Mike and Judy Hoffman were honored Tuesday night as the 2009 Pete Award winners. Flora Lions Club presented the award at the club’s annual Christmas dinner.

Mike and Judy Hoffman The Pete Award is given to a member of the Flora community who exemplifies the same dedication to community that was shown by the award’s namesake, the late DeVere “Pete” Hoffman.

To Mike and Judy, the honor comes from a different point of view since Pete is Mike’s dad.

“It’s overwhelming,” Judy said, “we did not expect it.”

“There isn’t anyone who loved his community and wanted it to flourish and become the best it could be more than Pete Hoffman,” Judy said. “Pete was always promoting the town in one way or another.”

Mike was quick to add, “When dad died, we three boys heard over and over again, ‘You have big shoes to fill.’”

“The old saying around town used to be that if something needed to be done in Flora, ask Pete Hoffman or Dick Leiter, Mike said. “Of course now it falls in other people’s hands.”

And some of those “other people” are Mike and Judy.

They both believe that the way to make their community better is to get involved and volunteer.

Nineteen years ago the couple began filming on a weekly basis church services on Sunday mornings to broadcast live. That meant they would not be at their own church, Flora First Christian, on Sunday mornings. It is a decision they have never regretted, said Judy.

They remain dedicated members of their own church, but because of their association with other churches in town through Channel 2, “our church family has grown and we have become close to the pastors of those churches, too.”

Mike and Judy are also big supporters of 4-H.

Judy and the couple’s youngest daughter, Sara, along with some leaders from Delphi organized Carroll County’s Mini 4-H program 18 years ago. The program, designed to get second graders excited about 4-H, continues and Sara remains a part of that program. She and her mom are both leaders for the Monroe Achievers 4-H Club.

Mike has been a county project leader for models and aerospace for 18 years. He has been judging those projects and Legos around the state for 15 years.

Mike said that he only wants to judge if it is open judging.

“I’m there to teach them (the 4-Hers),” he said. “They are not going to learn if you can’t go one-on-one with them.”

Two years ago Mike was asked to judge at the state fair. He considers it an honor and said he enjoys doing it.

The husband and wife also team up during the holidays as Santa and Mrs. Claus. Pete Hoffman was Flora’s Santa for many years. Mike started playing Santa when his dad could not be two places at one time. In 1986 Mike became Flora’s Santa, a tradition that still continues.

Both Mike and Judy are involved in community service organizations. Judy is a 38- year member and former president of Beta Alpha Chapter of Psi Iota Xi. Mike is a 25-year member and former president of Lions Club.

Both organizations give back to the community, making it a better place, said Judy.

Judy’s proudest moment as a Psi Ote, she said, was watching her daughter Sara mature and emerge as the leader of 800 women when she became the national president of Psi Iota Xi. It was a

10-year process, Judy explained,

and they would not trade a one of the many friendships they made along the way.

Mike’s dad was a charter member of Lions Club. Sara is following in family tradition as a third generation Flora Lion.

In 1980 Mike became a Flora volunteer fireman. His status today is inactive reserve.

He currently serves as secretary treasurer of the Carroll County Firefighters Association, a position he has held for over 10 years.

Mike also loves sports. He covers Carroll football games for the Comet and keeps stats for Carroll boys’ basketball games. The couple attends Purdue girls’ basketball games, but just as spectators. Mike is also a Chicago Bears and Cubs fan.

Since 1961 Mike has worked in agri-business. He is currently the Flora warehouse manager for Co-Alliance.

Mike and Judy both say that any extra time they have is taken up with their threeyear old grandson, William DeVere Tallackson. He is the son of their daughter, Alice, and her husband, Andrew Tallackson, of Michigan City.

The Hoffman family, says Mike, is a close-knit group, especially “we three boys (Mike, Darrell and Greg).”

Their mother Martha and Darrell are both previous Pete Award winners.

“This is the 26th year for the award,” Judy said. “When you stop and think who it’s in honor of and we can be considered in that group, it leaves us very proud.”