Ron Hering Award – 2011
Carl Lakari
Loving Deer
New England, USA
” Create Alive Community through Compassionate Support.”
Carl Lakari is Co-Founder of Project AWARE which has served thousand of teens by helping raise awareness about teen issues and empowering them to take leadership roles in their community.
Joe Kort, Ph.D., LMSW
Powerful Bull
Windsor/Detroit, Canada/USA
”To make the world a safer place by being out and open.”
I am open about being gay in my personal and professional life to be a role model for others to witness someone of a different orientation.
Peter Mortifee
Wild Salmon
British Columbia, Canada
”To awaken and connect to the spirit of life.”
Peter’s passion is the promotion and advancement of social and environmental organizations through innovative social financing and the creation of effective infrastructures.
Bert G. Welch Jr.
Proud Eagle
The Central Plains, USA
”To live my life in a way that encourages other men to live with Integrity.”
Being in a wheelchair for 37 plus years has increased Bert’s caring for others above and beyond most, as well as his energy and attitude about life.
Ian Soloman
Lion Running Free
South Africa
”I co-create a vibrant, passionate and conscious world, by growing my own awareness, working with ritual and the flow of life and by being connected.”
Ian Solomon initiated the TSiBA University (Tertiary School in Business Administration) HEAD|HEART|SOUL weekend training, a rite of passage for mostly black, previously disadvantaged students. Now in its 4th year, each training is followed by facilitated circles on campus.
John Baczynski
Medicine Spirit Wolf
Philadelphia, USA
”I create a world of Absolute Beauty, by living in the power of my opened heart.”
I’ve been helping my local homeless community since 2003 when I first discovered a small tent community near my home in Levittown, PA while I was out mountain biking.
Jim Parker
White Stallion
Northwest, USA
”To be of service to the young.”
” I live a life of contribution measured simply by what I do and ultimately what I give.”
Jim Parker is a courageous, committed, compassionate healer, and hundreds of his neighbors consistently follow his leadership into beautifully ambitious community service projects. Jim makes a difference with his life.
Carl E. Adkins
Free Eagle
North Texas, USA
”I create a sunshine and peace filled world by fully accepting myself and those around me.”
Traveled to rural Peru with plastic surgeons to provide anesthesia for repair of pediatric cleft lip and palate. Also collected stuffed animals to give out preoperatively so child had a “friend” with him in the operative room.
Frank Paolotto
Radiant Phoenix Eagle
Greater Washington, USA
”With love and strength, I co-create a world that encourages and protects the dreams and visions of youth.”
Frank helped start Boys-to-Men Greater Washington and mentored other BTM centers on the East Coast. He has also worked with students with disabilities and people in prison and on parole and probation.
Lakhdar Ouaddah
Chat debout (Standing Cat)
French Speaking Europe
”I create a world of confidence by sharing mine.”
For the last 15 years, Lakhdar’s job has been taking care of furniture transportation in the peculiar environment of death. He helps families to move pieces of furniture and clear dead persons houses. He helps the people too in these often tragic circumstances.
Allan Podbelsek
Loving Llama, the Visionary
Kentucky, USA
”To create a world of connections by being loving, powerful, spiritual and playful.”
For 12 years Allan has been connecting with men in a nursing home, hearing their stories—their past joys, secrets, hurts, fears, desires, regrets–as they completed their life journeys.
Fred Koehler
Golden Heart Bear
Northern California, USA
”I heal a lonely world by seeing Spirit in everything and giving it voice.”
Fred is a Case Supervisor and trainer for CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) and works to advocate for children whose parents can no longer care for them.
Laurent Sirois
Aigle Volant/Flying Eagle
Canada East
”To help human beings to be more connected to their authentic self and their integrity.”
“Aider les êtres humains à être plus connecté avec leur moi authentique et leur intégrité.”
His work around emotional freedom helps people to get rid of their fears and phobias, often buried in the unconscious, in order to help them live better and regain physical and mental health, live in the present moment and regain their laughter and joie de vivre in this absolutely wonderful world.
Son travail sur la libération émotionnelle aide les gens à se dégager de leurs peurs et phobies, souvent enfouies dans leur inconscient, pour les aider à vivre mieux et à retrouver la sante physique et mentale. Mieux vivre dans le moment présent, de retrouver le rire et la joie de vivre dans ce monde si merveilleux.
BJ Honeycutt
Peaceful White Horse
Georgia, USA
”I co-create an environment in which we each might discover our inherent basic goodness and manifest peace.”
Along with his wife, BJ co-led the Healing Arts Program at the United Methodist Children’s Home Decatur, Georgia, and he is currently a mentor and board member of Boys To Men Georgia.
Kenneth Haller, M.D.
Golden Grasshopper
St. Louis, USA
Dr. Haller regularly shows his commitment to the value of men’s individual personal development by his continued dedication to his I-Group and his active resolution to integrate this knowledge into his professional and artistic activities.
Bob Rakoczy
Elder Turtle
New Mexico/Southern Colorado, USA
”To Walk in the NOW on Their Path with Every Man, Woman and Child Whom I Encounter on The Way of Life Today.”
