Rusty Saber: Doctors, writers and volunteers earn kudos

Some readers share the erroneous impression that I am a stodgy old curmudgeon with never a congenial word to say about anyone or anything.

Granted, at times I am a stodgy old curmudgeon, but not always. This week, for instance, I have some congenial words, plaudits, actually.

The name of choice for these plaudits is kudos. I realize that "Kudos" is a candy bar and, I have been prejudiced toward the word since a telemarketer called and asked for "Mr. McKudo." But it's the most proper word I can think of. Stay tuned for Rusty Kudos.

Because of the nature of my deadline, these Rusty Kudos are given for events that took place a while ago, but they are worthy of a second round of praise.

It was April 24, 1972, that St. John's Regional Health Center conducted the first open heart bypass surgery in Springfield. On April 24 of this year, St. John's (in 1972 it was just "Hospital," rather than Regional Health Center") celebrated the anniversary of this pioneering event. As one who has twice been on the business end of bypass surgery, I was mighty grateful that St. John's was conducting them in 1975, and again in 1998. The St. John's cardiovascular program has been a class act for 30 years.

The anniversary festivities were held at the Hammons Heart Institute, where I exercise regularly (I would rather not have the procedure a third time). Because I happened to be in the building, I received a commemorative T-shirt, an extra large. If I ever grow into it, I'll be in real trouble. But I digress. To St. John's Regional Health Center, on the occasion of its 30 years of open heart bypass surgeries, my heartfelt (pun intended) Rusty Kudos!

Rusty Kudos also to the Writers Hall of Fame of America, an organization on whose board of directors I once served. Recently, three living authors were inducted into the Writers Hall of fame: Debra Dier Goldacker, fantasy/science fiction novelist; writer Margaret Weis; and David Lipman, St. Louis Post Dispatch managing editor. Ernest Hemingway was inducted posthumously.

Although well-deserved, the kudos don't end with the induction of professional writers. Here's where the kudos get heavy. A total of 16 high school seniors were winners of college scholarships based on writing excellence. An additional 24 elementary and secondary students were honored for having won their writing categories in a language arts department contest.

Induction of prominent professional writers into the Writers Hall of Fame is certainly worthy of Rusty Kudos; but honoring and rewarding, thus encouraging, youthful writers is worthy of double barrel Rusty Kudos! So be it.

What would the community be like if there were no volunteers? That's a rhetorical question; no answer is necessary. We all know that it's well nigh unthinkable to imagine a city without volunteers. Thankfully, so many people volunteer their time in so many ways at so many places that an accurate count would be impossible. So it is that I send Rusty Kudos to Mary Pilant, who recently received the top Gift of Time award, a.k.a. the Volunteer of the Year. Ten other volunteers also were recognized for excellence in certain areas of service to others.

I don't know Mary Pilant personally, but I know about the Gift of Time Award presented by the Council of Churches of the Ozarks. So many amazing volunteers are out there doing wonderful things that for one to rise up above the others is certainly significant. So, Mary Pilant, Volunteer of the Year, huge Rusty Kudos to you!

In the course of less than two weeks, Ozarks Public Television and National Public Radio station, KSMU, held successful fundraising functions. Ozarks Public Television's spring Teleauction aired for four nights, raising a lot of money. My wife and I have been involved with the auction for more years than we care to remember; we can offer first-hand testimony that it truly was on the air for four full nights and there was a lot of bidding going on.

KSMU began its successful spring pledge drive the day following the end of the Teleauction my wife volunteered for this one, too. Public TV and radio are important elements of our community. Rusty Kudos to both.

(Joe McAdoo is former chairman of the communication department at Drury University.)