The Heart of the City, a nonprofit, community service group, has announced that it has named Fort Atkinson Online editor/reporter Kim McDarison as the 2023 “Lue Ehinger Big Heart Award” recipient.
The organization held a brief ceremony Tuesday at Cafe Carpe, in downtown Fort Atkinson, at which time last year’s recipient, Ann Engelman, passed the award onto McDarison.
Consisting of a large pink heart which is mounted on a base that carries the names of each year’s recipient, the award resides with the recipient for a year, before it is passed onto the next recipient, according to members of the Heart of the City.
The first recipients — Rudy Bushcott and Scott Lastusky — received the award in 2006.
Also in attendance Tuesday were Heart of the City board members Frankie Full and Kitty Welch.
According to information released by the group, McDarison was chosen for the award “for her dedication to local journalism by starting Fort Atkinson Online, an online newspaper covering Fort Atkinson and its neighbors. She has given her time and skills at great financial sacrifice to build this valuable online resource.”
Each year, the group receives a list of nominees, the release stated. This year, nominees included:
• Jones Dairy Farm, nominated for constructing a 12-acre solar energy field on their property. Consisting of 7,128 solar panels, it is capable of producing 2.25 megawatts on their property, enough energy to power more than 400 homes. Under the Solar Now pilot program approved by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, We Energies partners with large business, nonprofit and government customers from around the state of Wisconsin to host solar panels. Energy generated by the solar panels is redirected back to the community’s energy grid. A corollary nomination lauded their lighting up the community with winter holiday cheer with their spirit-lifting display along Janesville Avenue.
• William Imsland, nominated for his volunteer efforts in driving Jefferson County residents to medical appointments. In 2022 he spent over 1,600 hours driving for a total of 37,585 miles taking people to over 1,800 medical appointments. William also serves as commander of local VFW post 1879 and has earned numerous awards with the VFW for his generosity and volunteer deeds.
• Erin Didion, nominated for her many contributions to building community through charitable works and civic involvement, and for creating the dog rescue and adoption operation Paddy’s Paws.
• Frankie Fuller, nominated for her community involvement with multiple organizations and committees, including the American Association of University Women, Heart of the City, Aging and Disability Resource Committee, Master Gardeners, and the Fort Atkinson Club, among others. Her activities have included being a driving force for a regional solar group-buy program, running for public office, delivering Meals on Wheels, and being an active leader behind the No Mow May initiative, among others.
As stated within the release, Heart of the City encourages sustainable development, the preservation of existing and treasured civic characteristics, and active participation of the citizenry through education, volunteer efforts, and engagement with neighbors and civic leaders. It gives the award annually around Valentine’s Day to a community member, business or organization that has made contributions which bring a positive impact to the city and are in keeping with the Heart of the City’s mission. The award is named to memorialize member Lue Ehinger, who, according to the release, “had one of the biggest hearts of all.”
Upon learning of her selection, McDarison said: “I feel so honored to have been selected by this conscientious and dedicated group, and truly humbled when I see the list of other nominees, each of whom have also given incredibly of their time, ideas and resources to make Fort Atkinson the unique, generous, inclusive, supportive and welcoming community it is. Fort Atkinson Online could not have come so far as it has without the support of Heart of the City and the full community.”
A list of Big Heart award recipients to-date follows:
- 2006, Rudy Bushcott and Scott Lastusky
- 2007, School District of Fort Atkinson
- 2008, Greg Greenhalgh
- 2009, Chris Spangler Daily Union
- 2010, Madison Area Technical College
- 2011, Evon “Ernie” Heine
- 2012, Fanny Highsmith
- 2013, Dennis Kuchenmeister
- 2014, Joseph Nehmer
- 2015, Joan Jones
- 2016, Amy Lutzke
- 2017, Vern Zech
- 2018, Dick Wanie
- 2019, Aimee Hanyzewski
- 2020, Rotary Club of Fort Atkinson
- 2021, Fort HealthCare and Michael Clish
- 2022 Ann Engelman
- 2023 Kim McDarison Fort Atkinson Online
Members of the Heart of the City, a nonprofit community service group, gather for a brief ceremony during which Fort Atkinson Online editor Kim McDarison was named this year’s winner of the Lue Ehinger Big Heat Award. The Big Heart, which has been awarded annually since 2006, was presented to McDarison, seated left, by last year’s recipient Ann Engelman, seated right, along with Heart of the City board members Frankie Fuller, standing from left, and Kitty Welch. The presentation was made Tuesday at Cafe Carpe in Fort Atkinson.
The Big Heart Award, as presented by The Heart of the City. The award has been presented annually around Valentine’s Day to a community member, business or organization that has made contributions which bring a positive impact to the city of Fort Atkinson and are in keeping with the Heart of the City’s mission.
Ashley McDarison photos.
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CONGRATULATIONS Kim for helping our city and region stay connected! You are a BIG Heart in our city!