And this year’s Kennewick Man and Woman of the Year are … Kevin Veleke and Sue Frost.
The two community leaders – both champions for public education, children and veterans in the Tri-Cities – were honored at the annual awards ceremony on Feb. 24.
The awards date back to the mid-1940s. Former Kennewick mayor Lawrence Scott –namesake of Lawrence Scott Park on Canal Drive – won the first Kennewick Man of the Year. The first Woman of Achievement was Blanche Dickinson Pratt, a founder and the first president of the East Benton County Historical Society along with many other civic endeavors.
Ever since, the awards are given to those who have been servants of the public in Kennewick and often the broader Tri-City region.
Veleke’s nomination noted his years of service as Kennewick School District’s risk management advisor but also eight years leading the district’s Citizens Bond & Levy Committee. That work allowed the district to build schools and support student learning as Kennewick grew.
Veleke, who served in the Marines, also took on rehabilitating the region’s veterans memorials. With the support from numerous community organizations and individuals, he brought the shine back to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Regional Veterans Memorial in Columbia Park.
“As a volunteer I saw Kevin’s hands-on style of leadership up close,” said Kirk Williamson, the 2000 Kennewick Man of the Year, in Veleke’s nomination. “He brings smarts, resilience and energy to the task at hand.”
Frost’s commitment to the community includes providing numerous college scholarships for students and veterans, including support for the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program (HAAP) scholarship program. She was an integral part of the committee that built the Kennewick Boys & Girls Club. The Blue Mountains Council of Scouting America honored her in 2023 with a North Star Award for her dedication to youth.
She is also involved in the Veterans Court program and has supported her neighbors via wildfire protection efforts and advocating for the installation of sidewalks and a rest area in her hilly neighborhood.
“Sue is truly amazing. She doesn’t seek acknowledgment, rather she uses her treasures and time to create a positive impact in the community she loves,” wrote Marilee Eerkes in Frost’s nomination. “Sue is an inspiration to all who know her.”