(Chelsea Update would like to thank Jamie Vassel for the information in this story.)
Rick Eder, owner of Rick Eder Insurance-Farm Bureau Insurance, was honored with the Everyday Hero Award at the annual “Night of Heroes” event.
The award celebrates the lives of everyday people in the workplace who through extraordinary commitment, courage, compassion, and integrity are changing lives and inspiring others.
To be an Everyday Hero one has to be a proven leader, selfless and committed to enhancing the lives of others. His daughter, Corynne, recognized these qualities in her father and nominated him for the award.
Leadership manifests itself in two ways, publicly and privately, and Eder is a rare leader who excels at both.
He is a major supporter of Ele’s Place, a local nonprofit that provides support for grieving children and their families. As someone who lost his father as a young child, Eder knows how important their mission is and has been running a golf outing to raise funds to support the cause.
He is also involved with the Chelsea United Way, which he served two years as board president. As an independent owner of a Farm Bureau Insurance agency, Eder uses his business to help and serve his community. When local schools need money to support health and wellness programming or sponsoring an essay contest they know they can count on his support.
And, the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Eder’s outstanding commitment to his community and named him their 2014 Citizen of the Year.
Even with all that volunteer work, Eder finds time to raise a family and run his insurance agency. He also serves as past-president of the Washtenaw County chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.
As a small-business owner and a family man, he inspires with his many small gestures of kindness and respect. Whether it’s offering a kind word to a friend in need, pulling a parade float or sitting atop the Lion’s Club Dunk Tank at the local fair, Eder is always there.
His public and private leadership make Rick Eder a RARE Everyday Hero.
Eder was honored alongside nine other heroes and five RARE “Everyday Hero” Scholarship recipients from Michigan schools. The unique scholarship program engages youth through the process of discussion, discovery and writing about the Everyday Heroes in their communities.
Over 450 scholarships were submitted; five recipients each received a $2,500 college scholarship.
The RARE Everyday Hero Scholarship program is currently seeking scholarship submissions. The deadline is Dec. 1. To learn more about the program or how to apply for a scholarship please click here.
Winning Futures is an award winning nonprofit organization that makes a difference in the lives of young people by offering school-based mentoring programs and workshops for middle school and high school students in Southeast Michigan. Its programs focus on the life skills of character value identification, goal setting, career preparation, and strategic planning.
Founded in 1994 by entrepreneur Sam Cupp, Winning Futures now partners with organizations throughout the country to implement our life skills workbooks and activities. For more information, click here or call 586-294-8449.
