Ron Hering Award – 2013

David Patterson

Magnificent Human Being Vulnerable
UK Region – Ireland

“I co-create world peace by healing shame and building community through education , facilitating circles in sacred space.”

David is a young man with a heart that matches the size of his vision and has been inspiring men in Ireland through his leadership of circles throughout the island for the past couple of years. In that time David has shown great courage in his willingness to articulate a better way for men to come together by extolling the virtues of male mentoring and emotional authenticity.

Jeffrey Navarre

Ganesha
Florida, USA

“I create a world of Love and Compassion by holding space for you however that looks.”

Jeffrey shows up as a powerful man. His give-aways include the use of his Yoga Studio space for MKP functions. i.e. I-Group, Open Men’s Circles, Homecoming Celebrations. He volunteers at local schools and community centers teaching kids and seniors yoga and meditation. Jeffrey also participated in the 2013 Smart Ride to support men and women living with HIV and AIDS wearing the ManKind Project USA Cycling Team jersey.

Bob Hoover

Zebra
Memphis, USA

“I have been called and empowered to make the world a safer place by practicing acceptance of you and myself and our situation and by protecting and defending the innocent.”

Bob is a Family physician who has been in practice for 31 years. For most of the past 18 years, he has been an Assistant Professor teaching family medicine and obstetrics. He recently left his medical practice and teaching position and has moved to Asia, where he is doing medical teaching and relief work. He will be with a team of physicians who have sensed God’s call to make a difference in the lives of suffering people. They are revitalizing a family medicine training program in a country that has been decimated by war and has the highest infant mortality in the world.

Woody Rae Forrieter

Innocent Hawk
Canada West – Alberta

“I create a world of innocence by forgiving the past, blessing the future, and loving right now.”

Woody has been involved with the Mankind Project since 2000, and has been involved in MKP Alberta since 2006. In that time he has taken on numerous organizational roles in the community, including three years on the board of directors. He also extends the spirit of MKP through his prison visitations and work with men on probation. Woody has been instrumental in creating an Open Circle in which men are lovingly supported, encouraged to forgive and bless themselves, and come to know their own essential innocence.

Ned Helme

Trusting Great Bear
Greater Washington, USA

“Through knowledge, power and persistence I foster coalitions for the global good.”

Ned played an instrumental role in the development and passage of the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990, which established the first U.S. national emissions trading program. He was a driving force behind the Decin Project in the Czech Republic, the first project which used carbon credits to finance the switch of a coal-fired heating plant to natural gas. He led stakeholder discussions that produced the design of the Clean Development Mechanism, and the expert team that developed the original design of the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme. Through his work in China, Mexico and many other countries, Ned pioneered the concept of focusing developing country actions and international finance in key industrial sectors, a concept central to the UN’s 2010 Cancun agreements.

David Yarrow

Dancing Dragonfly
Kansas City, USA

“To restore the earth by renewing the minerals and trace elements in soil so that all life can flourish again.”

David Yarrow’s work in creating a sustainable planet producing non-GMO and chemical free food is recognized nationally, regionally, and locally. He has met with soil scientists; presented at national meetings of growers and environmentalists; and held countless workshops and demonstrations for the creation of biochar, organic microbial inoculation, and combined organic compost applications. He is leading a SARE grant involving six farmers studying the application of biochar. A long time advocate of peace and healing with the Indian Nation, he was involved in the historic meeting at the United Nations that took place this last summer. David’s work will have a long range impact on our community, our country, and our world.

Ashanti Branch

King Salmon
Northern California USA

“I create a world of freedom by teaching youth to break their chains.”

Ashanti is a multi-faceted man. He has created rites of passage programs to support youth. “The Ever Forward Club” in the San Francisco bay area has celebrated 10 years of supporting youth to graduate high school and attend colleges, with high rates of success. He has impacted thousands of young men, staffing and combining a number of programs, including MKP. Ashanti is helping to build a stronger next generation. He is featured in the upcoming documentary “The Masks We Live In,” by noted film-maker Jennifer Seibel Newsom.

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Tom Houle

Night Eagle
New Jersey, USA

“I create a joyful, abundant world, by serving from my heart.”

Tom is a full-time volunteer, spending the majority of his day volunteering with three organizations. He is the Parish Coordinator and Property Manager for his church, Gloria Dei Lutheran, in Chatham, NJ. In addition to being a vibrant Christian faith community, Gloria Dei has hosted MKP I-groups, circles and celebrations for 14 years. He is a Disaster Responder with the Red Cross of Northern NJ. Tom also volunteers with Barnabas Health Hospice and Palliative Care, where he offers support to individuals and their families at the end of life.

