Butler County Community Resource Council honors John Fuller

John Fuller’s wife Patty asked if he wanted to spend lunch together Friday.

“I said no, I have a luncheon to go to so she came out here,” Fuller said of the annual Butler County Community Resource Council’s Partnership Luncheon at Fellowship General Baptist Church.

“I thought it was just a chance for her to have lunch with me too.”

Patty knew it was more than just a lunch for her husband, who was about to be named CRC Person of the Year.

“We really try to keep it a secret,” said Rebecca Pacheco, executive director of the CRC. “I thought when his wife showed up that might be the tipping point of him figuring something was up.”

It wasn’t.

Fuller said it was when Ed DeGaris, the 2017 recipient of the award, mentioned that the award was going to someone who taught 42 students to play chess that Fuller knew what was happening.

“Really humbling,” Fuller said. “I get to do something I love to do every day. For somebody to say that’s worth an award is icing on the cake.”

Missouri Rep. Jeff Shawan, who was the keynote speaker, presented Fuller a proclamation from the legislature. Rep. Hardy Billington and Senator Doug Libla were also in attendance.

“He is a well-rounded community advocate,” Pacheco said. “He does work in so many different areas. A lot of it people are not aware that he is behind the scenes helping.”

Fuller, who works for the University of Missouri Extension in Butler County as a field specialist in human development, has been “instrumental in helping Poplar Bluff grow and develop over the past several years,” DeGaris said during his introduction.

“Working with children, the homeless, veterans or those striving to improve their lives, he has been there to advocate, support, teach and foster,” he added.

Fuller has given time to meet with at-risk youth and young children “on the topic of bullying and the effects it has on those being bullied as well as on the bully.”

He taught 42 kids how to play chess during the 2018 Super Kids Camp, serves as chairperson for the Non-Profit Alliance, is a member of the CRC Board of Directors and lends his time to other community organizations.

Fuller has been a CRC board memeber for three years, he said.

“Anything that they’re needing or it’s something like I feel the University Extension office can add to I always try to make that available to them,” Fuller said.

Pacheco said the award is selected by a committee of former persons of the year. Nominations come from the community.

“This year we had a lot of nominations, it was a very good year for nominations and a hard choice,” Pacheco said. “But not that hard really.”

CRC Board President Teresa Johnson presented a $200 check to the Poplar Bluff Schools Giving Closet which won a contest between four area non-profits. Over 125 guests voted between the four groups — Wheatley Tutoring Program, Northside Nutrition Center Food Boxes, Learning Lab Scholarship Program and the Giving Closet — based on their song choice in a “Charity Battle of the Bands.” The Giving Closet selected “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey.

Teresa Johnson, right, president of the Butler County Community Resource Center Board of Directors, presents a donation of $200 to the Poplar Bluff Schools Giving Closet, represented by Donna Moore and Carrie Booker. The Giving Closet won the Charity-Battle of the Bands contest during the CRC’s annual Partnership Luncheon on Friday. DAR/Brian Rosener