Minot’s Citizen of the Year
Volunteer, frontline workers recognized by mayor
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A dedicated community volunteer and frontline COVID-19 workers shared the spotlight in Mayor Shaun Sipma's announcement of Minot's Citizen of the Year during his State of the City Address Tuesday.
Vickie Phippins, who has donated her time and resources to a variety of good causes, didn't hesitate in choosing The Lord's Cupboard food pantry to receive the $1,000 grant that she is able to direct to a charity as Minot's 2020 Citizen of the Year. Her granddaughter, Jasmine Wallin, will receive $100 for her video entry nominating Phippins. The prizes come from contest sponsors.
Jean Schempp nominated all frontline workers, and Sipma acknowledged the work of healthcare and emergency responders as honorary Citizens of the Year.
Other nominees were Michael Sian, a martial arts instructor, and Liz Larsen, interim director of the Minot YWCA.
Phippins said she doesn't look for recognition so didn't get excited that she had been nominated for Citizen of the Year until she learned there was a $1,000 gift to her favorite charity attached to the selection.
"I thought that's pretty awesome," she said. Through her work with The Lord's Cupboard, she knew right away where her donation would go if she won.
"They can definitely use it during these times," she said. "We have a lot of new applicants all the time."
"Vickie deserves to be recognized as a Minot Citizen of the Year due to the variety of charitable activity she's involved herself in, and the overall kindness she displays to the people of our community," Wallin said in her video. "I'm excited to support Vickie for this recognition in our community, because she does so much for so many."
Phippins spent 39 years as a civil servant at the Minot Air Force Base and earned the recognition of Civilian of the Quarter on multiple occasions, as well as receiving the distinction of Civilian of the Year. During her working years, she was a Girl Scout leader and room mother at her children's school, supporting local sports teams and volunteering in other capacities. She volunteered many years with the Domestic Violence Crisis Center and the sexual assault hotline. She also takes part in local charity walks.
She has been an active member in her church, volunteering as a Sunday school teacher, working at Norsk Hostfest and the yearly carnival, baking and serving funeral luncheons and helping with kitchen cleanup. She helped plant a shrub garden outside the church in memory of her late husband.
Every year Phippins purchases five Christmas trees, including the lights and decorations, to give to families in need. She shops the Christmas clearance sales for baby outfits to give away in the following year and has donated many items to the hospital newborn intensive care unit.
Phippins works with a local soup kitchen along with her active role with The Lord's Cupboard.
"It's pretty neat to watch Vickie," the Rev. Gerald Roise said in the video. "She always wants to be quiet in the background and be that caring servant heart, but not to be in the limelight."
Roise noted how Phippins not only spends time with The Lord's Cupboard garden but she at times has taken along members of the community who can't or don't care to drive there themselves, so they can enjoy the fresh air and beautiful mornings in the garden.
Phippins volunteers with the American Red Cross, helping people displaced by house fires find a place to stay or setting them up with other resources.
"She never turns a friend away," Wallin said. "She often helps friends and family with cleaning and organizing, gardening and yard work. Being a great citizen extends past her local community of Minot. She was inspired by the volunteers from other communities that showed up to lend their support during the 2011 flood. Now she's an inspiration to others as her efforts with the Red Cross take her to other communities in our country dealing with disasters, such as floods, fires and hurricanes. Vickie also takes this to another level by volunteering on mission trips to build homes in other countries."
Roise said Phippins, even in foreign countries, is always on the lookout for special people in need. He recounted the time a missions group to El Salvador watched a grandmother buy her grandson an ice cream cone, leaving without buying ice cream for herself because she didn't have the money.
"Vickie picked up on it and ran down the street and brought grandma back and bought her an ice cream cone," Roise said. "The grandchild was so thrilled that grandma got ice cream as well."
Also on a mission trip, Phippins initiated arrangements for a tutor for a young man who was unable to go to school because he couldn't physically get there with his wheelchair.
"That's going above and beyond what the rest of us even thought about doing," Roise said.
"That is exactly how Vickie is creating magic in Minot by making a difference in so many lives and being an inspiration to others," Wallin said.
In her video, Schempp highlighted First District Health Unit, National Guard members and Trinity Health workers who have conducted COVID-19 testing. She acknowledged the efforts of ambulance crews and firefighters who responded to emergency calls and treated COVID-19 patients in their homes before transporting them to the hospital. She asked for recognition for emergency room workers and healthcare workers on COVID units who did their jobs even when overwhelmed.
"All of those individuals are our Citizens of the Year this year, and they deserve the utmost recognition and thanks from the citizens of Minot," Schempp said.