Larry Anmuth

Golden Eagle
Greater Carolinas, USA

“Create a world of integrity, I model integrity.” 

Larry’s work and passion is to bring the message of the possibility of inner peace to veterans and prison populations of North Carolina. Before moving to Asheville, Larry, along with MKP co-leader Rich Menges, established a Mankind Project based program for prison populations called “Sharing Inside Time.” Larry has also been working with veterans on an ongoing basis. He has created a course, called The Peace Education Program. Larry is working in cooperation with The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF), to bring this healing program to veterans of Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan free of charge.

Ernest Patterson

Loving Tiger
South Central, Houston, USA

“As a man among men I co-create a world of love by loving myself, my family and my fellow man unconditionally.”

Ernest has worked with adolescent clients and their families for the past thirteen years, helping them begin their journey of healing through the provisions of education, relapse prevention, intervention and hands on treatment. He has collaborated with teams of professionals both in the clinical field and outside in the church, community and volunteer opportunities. He helped to design proven treatment programs with successful end results at both The Right Step and the Memorial Hermann Prevention and Recovery Campus. Ernest is actively involved with the Boys to Men organization in Texas.

Dennis Ponczkowski

Glorious Falcon
Upstate New York, USA

“My mission is that peace be found in all relations.”

Dennis has been living his mission for decades by serving on the board of directors for several local organizations, LifeResults and Sanctuary at Crowfield Farm. Dennis has been on mission to Chiapas, Mexico, giving his time and energy freely. He has also been a long time organizer of camping and outdoor activities for youth in his church. Dennis is a strong supporter of the sundance ceremony in upstate New York, gives tirelessly of his time and energy to a host of other local organizations.

Tom Daly

Wild Turkey
Colorado, USA

” I foster the dance of heart and soul to build a more just, joyful, and sustainable world.”

Few men in the nation have had a longer or more committed life in men’s work than Tom. Directly and indirectly Tom has touched the lives of thousands of Youth, Men, and Women. Since the mid 1970’s Tom as devoted his life particularly to awakening and supporting boys, men, and elders in their authenticity & wholeness through counseling, mentoring, training and group facilitation. This award is in recognition of a lifetime of pioneering men’s work and service in the world. Accomplishments include: Inner King Training and Inner Sovereign Training, 4 Gateways Coaching Process, Elder Initiation Weekends; the Men’s Year to Live Process, presentor at five MKP Elder Gatherings, active member of the Colorado MKP and Colorado MKP Elder Council.

Yves Gilles

Living Bear
Europe Francophone

“I create a world of joy and healing by opening my heart.”

He has been active in the AIDES association in France for over fifteen years in: Leading writing workshops for HIV infected people, Coordinating well-being workshops to resocialize and revitalize HIV infected people, Being active in the editorial committee of REMAIDES, the AIDES Association journal. One challenge he is aware of is not to promote a victim pattern in some men. MKP has been helpful in that awareness and in giving him the tools to promote autonomy and responsibility in a society that can quickly exclude people.

Anthony Ramirez Di Vittorio

Black Lab
Chicago, USA

“I create a world where father and son live in harmony, by mentoring youth into men of character.”

Di Vittorio created B.A.M. in 2001 while working as a school psychologist at Roberto Clemente High school. Youth Guidance’s B.A.M. (Becoming A Man™) program is a school-based counseling, mentoring, violence prevention and educational enrichment program that promotes social, emotional and behavioral competencies in at-risk male youth. B.A.M’s curriculum addresses six core values that relate to both personal and academic success: integrity, accountability, self-determination, positive anger expression, visionary goal-setting and respect for women. B.A.M has received national recognition from the White House, and is currently expanding to serve over 5,000 youth in Chicago.

Tim Kelty

Standing Lion
Kentucky, USA

“I create vibrant community through song, story, music and dance.”

In the last 23 years Tim has worked as an actor in educational theater performing in shows for young audiences in 20 states. Some of the topics of these shows have been violence prevention, recycling, living with an addicted family member,dealing with harassment/bullying and how to make friends. In the last 10 years he worked as an artist in residence through “Arts Reach,” a service pairing artists with community centers and Boy’s and Girl’s Clubs to provide dancing and acting lessons to children that would not otherwise have access to such experiences. For the last three years he has provided dance instruction at the “La Casita” fundraiser, a local non-profit agency which supports Hispanic women and children who are in need. He also recently created a Latin Dance class for the LGBT Community, a first in Louisville.

