‘Outstanding example’ named Dodge Center Lions Citizen of the Year

Roger Langworthy of Dodge Center has been named the Dodge Center Lions Citizen of the Year by the club, with his nominator, Lion Carol Johnson, describing him as an ‘outstanding example’ of community support and spirit.
“I believe that Lion Roger Langworthy is an outstanding example of a community volunteer and deserves to be the 2021 Citizen of the Year,” Johnson wrote. “It is my honor to recommend Roger Langworthy as the Dodge Center Lions Citizen of the Year. I have worked with Lion Roger for several years on the Dodge Center Lions Santa Anonymous project. He is a vital part of the success of this very important program for families in our community. I know how much time he puts into that.”
Johnson said Langworthy is well-organized in receiving funds for Santa’s Anonymous and manages the donations to keep the program going. “He’s always there to help distribute the gifts the day that we give them out,” she said.
Last year because of the pandemic, the Lions handed out Santa’s Anonymous gifts at City Hall as families drove through because they couldn’t come into the building. More than 100 children receive gifts through the program each year.
“We have a wonderfully supportive community that donates the gifts or money to keep this program going,” Johnson said, “and who take care of the children so they have the best Christmas that they could hope for. Roger is a part of that.”
Families also receive gift cards to Sunshine Foods so they can fix and serve themselves a good Christmas dinner, and wrapping paper for the presents.
“We want them to have a really wonderful Christmas, and that’s in part because Roger helps with the contributions,” Johnson said.
Langworthy has participated as a Lion in other ways, including helping with their Halloween party and distributing dictionaries to third graders each year.
His thoughtfulness and concern for others has led him to volunteer in many organizations in Dodge Center and Dodge County. He has been involved in the Dodge County Salvation Army, Big Brother/Big Sister program, the peer support team for the Dodge County Sheriff Department as well as lead Chaplain with the Dodge County Chaplaincy program and treasurer of the Triton ministerium.
“Roger is a very kind man,” Johnson said. “He’s a gentle person.”
Langworthy has been a Lion for about 15 years, he guesses He’s lived most of his life in the area, graduating from West Concord High School in 1977 and then later the University of Minnesota Waseca, which has since closed.
He married his high school sweetheart, Melanie, and they have together raised four kids and eight grandchildren. For a time he was a full-time farmer but then he because pastor of Praise Fellowship Church in Dodge Center, which he helped found 35 years ago with couples from his Bible study.
He calls his Lions service “a blessing.” He said he loves co-chairing Santa Anonymous with Johnson. He handles making donations requests from area businesses and individuals, and finds it rewarding because “this community is so generous.”
Langworthy is also a bus driver for Triton Public Schools, and has been driving a bus for about 23 years. He is also a chaplain with the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office and has been doing that since its inception in 2017.
 
He said his various acts of service, including pastoring a church, driving a school bus, and serving as a chaplain through the Sheriff’s Office, as well as being a Lion, helped him feel very honored to receive the Lion Citizen of the Year award. When he got the call that he was selected he said, “Wow, what an honor, thank you!”
Langworthy’s family attended the Lions board meeting when he was named Lions Citizen of the Year. He received a plaque to commemorate the honor.
He said it’s tough to choose a favorite Lions moment, but considers distributing dictionaries to third graders and gifts via Santa Anonymous as his top contenders. “When these families come in and when they see how generous people in the community have been, either through gift donations or financial donations, to see the families amazed at what they get to take home to make their Christmas special… the satisfaction of seeing their delight is the most overwhelming. That’s special.”