Kennewick honors man, woman of the year

A former Kennewick city manager and a former school librarian are the 2015 Kennewick Man and Woman of the Year.

Bob Kelly, who retired from the city of Kennewick, and Maureen Bell, who retired from the Kennewick School District, were honored with the community’s highest civic honors Monday at a banquet at the Three Rivers Convention Center.

The honors, which date to 1946, were presented by Soroptimist International of Pasco-Kennewick and the Kennewick Past Men of the Year Club.

Kelly served as Kennewick city manager for 14 years before retiring in 2003. In retirement, he threw himself into Tri-City civic life, racking up an impressive leadership resume and a reputation for getting results.

He has chaired the Kennewick Kiwanis Club’s fund-raising committee and served as past president and co-founder of the Columbia Basin Badger Club. He served on the boards of the the Tri-Cities Cancer Center’s Men’s Club and the Tri-City Development Council. He was an active supporter of the Playground of Dreams at Columbia Park and drove for Meals on Wheels.

“Because of Bob’s big and open heart, Kennewick is a much better place. While he made a greater impact on the development of Kennewick as city manager, Bob Kelley is making an even bigger impact by his volunteer leadership,” said Thomas Moak, 1995 Kennewick Man of the Year, in the nomination.

“So far as I know his only failure in the Tri-Cities is to protect our birds by scaring off the thieving squirrels,” wrote Bonnie Taylor, 2005 Kennewick Woman of the Year.

Maureen Bell, Kennewick Woman of the Year, was lauded as a “woman to be reckoned with.” Like Kelly, she is an active member of Kennewick Kiwanis. She helps coordinate Backpacks for Kids program and countless other campaigns.

She worked for Kennewick schools for 26 years as a librarian and served on the board of RSVP, which provides school supplies to at-risk students. She’s an original board member of the Literacy Connection Group that brings authors to Kennewick schools.

She is a participant in Terrific Kids, a volunteer program that provides students at Amistad Elementary with a mentor. The mentors provide tutoring, school supplies and help families manage challenges. Bell previously received the Kiwanis Hixson Award.

Her other commitments include serving on the S.H.A.K.E. board, helping seniors gather school supplies, the Volunteer Center Board, Toys for Kids and the Tri-Cities Cancer Center Guild.

She has a knack for recruiting volunteers to her causes, according to the nomination by Pat Johnson and Bonnie Taylor.

“Maureen will sidle up to you, lure you into what you think is small talk. Not until you walk away do you realize you’ve just volunteered for one of her projects, and, actually, you’re always glad,” they wrote.

“She is everything a Kennewick Woman of the Year ought to be ... a caring woman to be reckoned with.”

This story was originally published February 29, 2016 at 8:43 PM with the headline "Kennewick honors man, woman of the year."