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Posted on Mon, May. 05, 2008

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President honors local volunteer

Buddy Shannon of Real Men, Real Heroes receives the President's Call to Service Award on Sunday.

BY PHYLLIS JACOBS GRIEKSPOOR

The Wichita Eagle

The president of the United States told Buddy Shannon to "keep up the good work" on Sunday at McConnell Air Force Base, and Shannon said thank you on behalf of Real Men, Real Heroes of Wichita.

The exchange took only a moment, but it's a moment that Shannon and his family won't forget.

"I just kept thinking that it could have been any one of 31 other men, and the organization chose me for this honor," Shannon said after the ceremony. "I'm honored and humbled that they chose me."

Shannon was presented with a lapel pin reading "The President's Call to Service Award," honoring his work as a volunteer.

President George W. Bush uses the awards to thank volunteers for making a difference in the lives of others. He has met with more than 600 volunteers since the program started in March 2002.

Shannon said he hopes the publicity surrounding the president's notice of Real Men, Real Heroes will help the organization garner the support of the Wichita community to help move the organization forward.

"Our original director... is no longer with the organization, and we are in the process of putting together a new board," Shannon said. "We are going to be looking for funding to continue our efforts."

Shannon's wife, Olivia, nominated him for the Real Men, Real Heroes program, which has selected 32 black men to serve as mentors and role models to children struggling to make good choices.

"We're trying to show them that you don't have to come from the best families or have a lot of money or even be the smartest kid in the class to be successful," Shannon said. "The message is that everyone who works hard, studies hard and makes good decisions can be successful."

Shannon said the organization has been contacted by other community groups about forming partnerships and by other cities about the prospect of additional chapters.

"Someday this could be much more than just a Wichita effort," he said.

Shannon, who is landscape manager for Tree Top Nursery, is also a volunteer with Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters and is active in St. Mark United Methodist Church.

He said his father's guidance contributed to his own success.

"My father never allowed me to use race as an excuse not to accomplish what I should be doing," he said. "He never let the fact of being a black man be an excuse for failure."

Shannon said he tries to help the young people of all races he works with understand that they have value and can make a positive contribution to the world.

His wife and two of their four daughters were Shannon's allotted three guests for the presidential visit. His brother-in law, who is stationed at McConnell, was there by virtue of being a serviceman and was able to bring along his nephew.

Olivia Shannon said her husband was a hero to her long before his nomination for the award and a role model any child could follow.

At least one young man has gotten the message.

Eleven-year-old Symeon Williams, who has been mentored by Shannon for the past three years, was asked what he wanted to be when he grows up.

"He said that he thought he wanted to be just like me," Shannon said. "That means as much to me as the presidential award. That's what this is all about."

Reach P.J. Griekspoor at 316-268-6660 or pgriekspoor@wichitaeagle.com.