An Attica couple was presented with the Distinguished Hoosier Award Aug. 9.
Attica Mayor Duane Roderick made the presentation to Robert and Melinda Shepherd. The Attica council and several others were in attendance at Ravine Park for the awards presentation.
The couple have been very active in the community, which Roderick explained in his nomination of them.
âBob and Melinda Shepherd have been icons in the City of Attica for many years,â he wrote. âBob is the former mayor and he and Melinda have always had a passion for bettering our city.
âBob also has created a bird sanctuary by the Wabash River. Bob and Melinda have also donated several sculptures and works of art to the City of Attica.
âBob is a found member of the Attica Community Foundation. I dedicated the city trails to bob. They are now known as the Robert Shepherd Trails.
âBob is also a founding member of Attica Main Street.â
At the meeting Roderick told the audience that he and others started in the spring talking about the many things the Shepherds have done for the community. âOn July 1 I send in a recommendation to the governor. I got this email back on July 30.
âIt says, âGood afternoon, mayor. Thank you again for nominating the Shepherds for recognition by the governor. We have completed our review and the governor would be glad to recognize the Shepherds with the Distinguished Hoosier Award. The Distinguished Hoosier recognizes those who have distinguished themselves through significant contributions to their communities, whose qualities and characteristics reflect the best of Indiana, and whose actions have rightly endeared them in the hearts and minds of all Hoosiers.
âFrom what youâve shared, the Shepherds sound like just such people.â
Roderick them read the award proclamation from the Office of Gov. Eric Holcomb.
âTo all to whom these presence may come, greetings. Whereas some individuals distinguish themselves through significant contributions to their communities,
âWhereas the qualities and characteristics of such individuals reflects the best of the great state of Indiana,
âWhereas the actions of these individuals endear them in the hearts and minds of all Hoosiers,
âand Whereas the individual named below is such a person who has earned the respect and admiration of Hoosiers across the state and is worthy to join those so honored,
âNow therefore, I, Eric J. Holcomb, Governor of the State of Indiana, do hereby declare and appoint Robert and Melinda Shepherd as Distinguished Hoosiers.
âIn testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and caused to be affixed the great Seal of the State of Indiana, done this Ninth day of August in the year 2021.â
The couple then received a standing ovation and were greeted with well-wishes from those in attendance.
