HOME > Local News > St. Charles chamber honors Bob Burns, Hartley Center at annual dinner By Keith Salisbury Interim Editor
Local News
PUBLISHED: Sunday, February 3, 2008
St. Charles chamber honors Bob Burns, Hartley Center at annual dinner By Keith Salisbury Interim Editor
ST. CHARLES Members of the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce and the community at large gathered Wednesday night in the banquet room of The Rustic Inn to honor Bob Burns and the Hartley Outdoor Education Center at the group's annual dinner. Guest speaker for the evening was Mary Cornford, who talked about the renovation of the former Miller Elementary School into the Union Court Assisted Living facility. Cornford detailed the history of the project while showing slides of the renovation. She also talked about the historical aspects of the site, from its days as the Union School, and then Miller Elementary. Following Cornford's talk, The Hartley Outdoor Education Center was honored as "Organization of the Year." In making the presentation, St. Charles Schools Superintendent Mike Wallace cited the facility's committment to providing outdoor education not only to children in Saginaw County, but throughout the state. Each year more than 6,000 Saginaw County school children visit the 300-acre center for a variety of programs on outdoor environmental education, Wallace said. He also spoke about the St. Charles district's activities with the facility, including an eighth grade bee study project with hives located on the Hartley grounds. Accepting the honor on behalf of Hartley was director, James Blaschka. Also on hand was Dr. Richard Syrek, superintendent of the Saginaw Intermediate School District, which oversees the facility. "We feel honored to be a part of the community, and to have been entrusted to preserve so much of the area's natural heritage," Blaschka said. Doug Holem presented the "Citizen of the Year" to Bob Burns. Holem prefaced his remarks with, "a person's real character shows when no one is watching." He then went on to talk about "The Hats of Bob Burns." Holem took the approach that Burns has worn many different hats throughout his life, starting as a St. Charles Bulldog and moving through his college years and on into his career in accounting, using a different hat for each event along the way. Burns was born and raised in St. Charles, graduating in 1956. He began working with Don Schlager doing taxes, and is now entering his 44th tax season at what is now McDonald and Associates' St. Charles office. Holem talked about Burns' days as St. Charles Village Clerk in the late 1960s, when the village water and sewer projects were being put in. "The village council were not viewed as good guys," Holem said. "It was a rough time to be on the council. Bob really helped the town to grow." Burns has also served as DDA president, and continues to work with the DDA. He is also active in the Lions Club and the St. Charles Seventh Day Adventist Church. An avid gardener, he has also been active in the St. Charles Beautification Day projects over the years. On hand to seem him honored were his wife, Audrey, his children, Jeff and Amy, and members of his office staff. Jeff Burns also came to the podium to relate a story about a duck hunting trip with his father and sister, and to also talk about his father's faith. In accepting the award, Burns talked about growing up and living in the community and how much a part of his life it has been.
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