A Well-Deserved Honor

 

If Sun City Anthem ever had an unsung volunteer hero, it is Karl Bruner.

 

 

Eschewing fanfare, and refusing honors and recognition almost to the point of downright stubbornness, all Karl has done during the many years I’ve known him –and his equally community-minded wife Mary- is roll up his sleeves and offer help and assistance where it has been needed.

This past Wednesday (Feb. 15), the spotlight finally found Karl at the 10th Anniversary Dinner of the Foundation Assisting Seniors (FAS), formerly known as The Minuteman Foundation, where Karl was honored as the Foundation’s Person of the Year.

“Karl was recognized for his dedication, commitment, hard work and joy of serving the Sun City community and its residents,” wrote his friend and FAS Trustee Phyllis Washburn. “These are rare qualities in today’s world. It was our way of thanking him for his incredible service to our community.”

Karl’s history of volunteer SCA service is long and varied.

He is a member of the Community Service Club (CSC), maintaining, delivering and picking up medical equipment for residents in need. Along with Roger Cooper, Karl serves as co-chair of the CSC’s Medical Equipment Committee, and he also registers, maintains and services the CSC van.

Karl handles sound and lighting for performances and special events in Freedom Hall and the Anthem Center Ballroom, working in close cooperation with the Activities Department when necessary. He also provides these services to many clubs, including Havurah, Opera Lovers, Veterans, Performing Arts, and others.

This reporter has served with Karl on task forces, and I remember when he even stepped in to construct ballot boxes for the Election Committee so that the boxes could be built within the committee’s budget.

Beyond all the volunteer work Karl does, he and Mary better inform themselves by attending more committee meetings than probably anyone else in Sun City Anthem. And the two also invested a great deal of time to understand community governance by going through the course of study leading to the designation of DCAL (Dedicated Community Association Leader) awarded by the Community Associations Institute.

Even with all of these activities, Karl and Mary do an extensive amount of traveling and also find time to enjoy theater, opera and live music.

What is a community like ours but the sum total of all its residents and the efforts they put forth to make it a better place? In every sense of the meaning, Karl Bruner IS Sun City Anthem! We are so much better because he and Mary chose to live here. 

 

 

Comments

[bonnie]

He and his wife have done so much for our community. THey are very special people.

[Roy Montambeau]

An honor long overdue.

[Al Glickman]

Well deserved. He should also receive some formal recognition by SCA. This man does more behind the scenes around SCA than anyone.

[Mary Jane Hillery]

Thank you for giving recognition to Karl and Mary Bruner. It's gratifying to see two people honored for their contribution to the community. Too often we take folks like them for granted, when they make SCA the great place it is to live.
MJH