Spirit of America 2014 nominee: Mary Kasten

Nominated by Cape Girardeau County Republican Women's Club

Mary Kasten speaks during the 158th District Republican Legislative Committee meeting Sept. 20, 2007, at Dexter Bar-B-Que in Cape Girardeau. (Southeast Missourian file)

The Republican Women's Club is proud to nominate Mary Kasten for the prestigious Spirit of America Award.

When not helping someone get a hand up, Mary can be found adorned in red, white and blue passing out copies of our nation's Constitution (which she buys herself). Once a schoolteacher, Mary was called to serve a larger segment of our population in the Missouri House, where she spent many years ... in the minority fighting for the principles she and her constituents believed in. When called to fulfill the remainder of a term, she returned to the House (in her 70s) to finally serve as a member of the majority. Serving is all Mary knows. She is a true stateswoman. Even today she can be found guarding America's integrity as well as all those who need someone to believe in them. That is why I am honored to nominate my idol, a true American sweetheart, to receive this award.

Community involvement:

* St. Andrew Lutheran Church.

* Too many to name. Mary has served on many charitable boards, nearly every board in town. She helped create some important organizations as well, like the Community Caring Council. Our community, minus Mary's impact, would be very different!

Nominated by Community Caring Council

Mary Kasten's commitment to the citizens of our community has been very significant and has had a major impact on their well-being. Mary's significant involvement with such a vast array of programs and organizations in Cape Girardeau demonstrate how dedicated she has been to the people she represented in so many ways. She has been a leader in many different phases of our community. Her ability to create partnerships with organizations to improve the overall impact of each of them has been demonstrated numerous times. Her intentional bringing together representatives from all the various state agencies in our area to improve their overall effectiveness was, and continues to be, replicated all over the state.

The fact that she founded the Community Caring Council as a way of demonstrating the effectiveness of local decision-making as it relates to how state agencies do their business was so successful that it became a prototype program and resulted in the development of 20 similar partnership organizations statewide. Her charge was always to empower the community to help individuals and families become self-reliant, resourceful and responsible. Mary is a champion for education at all levels, from her work with Head Start to her service as a commissioner of higher education. She is a very caring and giving person as many in our community have experienced.

Community involvement:

* St. Andrew's Lutheran Church.

* Community Caring Council.

* Pachyderm Club.

* 4-H associate.

* Cape Girardeau School Board member.

* Missouri School Board Association, member of board of directors for Missouri School Board.

* Vocational State Advisory Council.

* Cape Girardeau Civic Center board member.

* Cape Vision 2000 Committee.

* Visitation Board of Jails.

* League of Women Voters.

* Business Professional Women.

* PEO.

* Teen Challenge Auxiliary charter member.

* SEMO State University's Board of Regents.

* Helped initiate Cape Girardeau's Court Appointed Special Advocate Program,

* Received Friend of Mental Health Award from Community Counseling Center.

* Received 1991 Woman of Achievement Award from Zonta Club.

* June 1998 received the Barrier Freedom Award from SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence.

* April 13, 2000, Dr. Kasten and Rep. Kasten received the Outstanding Service Award at Southeast Hospital Association's annual meeting.

* July 14, 2000, honored with the Hope Award by Lutheran Family and Children's Services.

* March 24, 2001, received the 2001 Women's Impact Award from Girl Scouts of Otahki Council.

* March 2002 received the Bill Emerson Public Service Award.

* January 19, 2004, received the Dr. John C. Ritter Humanitarian Service Award.

* 2005 elected to the board of trustees of Southeast Hospital.

* Jan. 27, 2006, received the Rush H. Limbaugh Award from the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce.

* May 2006 the Community Caring Council dedicated the Kasten Community Development Center.