Pete Sandoval

Powerful Lion
St. Louis USA

“I create a playful and loving universe by making dreams come true through embracing the divine.”

Co-founder of Boys to Men program in its inception in St. Louis. He has mentored youth in a residential treatment center through Viva Vox. He has staffed several Living the Mystery weekends. He has reared a son as a single parent. Pete is currently a Counseling Intern with Lutheran Family and Child Services and will soon complete his graduate degree in counseling.

Charles Maclean

Worthy Engaged Ibex
Northwest, USA

“To ignite passion for conscious community give-back.”

Charles’s life-long passion was “championing” (his word) philanthropy in individuals and organizations. His credo: “It is through giving and receiving that we discover what matters to us and … therefore who we are. We cannot not give and be fully human. I am convinced that much of the pain in the world comes from not giving and the joy comes from giving.” He was a founder of the multi-generational Trillium Hollow Co-Housing community, a “family of families” in Portland, Oregon. Charles was also was passionate in his support of basic sanitation rights and dignity for every human being.

Jim Closs

Spiderwolf
Montreal Canada East

“I create a world of passionate, empowered people through blessing, challenging, and sharing my gifts.”

Founding director of Boys to Men Canada, currently serving as board secretary. Mentor at the BTM circle of boys at Riverdale High School. Founding director of the Riverdale CFER (Centre for entrepreneurial and recycling training – English translation), a “work study”
programme for students who are unlikely to get their high school leaving certificate. The mission is to: – Develop autonomous students – Produce engaged citizens – Train productive workers.

Elbert Jamison

Puma Rising
Detroit, USA

“My Mission is to Create a Safe World by Loving and Accepting Myself and Others.”

Elbert has a deep abiding passion, extending over 20 years, for the Adult Children of Alcoholics recovery program. During this time, Elbert has supported the ACA at all positions of leadership, from local meetings to the Intergroup Board level, helping to assure the ACA’s continued mission and service to the Metro Detroit area.

Bravehearts I-Group

Bravehearts I-Group
New England, USA

“Aider mon prochain au meilleur de mes connaissances, sans me perdre moi-même.”

“Through diverse missions of service we co-create a thriving community by giving back with random acts of kindness.”

The Bravehearts I-Group lives its mission of service one give-away at a time. They commit to one community service project per month, and are blessed to serve while having fun together. Among their many community deeds, they have performed yard cleanups for those in need, cooked dinner for an AIDS Support group, moved a battered woman and her two children to safety, mentored boys with Habitat for Humanity, adopted a family for Christmas, and were Santa’s elves for families needing support at the holidays.

Keith Carlson

Love Dog with a Lion Heart
New Mexico, USA

“I create a world of love and authentic connection by living in love and authenticity.”

Keith is a highly respected registered nurse and life coach. Among his many acts of service, he gives ongoing volunteer care for an elderly couple on hospice in Santa Fe, is a champion for his I-group doing regular volunteer service at the Interfaith Homeless Shelter. He does ongoing volunteer service for elderly women in his cohousing community. He offers volunteer First Aid and safety training for community children. He co-coordinates, with his wife, free Laughter Yoga events for the Santa Fe community. He also co-hosts an Internet radio show that serves as a voice for the development of a larger vision of the nursing profession.

Steven Vedro

Regal Monkey
Wisconsin, USA

“I create a safe and compassionate world by remembering my light and seeing yours.”

Steven has staffed a number of Prison Truth Project weekends and has begun the groundwork to establish a weekend and ongoing presence at the Fox Lake WI Correctional institution. He is a Hospice Volunteer Caregiver, energy healer, and the founder of an online
Blessing Circle.

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Roy Marsden

Bald Eagle with Open Heart
Wisconsin, USA

“I create a healed and loving world by healing myself and being open-hearted and completely present with all beings.”

For many years Roy has been a member of the Cambridge WI EMT, going out on untold numbers of calls, helping people in distress. His dedication and passion to service motivated him in his 50’s to take several years of course-work, prior to applying and being accepted in the Physicans Assistant program at the University of Wisconsin. After two years of additional course work and clinic practicum, Roy entered an active practice at the Watertown WI Regional Medical Center. Roy continues to serve with the Cambridge EMT. He also has served as he “Doc” on NWTA’s. As a warrior healer Roy exhibits some of the best of what a mission driven life can be.

Clive R.A. Cheetham

Mischievous Microorganism
Hawaii, USA

“I accept, appreciate, and allow to unfold, the world I create as I communicate, connect, and collaborate.”

