The Times 2017 Unsung Heroes gathered Tuesday for a recognition luncheon at St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church. Pictured, from left, are Carol Berry. Tonya Shearer, Gail Crutchfield, Barbara Ragsdale, Lt. Danny Hite and Edward Warnke.

Community service comes in a wide range of areas, from providing shelter for families to assisting young farmers with growing and harvesting crops.

This year’s Unsung Heroes, nominated by readers of The Times, are six people who work mainly behind the scenes of efforts that reach into the lives of thousands of people across Cullman County. These are people who are dedicated to service and would be the last to ask or seek recognition for their work.

Those who see their work unfold and how it affects others in the community took special note of the ongoing dedication of touching lives quietly and effectively. A luncheon is provided each by The Times to take time to say thank you, with the hope that recognition of their service will inspire others to come forward with their talents to lend a hand across our community.

These individuals play a vital role in improving the quality of life across Cullman County.

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Carol Berry 

Carol Berry brought a new age of hope to area women when she established the non-profit Restoring Women Outreach.

As part of a prison ministry she saw many young women incarcerated on drug charges, sent to rehabilitation, and returning home with nowhere to go.

Noticing that Cullman had halfway houses for men after rehab, offering a variety of support services, Berry went to work gathering support to establish the same care for local women. After numerous speaking engagements and meetings, donations began to come in. With growing support she was able to purchase a home that became the area’s first halfway house for women, now known as the Frady House in honor of Dorothy Frady.

The work to assist women transitioning back into society is continuing. There are now three homes in Cullman for women, each at capacity and with waiting lists.

Berry serves as CEO of Restoring Women Outreach, which operates on Christian principles and is nonprofit. It offers a 12-step recovery program dedicated to restoring hope and rebuilding lives of addicted women in a 12-18 month residential recovery process. Women are offered individual and group counseling, life skill classes, work therapy, GED preparation, intensive addiction classes, Bible classes, community outreach, as well as other classes.

Berry was nominated by Sandi Bockhold.

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Tanya Shearer 

Tanya Shearer makes service to others a regular part of her life through several efforts in the community.

One of the most noticeable roles she plays is behind the scenes for the annual Empty Bowls project, which benefits Cullman Caring for Kids’ food bank.

Shearer spearheaded the first Empty Bowls fundraiser dinner in 2003 and has continued as an organizer of bringing the huge effort together each year. During the 14 years of the program, Empty Bowls participants have donated $150,000 to Cullman Caring for Kids.

Through the years, Shearer has worked in the Cullman Area Workforce Solutions program, coordinated the Keeping It Real and Educator Exchange projects, volunteers with United Way and in public schools.

A talented writer, Shearer has written and published a children’s book for Empty Bowls, written newspaper columns, devotions and has had three stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Shearer was nominated by Bobby Nolen.

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Gail Crutchfield 

Gail Crutchfield has long been known for her creative talents as a writer, but much more has been going on in her life.

As marketing/communications coordinator at Wallace State Community College, Crutchfield has been a rallying force for getting people involved in Relay for Life. For her, it’s not just an annual even or something to think about once in a while.

Crutchfield promotes Relay for Life throughout the year, not just the event, but the purpose. Involvement is a way to remind others how cancer impacts individuals and families throughout the community.

Survivors have stories to tell that encourage others as they undergo treatment and face trying times.

Never seeking attention for bringing together co-workers and members of the community for fighting cancer and recognizing the victories is a tireless effort on her part that has brought greater participation in the area.

Crutchfield was nominated by LaDonna Allen.

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Barbara Ragsdale

Barbara Ragsdale for years has quietly threaded a pattern of building cooperation and goodwill among people in the community for the purpose of helping those in need.

Beyond the private acts of kindness for friends or strangers, Ragsdale has played an important role in working through churches to stronger bonds for helping needy families. Bringing them together for common purposes, such as raising for funds for people facing difficult times or supplying food banks are some of the quiet actions that have helped many people.

Always industrious and looking for ways to lend assistance, Ragsdale once compiled and regularly updated a community calendar, which included both church and other activities.

Ragsdale was nominated by Loretta Gillespie.

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Lt. Danny Hite

Lt. Danny Hite sees a lot of Cullman, from high above and on the ground.

As chief pilot with the Cullman Police Department, Hite plays a tremendous role in in community safety. When a suspect flees into a wooded area after a crime or police are searching for marijuana fields, Hite is sure to be called upon to take up the helicopter for searches.

But he’s also a rescuer.

An Alzheimer’s patient who is lost will find Hite taking flight to assist with the search.

Aside from the normal duties, what few people know is the above and beyond spirit of the officer. He has granted the wish of a child dying from cancer a ride in a helicopter. In the public schools, he plays the “bad guy” as officers teach children about self defense.

Every Christmas, Hite flies Santa Claus to the Elks Lodge to deliver gifts to children. During that same time period he flies a helicopter full of toys to children at Children’s Hospital.

As a skilled pilot, Hite wrote the original grant that started the police department’s aviation division more than 20 years ago.

Hite was nominated by Cindy Rohrscheib.

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Edward Warnke

Edward Warnke is a lifetime farmer, learning from his grandfathers, uncles and father.

Recognized for years as one of the most prolific growers of sweet potatoes, he gives a lot of his time to teaching young farmers about growing and marketing their products. Many young farmers are know to stop by his place to see how he grows plants, harvests and sends his products to market.

As a volunteer at Cullman Primary School, Vinemont schools and the Cullman County Extension Office, Warnke works with students and residents to promote farming and the rich values of sweet potatoes.

In his farming career, Warnke has worked closely with the Auburn University and Louisiana State University Experiment Stations to pilot new varieties of sweet potatoes and new farming techniques concerning the crop.

Warnke also promoted sweet potatoes for health values and was an early advocate of restaurants serving sweet potato fries through his service on the Alabama Sweet Potato Board of Directors.

People travel hundreds of miles to buy his potatoes, learn more about their health values and farming. At 70 years old, Warnke’s love of farming and educational mission has brought a lot of knowledge to others.

Warnke was nominated by his daughter, Shannon Warnke Bridges.