SCHOEDEL AWARD
Each year the Manistee Recreation Association (MRA) presents the Charles E. Schoedel Outstanding Service Award to an individual and an organization. These awards represent commitment and dedication to recreation in Manistee County. This award was established in 1981 for the late Charles E. Schoedel in gratitude for his long-term service to the MRA. Mr. Schoedel served on the MRA Board for over thirty years and had a great impact on the development of the MRA as a strong, leisure service agency.
2023 Organization Recipient:
Northlake Mechanical
Northlake Mechanical was selected for their ongoing support of the MRA and of the community. Northlake Mechanical has been a Diamond Sponsor for the MRA over the past years, run by John and Ashley Simpson. You can find them at almost every activity the MRA offers throughout the year, volunteering and coaching. John is an all-around giving person. He is very proud to be a part of the community and help any way he can. He thoroughly enjoys coaching the kids and being part of their experiences in athletics from teaching them fundamentals and skills to creating a positive comradery among players. Ashley is a former MRA employee who was also helping John run their business and raise their two kids during that time. She is a very engaged member of the community and loves to promote and support small business throughout Manistee County.
2023 Individual Recipient:
Dana Dobis
Dana Dobis has 45 years of swim instruction experience, with the past 32 years in Manistee. She has served as a lifeguard, water safety instructor, swim team coach, and lifeguard trainer. She was instrumental in the development of the MRA swim program, which she first started working with in 1993. Dana has recently retired from an illustrious career as an elementary school teacher for MAPS, so a while generation of young people in the Manistee area remember Mrs. Dobis fondly.
Previous Recipients
Organization
1981 Martin Marietta Dave Petersen
1982 Kiwanis
1983 Manistee BD. Of ED
Manistee Jaycees
1984 VFW Walsh Post 4499
1985 Manistee Salvation Army
1986 Manistee Elks
1987 Rotary
1988 Kieszkowski Farms
1989 4-H
1990 Seng’s
1991 Alternatives For Area Youth
1992 Manistee County Foundation
1993 Manistee County Jr. High Football
1994 Brethren FHA
1995 Manistee News Advocate
1996 Manistee Soccer Club
1997 Manistee Clan
Muzzleloaders Club
1998 Morton International
1999 Cops For Kids
2000 Shell Western E & P
2001 Intermediate School District
Shore Line Academy
2002 City of Manistee
2003 Lutz Family Farm
2004 Sunrise Rotary
Evening Rotary
2005 Third Coast
2006 Manistee Catholic Central
Jerry Lewis Photographers
2007 Manistee Kiwanis
2008 Sports Ink
2009 Lance’s Irrigation
2010 Manistee County Little League
2011 Onekama Consolidated Schools
2012 Filer Township
2013 Doug Schlaff Youth Fund
2014 TES Filer City Recycle Committee
2015 MS Creative Services
2016 Linke’s Body Shop
2017 Martin Marietta
2018 Century 21
2019 Water’s Edge
2022 City of Manistee – DPW/Parks Dept.
2023 Northlake Mechanical
Individual
1981 Dave Petersen
1982 John Ellen
1983 Harry Nowak
1984 George Eble
1985 Charlotte Hughes
1986 Dorothy Lundbom
1987 Pete Nezki
Richard Seemuth
1988 Ken Grabowski
1989 Ray Franz
1990 Hilda Edmondson
1991 Richard Guillen
1992 Art Anderson
1993 Louree Samenski
1994 ED Haik
1995 Gini Pelton
1996 Tim Bromley
1997 John Rozga
1998 Juanita LaFeir
1999 Jim and Melinda Kieszkowski
2000 Bob Fenstermacher
2001 Homer Ramsdell
2002 Fred McDonald
2003 Ed Leino-Jones
2004 Kathy Fenstermacher
2005 Mike DeVoe
2006 Paul Morrill
2007 Bill and Marty Paine
2008 Juanita LaFeir
2009 Corey Van Fleet
2010 Christa Johnson
2011 Cheryl Griffin
2012 Kathy Smith
2013 Eric Ross
2014 The Sheffield family
2015 David and Hilary Edmondson
2016 Ann Smith
2017 Jack Ball
2018 Cathy Meagher
2019 Wendy Adamski
2022 Bill Edmondson
2023 Dana Dobis