Author photo

By Ken Graham
| The Times 

TAKEMURA IS CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

 

November 20, 2014

Kris Takemura receives her award from Chamber board member Cathy Berg.

DAYTON - Kris Takemura, of Dayton, was honored as the 2014 citizen of the year by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce at their annual awards banquet last week. Takemura is a Dayton native and has been active in many community groups.

The Banquet was held on a snowy Thursday evening, but a nearly full house was on hand to enjoy a dinner catered by The Country Gentleman.

Other category award winners named at the banquet included and McKenzie Delp as Youth Citizen of the Year, Diana Ashley, of State Farm Insurance, as Employee of the Year, and State Farm as Business of the Year. Citizen of the Year

Takemura is a Dayton native who spent her career as an elementary teacher, mostly in Walla Walla. Since retiring, she has volunteered at Dayton Elementary School, helping students with reading. She also teaches Sunday school regularly at Dayton's

First Congregational

Church.

She is a past president of PEO and longtime member of Skyline

Juniors.

Takemura is an artist and thespian. She has performed in several fall musicals at the Liberty Theater, and other productions. She is currently secretary of the Touchet Valley Arts Council. She is also a member of the Blue Mountain Arts Alliance, and helped paint the sets for this year's production of Cinderella.

She is a longtime Relay for Life participant, and is a member of the Touchet Valley Golf Club, and president of the Women's Golf Club. Youth Citizen of the Year

Delp was honored for her participation in many youth organizations. A senior at Dayton High School, she has been an ASB officer there for two years - she's currently vice president. She is also treasurer of the National Honor Society. She has been an active member of Youth and Government throughout her high school years, and is currently president of that group. She is an active member of YoungLife.

Delp was a budding athlete, who participated in basketball, volleyball and softball during middle school. But during a middle school basketball game she fell and suffered a serious concussion.

The injury has caused her serious pain since, and she has undergone numerous rounds of physical and occupational therapy. Her symptoms remain a mystery, but despite her disappointment at not being able to participate in high school sports, she continues to work hard at school and her other activities.

According to her mother, Christine Delp, McKenzie hopes to attend Eastern Washington University next year and work toward a career as an occupational therapist, helping young people with similar experiences to her own. Employee of the Year

Diana Ashley joined Bette Lou Crothers' State Farm Insurance office in Dayton in 1991.

"She truly cares about our clients and will worry all weekend if something is wrong," said Crothers. "She will come in after hours and on weekends without hesitation."

Ashley is a longtime volunteer for All Wheels Weekend, and helps with many other chamber events.

"I am overjoyed and overwhelmed," Ashley said, when asked about her award. "Even though I love my job, it's great to honored like this." Business of the Year

Bette Lou Crothers started as Dayton's State Farm Agent in 1981. She bought the building where her current office is located on Dayton's Main Street in 1988.

She and her staff not only provide first-class service to their customers, but they support and promote Dayton and the Touchet Valley through event sponsorship and extensive personal involvement. State Farm's staff includes Diana Ashley, Kim Seney, Angela Black and Diane Patton.

Center: Diana Ashley

Crothers founded Dayton's premier community event - the All Wheels Weekend car show - twenty years ago, and has led it since. She is also a charter member of the 30-year-old Dayton Development Task Force, which transformed Dayton's historic Main Street in early 1990s, and continues with projects to improve Dayton. She is currently that group's president.

Crothers served on the Dayton City Council for more than six years, including as Mayor Pro Tem, and is a longtime member, and former president, of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce board.

"I'm very happy to get this award, of course," she said. "I'm particularly pleased that the community appreciates the dedication my staff and I have to our customers."

 

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