By Mike Greife,
January 17, 2017
WARRENSBURG, MO - The University of Central Missouri and the Greater Warrensburg Area
Chamber of Commerce recognized Warrensburg resident Doug Christie and Warrensburg
High School sophomore Gabrielle Shull with the 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community
Service Awards at the monthly Chamber of Commerce luncheon Thursday, Jan. 12.
Christie received the Community Service Award, and Shull received the High School
Community Service Award, which is presented annually to a Johnson County high school
student. The awards are presented jointly by UCM and the Chamber as part of UCM’s
annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.
A supply sergeant in the Missouri Army National Guard, Christie also serves as chair
of the Johnson County CROP Walk. Under his leadership, Johnson County CROP Walk supports
other service providers such as The Food Center, Survival House and others with monthly
food drives and quarterly toiletry drives.
As chair of the CROP Walk, Christie established a partnership for alternating food
drives with Bi-Lo Country Mart, Wal-Mart and Woods Foods, and with Dollar General,
where the toiletry drives are conducted. In 2015, approximately 4,800 people were
provided with food and toiletries.
Each Thanksgiving the Johnson County CROP Walk team provides a Thanksgiving meal to
all who will come. This year more than 200 people were served, twice as many as last
year. In April 2016, the annual CROP Walk raised $2,000 more than in 2015.
Shull began her community service as a peer tutor in middle school, continuing to
work with middle school students in their academic studies as a high school student.
She has been a student ambassador, vice president of the student council and historian
for the Warrensburg High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of American chapter.
Shull’s greatest contribution has been her volunteer efforts to create awareness of
the need for funding for research for childhood cancer, not only at home, but around
the globe. As a cancer survivor, she works with the Truth 365 Childhood Cancer Campaign,
speaking to parents and students about her journey through life as an amputee. She
has been the subject of media articles throughout the world, telling her story in
hopes of raising awareness, and she has spoken to groups of 10 to 100 people at a
time, while continuing to serve her school and community.
