Osborn, Neuman win top honors

After a dark and challenging year like no other for local businesses, the Kingfisher Chamber of Commerce presented its top awards to one man who focused on creative pandemic relief and another who kept the lights on for Kingfisher Winter Nights.

Local restaurateur Scott Osborn and 2020 KWN president Steve Neuman were respectively named citizen and volunteer of the year at Monday night’s chamber banquet.

Both were lured on stage (and in Neuman’s case, lured from his new residence in Montrose, Colo.) under the misconception that they would be presenting the annual awards, only to learn they actually were the recipients.

Chamber board member Kaci Murray presented Osborn’s award, recognizing him for providing meals for those suffering from COVID-19, diversions for those struggling with pandemic fatigue and support for struggling downtown businesses.

Among other activities, Osborn hosted a fundraising meal for his employees who lost income during his restaurant closure, helped organize a Drag Main event, hosted a coat donation drive, Christmas party for foster teens, Crazy Days fundraiser for foster care and promoted other downtown businesses on social media.

“Scott, you truly have a servant’s heart,” Murray said. “Selflessly promoting other people’s businesses other than your own, generous, kind, caring, devoted and very much involved describes you.”

Fighting back emotion, Osborn said his determination to help others was triggered by “God saving my life more than once when doctors told my family I wasn’t going to make it.

“I think that happened for a reason and it gave me a purpose to do all I can to make life better for other people,” he said.

Osborn added that he also had lots of support for all of his various projects.

“I didn’t do anything alone and it wasn’t uncommon for someone to come up to me and hand me a $100 bill (to help pay for a project),” he said. “There are a lot of caring people here.”

Chamber board member Austin Lafferty presented Neuman his award, recognizing him for being a faithful volunteer for Kingfisher Winter Nights and then stepping up as president in 2020 when the pandemic canceled nearly every other holiday activity.

“He was doing everything he could to make sure the lights at the park were on during the Christmas season,” Lafferty said.

An avid cyclist, Neuman was an organizer of “Free Wheel,” an event that brought more than 500 cyclists to town several years ago and would have done so again last year if it hadn’t been canceled.

He’s also volunteered as a soccer coach for more than 10 years and organist and vocalist at the Kingfisher First United Methodist Church.

Chamber board member Jenny Nusz, who nominated Neuman, also presented him with a gift basket for his wife Molly Neuman and sons Will, Cooper and Henry, also avid volunteers who were watching the presentation from their Colorado home via livestream.

“I lived here for 19 years and Kingfisher will always be our home,” Neuman said in accepting the award. “I grew up in Alva, which is another close, caring community. That’s how Kingfisher feels to me.”

State Sen. Darcy Jech of Kingfisher presented legislative citations to both award winners.

Each of the citations also were signed by State Rep. Mike Dobrinski of Okeene and State Sen. Chuck Hall of Perry. Dobrinski also attended

Dobrinski also attended the banquet