Clive works with nature and people to create systems of natural, regenerative agriculture. He has a strong sense of civic duty and his work brings many benefits to many people. Clive has dedicated the last fifteen years to creating a ‘learning site’ for natural regenerative agriculture on 22 acres of leased marginal farmland.

Millan Patel

Black Jaguar
British Columbia, Canada

“I create an empowered world through the unconditional acceptance of others.”

Millan works through a non-profit he co-founded, the Rare Disease Foundation, to provide hope and help to children and their families suffering from rare diseases. In five years this registered charity has expanded to now offer an international micro-granting program to foster an innovative model of care-focused research. Rare Disease Foundation parent to parent resource networks have also flourished to provide places where the vast amount of knowledge accumulated by parents over their long clinical journeys can be shared and help other parents in crisis.

Joseph C. Glennon

Awesome Butterfly
San Diego, USA

“I create a world rich in meaning by building connections.”

Joe teaches weekly classes in Non-Violent Communication (also called Compassionate Communication) throughout San Diego and Orange Counties for the past two years. Each class is a 13-week study of the work of Marshall Rosenberg, using his textbook, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life. He does this as a give-back to the community. In 2013 he taught NVC at Cherokee Point Elementary School in San Diego. He volunteers at River Valley Charter School, using his computer engineering skills to help members of the Robotics Club learn how to use their computers for practical, productive purposes, contributing more than 100 hours last year.

Robert (Bob) Mauss

Mourning Dove
New Orleans, USA

“To create a world of belonging, where the abandoned and excluded enter back into wholesome relationships with their fellow man.”

The oldest of ten in his family from rural Iowa, Bob left home to join a religious community of Brothers, where, along with fellow members, he worked for ten years in agriculture with the people of Timor, Indonesia. Upon returning home Bob chose to leave the religious community to marry his wife Dierdre in New Orleans. They share like ministries to the poor and support one another in their work and prayer for seventeen years now. Currently Bob works with homeless families to reestablish their housing, assisting them with accessing housing while they go back to work and strengthen and rebuild their families.

Jeremy Farson

Fiercely Loving Brown Bear
Philadelphia, USA

“With help from Christ Jesus I co-create a world of freedom and redemption by fiercely loving broken men, and mentoring them to free others from their bondage.”

Jeremy Farson is a mentor to many lost men from the streets of Philadelphia. A father to the fatherless…Rehabilitating people and teaching them to mentor others. He impacts generations. He’s forever tirelessly in pursuit of those in need, approaching the tired, afraid, empty souls with huge acceptance and understanding for their stories. Jeremy is dedicated to transforming his community. He models strength for the weak, and molds fatherless boys into men. Jeremy teaches all that they have purpose and gifts they were created to share, that the hard streets so desperately need.

Bob Banner

Black Leopard
Santa Barbara, USA

“To create a safe and joyful world by helping men, women and children see the brilliance in their souls by blessing and honoring their gold.”

Bob’s conscious media programs and film screenings share cutting edge insights and positive solutions for life. Bob’s work encourages and inspires awareness and action toward passionate engagement in the world. He is a writer, workshop leader, laughter yoga Teacher, writer workshop leader and has recently started a twice a month Deep Conversation Gatherings with both men and women to engage in “going deeper” in all ways.

Daniel Sullivan

Peaceful Spotted Wolf with Soaring Eagle
Central Plains, USA

“To create a safe and joyful world by helping men, women and children see the brilliance in their souls by blessing and honoring their gold.”

Bob has been in an ongoing relationship with the Native American Men from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation for the past 6+ years. He is also very active on several boards and committees in 12 step recovery programs locally and within the State of Iowa.

Dick Granoff

Playful Lion
Los Angeles, USA

“I cultivate inner peace within myself and others by watering the seeds of love, compassion, joy and gratitude that are in us all.”

Since retiring in 2006, Dick has touched the lives of others via a variety of volunteer endeavors. He also served the MKPLA community as Elder Community Chair and Center Director. His work includes: Hosting and facilitating a weekly spirituality book-study and sharing circle, Facilitating discussions & weekly video presentations at a local Senior Center, Answering calls on the Community Help Line, Serving on his church Pastoral Care Team, and Creating and hosting a bi-monthly church Men’s Covenant Group.

Dennis Shackley

True Cheetah
Arizona, USA

“To create a world where all people are conscious,empowered, and blessed by being present each and every moment of my life.”

Dennis Shackley has worked with hospice for three years, helping people in the final stage of their lives. He has also volunteered regularly in the Phoenix inner city, serving meals and counseling the homeless, as part of Andre House. He is also mentoring eleven men to help them in their personal journeys.

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