Giving back: Short wins St. Joseph Chamber Citizen of the Year

Tim Short loves St. Joseph.

He and his wife, Amy, moved to St. Joseph in 1992 and never thought of moving anywhere else to raise their family.

“It feels like I have been here my entire life,” Short said.

Short said there is much to love about St. Joseph. That was reiterated to him when the community found out he was battling colon cancer. When Amy was diagnosed with Glioblasoma, an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord, the community rallied around the Short family again.

“(There are) great people that care for one another,” he said. “Amy and I have been blessed with a huge support system in our time of need. Thank you is never ever going to be words enough for all that this community has done and continues to do for us.”

Short said that while the residents make St. Joseph great, he feels the same sentiment applies to the local schools, sports teams, restaurants and community groups.

Due to his volunteer work in the community he cherishes, Short was selected as the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year.

He will be honored at the annual Chamber Banquet held at 6 p.m. on April 25 at the Wheelhouse in St. Joseph.

Chamber of Commerce Vice President Jim Wagner said Short was a logical choice for the honor.

“He helps out others in their time of need without question,” Wagner said.
Short is a fixture in the area softball community.

All three of his daughters — Maureen, Audrey and Katherine — have all played softball and Tim coached the Central Illinois Diamonds, a local travel team.

But it is his work with the St. Joseph-Ogden High School softball team that most people think of when they think of Short.

Short was instrumental in the naming of “Randy Wolken Field” as well as selling concessions, helping prepare the diamond, setting up the batting cage, getting water off the diamond and helping at the summer softball camp.

Wagner said Short is committed to helping out with sports in St. Joseph. These include the teams his daughters play on, but also those they do not play on.

“He is very involved with helping develop all the kids involved,” Wagner said. “The kids look up to him.”

Short has also volunteered his time with scouts, the summer softball board, the St. Joseph-Stanton Fire Protection District and numerous community fundraisers.

“He seems to put what he has to do for himself second to helping out others,” Wagner said. “He has a great heart. He was at his own fundraiser on a Saturday and on Monday was at another helping cook pork chops from start to finish.”

Short said the importance of volunteering was instilled in him by his parents when he was growing up in LeRoy.

“My parents were involved in many of the activities of mine and my brothers,” he said. “We were all active in Boy Scouts, 4H and school activities. We had a sense of purpose and community.”

During Short’s senior year at LeRoy High School, he became a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician with the local Emergency Medical Services Agency.

“That was the beginning of one of my careers,” he said. “Being involved in EMS always led me to helping out.”

Upon moving to St. Joseph, Short and his wife were both EMTs serving with the Fire Protection District.

“After moving here, it was easy to continue my service to community,” Short said. “And of course that service just grows and grows.”

Short said serving the community is important to him and his family as a core value.

“I believe that everyone needs help at some point, and as long as I am able, then I should be helping out,” he said. “It provides a sense of belonging.”

For Short, volunteering comes naturally because he believes anyone can donate their time and energy.

“Time and energy are renewable commodities,” he said. “Providing time, energy and work always has something to show for the effort. All the money in the world can not complete a project, without people on the ground getting their hands dirty and doing the work.”

Short said he was honored, but surprised, to be selected as Citizen of the Year.

“This is quite an unexpected honor and I am humbled,” he said. “In my travels here and there, I am always proud to say I am from St Joseph, Illinois, and that this is my home. The people here are the family I have chosen to make my family with, and my friends are family.”