Bob is an Interactive Spiritual Director, Mentor, Friend, Companion, Brother, Counselor, Elder, Teacher, Healer, Guide, SoothSayer, Wizard (sort of), Lover of Beauty, StoryTeller, White-Guy Koshari, Lucifer (LightBearer), OutLaw for The Good, Child of the One, Manifester of Divinity, Link on the Universal Chain of BE-ing. He sheds Light. He points out Ways, offers Direction, gives a hand. He encourages them to look UP.
James Collins
White Horse
New Jersey, USA
”To feed the world.”
James was on the board of a non profit organization in NYC which provided blankets for the homeless, food for Native Americans on reservations and organized volunteers for a food program for 500 elderly shut-ins on the upper Westside in NYC.
Frederick Marx
Crow
Los Angeles, USA
”I create a world of peace and justice through speaking my truth and empowering others to speak theirs.”
Bill Megalos has been providing haircuts to the homeless community of Santa Monica, CA for the past 10 years
Dr. Clarence H. Snelling, Jr.
Zebra
Colorado, USA
”To work toward the protection and the mutuality of all persons regardless of race, creed, ethnicity, status, gender, orientation, or current power; with justice as the motivating factor in all endeavors.”
Beyond his work as Pastor and Professor of Theology, Clarence’s 85 years have also been filled with service on numerous boards and agencies which were directed toward justice issues and Higher Education.
Mark E. Lopez
Roaring Lion
Memphis, USA
”I create a world of unconditional love by loving myself and others unconditionally.”
Mark is a longtime champion for GLBT equality in Nashville and throughout Tennessee. He lobbies and builds coalitions with like minded organizations for the betterment of all.
Casper Walsh
Fierce Panther
UK and Ireland
”By opening my heart and speaking my truth I create a safe and beautiful world for all beings.”
Caspar has created the charity, “Write to Freedom”, which works with young prisoners and disaffected young men to provide mentoring and support through a wilderness and writing programme based up on Dartmoor.
Darryl Bowens Hansome
Panther
Greater Carolinas, USA
”To create a world of acceptance and confidence by interacting with you and others without judgment.”
The tenet that I strive to live my life by is “to treat you as I would want you to treat me.” It has served and humbled me.
Peter Huber
Playful Dolphin
Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo, USA
“To make a difference by being of Service.”
Peter serves as Founder and Director of the nonprofit Center for Uniting Families and Dancing Deer Farm retreat center. Creating harmonious, sustainable living, positive choices for health and relationship, enhanced skills as parents and partners are the Center’s core valves. Peter is tireless, passionate and humble in his Mission of Service.
Jim Gray
Silverhawk
Alberta, Canada
”To help addicts and alcoholics recover.”
Jim Gray is being honored for living his mission of helping addicts and alcoholics recover by building Serenity Ranch drug and alcohol rehab centre in central Alberta.
Jim Wolfe
Cunning Wolf
Indiana/SWONKY, USA
” I create a world of boundless thinking and loving where bodies and souls are nourished and nurtured by doing the political and personal work needed to be in tune with the divine within and beyond.”
Jim is being honored for his life long work in championing human rights and working for interfaith collaboration and understanding.
Jim Lovestar
Timberwolf with Playful Hawk
Minnesota Center, USA
” Through teaching and touching I empower every man to know his purpose, his place, and his playmates. ”
Jim is a long-time member of Veterans for Peace, he has been active with the Foreclosure Prevention Team for three years in North Minneapolis. He started a community garden in his neighborhood in 2007, has accepted a leadership role in Northside Fresh (motto: COMMUNITY. FOOD. POWER) with the goal of North Minneapolis residents learning how to plant, prepare, and preserve their own food and has been one of the guides with the Winds of Change Racial Justice Action Group.
Richard Renner
Three Hawks Rising
Kansas City Heartland, USA
” To create a world of love and forgiveness through the expression of Joy.”
Richard is a clown…literally. He has been a professional clown and Vaudville entertainer for 27 years. He is willing to provoke laughter by any means.
Michael Bungay Stanier
Left Handed Kangaroo
Toronto Canada
” To infect one billion people with the possibility virus.”
Michael Bungay Stanier is the founder and Senior Partner of Box of Crayons, a company that helps organizations all over the world do less Good Work and more Great Work. He has written a number of successful books.
Mark E. Rowley
Food Lion
Florida, USA
” I create a world or trust, transparency and compassion by first modeling it.”
Mark Rowley works as a firefighter, paramedic, college instructor and Coast Guard Reservist in Jacksonville, Florida. In his capacity as a paramedic, he provides emergency medical support to the community, often serving patients who are in extreme health crises.
Daniel Sullivan
Wild Hawk
Upstate New York, USA
” I create a joyful and vibrant world of cultivated potential by affirming others, virtuous action, and contemplation.”
Dan has been volunteering his time in support of Borgne, Haiti as a community organizer supporting Grassroots Sustainable development. He facilitates improvements in sustainable agriculture, fisheries and clean water initiatives by facilitating sustainable project development, implementation and management.