A Milwaukee television station held the first ever “Positively Milwaukee” awards to honor everyday heroes in southeast Wisconsin.
WTMJ-TV held the event at the Harley Davidson Museum and a one-hour special aired Oct. 20.
Event host and WTMJ-TV anchor Carole Meekins said the show highlights what’s right in the world.
“We’re inundated with negative information these days,” Meekins said. “To be able to shine a light on local people who do such good… well, that’s truly an honor and a privilege.”
The event honored:
Kitonga Alexander – a former classroom teacher who has made it his life’s mission to help give men a second chance at success after incarceration.
Sharon Wilczynski – an inspiring senior who keeps one of Racine’s busiest food pantries running smoothly.
Colleen DeLisle – a Waukesha teenager changing the world one book at a time with her focus on kids and literacy.
Dr. Kenneth Harris, Jr. – a retired Milwaukee Police Lieutenant who now devotes his life to community service and shaping young lives.
Robin and Leroy Harmon – a Glendale couple that fostered 70 children and works tirelessly to keep families together.
Mark Scholz – a West Bend man who passed away this year but left behind an inspiring legacy of community service.
Each winner received $1,000 for the charity of their choice.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Jabari Parker also received the Positively Milwaukee Beacon Award for his work with Milwaukee Public Schools, and former WTMJ anchor/reporter Bill Taylor received the Founders Award for launching the “Positively Milwaukee” news segments in the early 1990s.
