The 2024 Salute to Service winners were Brandon Allen, Roxanne Coffelt, Dale Tucker Award recipient Aggie Sweeney and Opal Miller Award recipient Beth Anne Cox.

Text and Photos
By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

Beth Anne Cox, Aggie Sweeney, Roxanne Coffelt have more in common than being Democrats in Kosciusko County.

All four were recognized for their individual service to the party and the county during the Sixth annual Kosciusko County Salute to Service Dinner Saturday evening, March 20. The event, hosted by the Kosciusko County Democrats was held at Noa Noa, Warsaw. The Salute to Service Diner includes the presentation of the Opal Miller Award and the Dale Tucker Award.

Cox was the recipient of the Opal Miller Award, an award presented since 2017. Vicki Morton, county chair, recapped her acquaintance with Cox starting in 2017, when given a list of poll workers from 2016. She shared how when Cox was contacted to again work the polls she suggested two others — her husband Gerald and daughter Elizabeth, who was a high school senior. Since then Cox has worked every election since, including early voting stints at the justice building. Last year she worked the municipal primary in Syracuse and she and her husband ran the municipal election in Mentone. Cox has also agreed to be a precinct chair.

Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch is known as a woman who can get things done. Deuitch was one of two keynote speakers.

“She’s now the lead Democrat at early voting,” Morton stated and “the two of them will be at Center Lake in May.”

Cox noted once she started she couldn’t stop. “I can’t imagine not doing it. I’ve been politically minded … this community makes it possible … We’re going to keep working and every time we do an election, we just do more and more …” Cox noted some ask what is the point the Democrats are never going to win. “I say yes, we will. It might take longer than we want, but we will.”

Sweeney was presented the Dale Tucker Award, which has been presented since 2018. Morton noted how Sweeney contacted the clerk’s office in 2020 and offered to work at the polls, something she has done since. “Since she moved here she has been very involved in Kosciusko County with various nonprofits,” stated Morton. She has volunteered with Cardinal Services, The Watershed Foundation and on various committees and is now TWF’s vice chair. She has also joined the Tippecanoe Audubon Society, where she also serves as vice chair.

Morton nominated Sweeney and several others to the county parks board. Sweeney was the only one contacted from the list and is the only Democrat on the board, where she also now serves as vice chair. “Thank you very much for coming and doing this in Kosciusko County,” said Morton.

“Thank you very much. I’m very humble to receive this award. … It’s an honor to be recognized, but I also recognize all of you. You are a part of this award too,” said Sweeney.

Coffelt and Allen were recognized for their service with the local party. Both have stepped down from their positions and relocating outside county and/or state.

Coffelt has been treasurer for the local party. “Roxanne stepped up to make sure our books were good. All our reports filed correctly and on time,” stated Brian Smith, former county chairman and now District 2 Chairman and local party vice chair. “She implemented some new software to help manage our finances and make sure everything is filed on time so we don’t get fined.

“Roxanne … a great addition to our party. We’re going to miss her as she moves on to West Virginia.”

Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun was one of the keynote speakers. At 27-years old he defeated his four-term incumbent with 60% of the votes.

Jama Brown presented a service award to Allen, who has moved to South Bend. “It’s really hard to sum up the totality of a relationship with someone who answered the call to serve a community they barely new at first, but also to help build up a party they just became a part of and do do all that while jumping in with both feet. …

“I will never ever be able to thank him enough for not just being a great former vice chair but also a Sidney Town Council Member, but also my very best friend,” said Brown.

Smith added to the accolades stating he put Allen in an incredible challenging situation in Sidney, right before COVID. “You took a situation and worked it in a bipartisan way and solved it. It took a while, but the town (Sidney) is in a much, much better place now. …”

Keynote Speakers

Keynote speakers for the evening were Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch and Terre Haute Mayor Brandon Sakbun.

Deuitch, the first black mayor in Michigan City and the oldest of seven in the Nelson family, spoke about community. “What I’ve learned over time … is that a community who embraces you, makes you who you are.” She stated her parents were working parents, the working poor. “We received services from the likes of the Salvation Army. Our educators, our teachers became our family …”

Lori Camp, candidate for U.S. Congressional District 2 spoke to the crowd.

When she returned to Michigan City, after getting a degree in electrical engineering from Florida A&M, she became very involved in the community by coaching her kids and being a Girl Scout leader. People started calling her with their problems as they knew she would speak for them. She ran for city council in 2007 wanting to make a difference and won. She spoke of the peaks and valleys she and her children endured. This included getting laid off, getting a master’s degree and going to law school.

“So what does service mean for us in the party? We should be trying to develop people to replace us,” Deuitch said. She spoke of several ‘rock stars’ in her life – her mother and a staff member in her office willing to do what is necessary. “We need to identify people in the community … because we’re going to die if you don’t … raise above the ashes … find people who want to be a part of something great and we need to figure it out without alienating people. …”

“When you think about service and you think about people being on boards and commissions, you engage in a different group of people, a group of people that have never participated, they are all ages.”

Sakbun, who defeated a four-term incumbent mayor with 60% of the vote, talked about how Indiana went from being ranked 13^th in public education to 43 or 44 in the nation and from being ranked 15^th to 46/47 in quality of life. “We can’t recruit doctors. We can’t recruit professionals. Those who graduate from college flock to two or three metro areas, the rest leave the state. We can’t even help the working class. We don’t believe in unions in Indianapolis … can’t find a way to affect the value you and I and everyone else truly represent.”

He noted learning the consensus of Hoosiers is that the state can do better. “That is what my campaign and mayorship is based on … believe if you grow up or move to the Hoosier state, your life matters, your wife’s or your daughter’s life matter …”

The Army Ranger stated during the early part of his campaign he took the ranger creed and applied it to public service. “I work for you … frankly I don’t care what party, color of skin, all pay taxes any way.”

Sakbun noted the Democrats are gaining a lot of momentum and will not stop. “We will continue to register voters and we will continue to share a message of what Indiana can be … Hoosiers around the state are sick and tired of a one party controlled government that fails to do something like pave an interstate.”

He concluded listing those who he salutes – the president, mayors and a party “that generally cares about each and every individual, … that to me is truly how you make America great again.”

The evening concluded with 2^nd District Congressional Candidate Lori Camp speaking how she became a candidate and what she plans to do when elected. She stated she will not compromise when it comes to women’s rights and restoring democracy. She stated she is tired of the ugliness, inaction going on and wants to restore stability. “My allegiance is to you, my constituents. We can make America the way it used to be.”