Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, December 4, 2025. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
The Spring Valley Kiwanis Club, in mid-October, honored its 2025 Kiwanis Citizens of the Year, Spring Valley Area Ambulance Service co directors Lucy Drinkall, Sue Puffer and Mike Zimmer. The Kiwanis host a reception each year as a fundraising initiative to garner scholarship monies for graduating Kingsland seniors.
The club’s current president, Dennis Cornell, welcomed those at tending the Citizen of the Year recognition reception, calling the trio the “unsung heroes of this community” who “deserve every bit of recognition we can give them.” “They’re there 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. They’re there if you need them, and when you don’t, they’re in the background where they want to be. We really should be honoring these people who serve us so well.”
A friend of each of the co-directors stood to speak about their individual contributions to the Spring Valley area community and how they continue to make a difference for others still. Former emergency medical technician (EMT) Wes Peterson stated that when longtime Spring Valley ambulance director Jim Cooper passed away, the city had a difficult time filling his position because he’d done such an excellent job. “Efforts to fill his shoes were unsuccessful, but Sue, Mike and Lucy stepped up and agreed to share an annual salary. They were not in this for the money – they were doing it because they cared.” Peterson recounted an incident of his own that required EMT intervention, and he credited Puffer because “she out-stubborned me.”
Longtime EMT Jim McCabe spoke about Drinkall and how he’d had the opportunity to respond to calls with her as “friends and neighbors” who had come to know one another well.
Retired Fillmore County deputy Don Kullot “got to know Mike personally” after pulling him over for a burnt-out headlight, after which Zimmer’s daughters were employed with the Kullots as babysitters, Kullot and Zimmer ventured out to go fishing together, and when it came time to share space professionally, Zimmer was available to assist at the Kullot home. The attendees were advised to “learn from these folks and cherish them… they are a very special part of the community.”
The club provides the scholarships for graduating Kings land seniors, holds an annual children’s Halloween party at the community center, recognizes high school students for their achievements, hosts the annual Love Lights a Tree event at the city Christmas tree on High way 63, oversees volunteering at the Salvation Army kettle at Sunshine Foods each Christmas – Joe Bezdicek will be there if there isn’t anyone else available, collaborates to lend a hand with various community projects, and raises funds for Kiwanis Inter national’s global initiatives to support children.
A Nov. 24 post on the Spring Valley Kiwanis Facebook page shared that the “Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley is proud to be able to continue on with the Love Lights a Tree program that Loretta Ascheman coordinated for so many years.” “Thank you to everyone that gave donations for luminaries, and to all those that attended Sunday night’s program. If you were not able to at tend but would still like to donate, you can send donations to Love Lights a Tree, c/o Kiwanis Club of Spring Valley, P.O. Box 133, Spring Valley, MN, 55975. All donations are then used to help local cancer patients and those with other major medical expenses.”
The Spring Valley Kiwanis Club meets at noon on Wednesdays at the Spring Valley Community Center. Visitors interested in becoming Kiwanians are welcome to join them and learn more about the organization’s mission to serve children of the world and community.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
