Carbondale Lions honor Les Winkeler

On Thursday, July 14, some 30 Carbondale Lions Club members and guests attended a buffet dinner at Bandana's BBQ in Carbondale to present the 2022 David Kenney Award to Les Winkeler of Harrisburg.

Lions Club President Brad Hagy was the master of ceremonies, and the featured speaker was Lion Jerre Pfaff, a personal friend of the late David Kenney.

The Kenney Award recognizes an individual from southern Illinois who exemplifies a spirit of patriotism, dedication and service toward making the community a better place to live, work and enjoy.

Winkeler spent 31 years writing for the Southern Illinoisan newspaper as outdoor editor and sports editor. He retired in 2019. He is a member of the Illinois Outdoor Hall of Fame, a conservationist and co-founder of CLEAN SolL, a litter clean-up campaign.