‘A special heart.’ 2 years of Kennewick’s most worthy residents surprised with awards

Kennewick residents made the community a better place to live in the last two years by furnishing homes for the previously homeless, making sure every student has a good academic experience and improving services for cancer patients.

Four who did even more were surprised Thursday night by being named Kennewick man or woman of the past two years at a ceremony at the Convention Center.

Because the event was postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic, honorees were picked for 2020 and 2021.

2020 Woman of the Year

Alisha Piper, the community block grant coordinator in Kennewick, went beyond her city job to launch a volunteer effort that helped 16 formerly homeless individuals and families become settled in new apartments.

When she heard that the Kennewick Housing Authority was building the 16-unit Lilac Apartments for homeless families, she knew the people who would live there would need some help getting started.

The new apartments came with a couch, bed, kitchen table and chairs, but the new renters, which included people with disabilities and veterans, needed far more to furnish their homes.

She drew up a spreadsheet, listing items like linens, shower curtains, lamps and food, and started filling her family’s formal living room and then their shed.

As word spread, a church, friends, businesses and organizations, including Soroptimist International of Pasco-Kennewick, jumped in to help.

Piper collected about $20,000 worth of cash and household goods, including gift cards for perishable food, and then led 40 volunteers who met on a Sunday to stage the apartments.

“... (S)he cares deeply for those who are less fortunate and wanted to do something special, something that would aid these families in new housing and help make these units, not a house, but a welcoming home,” said her nomination.

2020 Man of the Year

In the 12 years since Jeff Groce became a permanent Kennewick resident, word has gotten out that when something needs doing, he’s the person to call, according to his nomination.

His own children were grown, but he coached for the Kennewick American Youth Baseball Association and played a key role in getting the infields rebuilt. When the new clubhouse was built, he donated his own business furniture to furnish the top floor.

In addition to serving as president of the association for three years, he was instrumental in bringing the Cal Ripken tournaments to Kennewick.

That’s just one of the organizations for which he volunteers.

He has served on the Trios Foundation Board, been in charge of parking for the Water Follies, raised money with Columbia Center Rotary to fight human trafficking and provides support for recovering drug users through Circle of Hope.

When the Domestic Violence Center had one if its apartments for women destroyed by an abuser, Groce organized workers and contractor to rebuild and refurbish the apartment.

2021 Woman of the Year

Gloria Williamson “has a special heart for kids who are ‘different,’ especially those who have challenges like autism, mental health issues, awful home lives or have just not been able to learn,” said her nomination.

Before she retired from teaching, her principal at Vista Elementary in Kennewick would put children who had never before had a good year in school into Williamson’s class, knowing that they would be OK there.

Leadership Tri-Cities called on her for 20 years to give a 20-minute talk on the challenges some students she teaches face. They would come to school, hungry, neglected or abused.

She mentored student teachers not just when they were at her school, but after they became teachers. She met with some of them monthly to offer support years after they had their own classrooms, her nomination said.

She and her daughter started teaching math at the Union Gospel Mission just before the pandemic. Although the pandemic ended the program, one of their first students still passed his GED after a string of previous failed attempts, the nomination said.

Since Williamson retired, she’s spent extra time with a grandson with Asperger’s, the two of them working on his academics at the kitchen table. Together they have visited nearly every county courthouse in the state of Washington.

“She is a quiet, effective servant leader who has made a difference in many, many lives,” her nomination said.

2021 Man of the Year

Chuck DeGooyer’s history with the Tri-Cities Cancer Center started when it was only an idea, helping bring the three Tri-Cities hospital together to form the center.

And it continued through his retirement as chief executive of the center in 2020.

“Chuck has made an indelible mark on cancer care in the Tri-Cities, providing vision, leadership and inspiration to the entire cancer center organization,” said Reza Kaleel, chairman of the center’s board, when DeGooyer retired.

In the seven years that DeGooyer led the organization it became the first center in the nation to earn American Society of Radiation Oncology accreditation through its Accreditation Program for Excellence.

The center also was awarded accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, which focuses on shortening time to treatment and improving outcomes.

He is a past president of Kiwanis Club of Kennewick and led the effort to work with Amistad Elementary, the Kennewick school with the most low income students. The club managed 16 activities that included Lunch Buddies, Accelerated Reading, Jog-a-thon, community gardening and a student pen pal program.

Now the program serves as a model for other schools.

Degooyer also has taken over leadership of the Kiwanis Club of Kennewick Foundation, increasing donations by almost 30% and doubling money for scholarships.

This story was originally published June 13, 2022 at 8:16 PM.