School Foundation.

"They know that rural community survival depends on commitment to not only the preservation of the physical community itself, but also to the health, education and welfare of its citizens," said Brenda Ledgerwood, president of the Alton Public Schools Foundation, in a news release. Ledgerwood nominated the Shaws for the award.

CFO's Humanitarian of the Year Award was established by Jewell Thompson Schweitzer to "honor someone in our community who has, at great personal sacrifice, extended services, time and resources toward helping others, and to recognize the cause and work of such individuals," according to the release.

Previous honorees include Mary Beth O'Reilly, Sister Lorraine Biebel, Harold Bengsch, Dr. John Bentley, William and Virginia Darr, Pat Walker and Bill Stalnaker. Honorees receive a crystal award along with $3,000 to be split between the winner and charities of their choice.

This year marks the fourth time the award has gone to a pair of recipients and the first time the award has been given to brothers.