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Nancy Allen 2013 recipient Nancy Gordon Allen is a longtime resident of Fayetteville and the daughter of Wes Gordon. She and her husband Nate were the driving force behind the creation of the Wes Gordon Golden Deeds Award. She is a retired teacher from Fayetteville Pub- lic Schools. She describes herself growing up as a "chamber of commerce girl." "My father grew up in a very small town in western Kansas called Hill City. From visits there, I can attest to the fact that it was neither a hill nor a city. My grandfather was a carpenter and they had little money. College seemed uppity to his parents. So, after he completed high school, he left Hill City to make his way," Allen said. "He put on his debate jacket, packed his cardboard suitcase, and took a bus to Topeka." Wes Gordon worked as a reporter for the Topeka Daily Capital newspaper and worked his way up to being the editor while attending college off and on. "He would work and save enough money to take some time off to go to college. It took him 10 years, but he completed college at the University of Kansas," Allen said. "I was so proud of his tenacity. Only after he felt he was somewhat fi- nancially stable, did he marry my mother, Helen." On the way to their honeymoon in New Orleans, Wes and Helen Gordon passed through Fayetteville. They thought it was beautiful and hoped to live there after the war. Recalling a memory from when her father was president of the Chamber, she said, "We only got to take one vacation. We drove to Colorado. On the day we arrived, daddy was notified that Standard Register was showing some interest in locating in Fayetteville. We turned around and came back. I was disappointed then, but Standard Register located here and employed many people through a lot of years." Above all, she remembers him as a wonderful father. "He taught me to play softball, board games and jump rope. But, most importantly, he taught me to tell the truth and be accountable for my actions. He taught me to stand up for what I believed to be right, even if it was not popular," she said. Giving back to the community is important to Allen. "When I was no longer teaching, I was fortu- nate to have enough time to do volunteer work. While it could be called giving back, it was also very interesting learning about how the city op- erates. I served on the City Council and Planning Commission and several other boards." Another volunteer passion for her was work- ing with the Yvonne Richardson Center. "I had taught at Jefferson School. When it was closed, it seemed to me that the children who lived near the school were underserved," she said. "I thought the Yvonne Richardson Center could help fill that void." Recounting an early impression she had of the Chamber, Allen said, "I remember asking daddy about his job and what was a chamber of commerce. It appeared to me as a kid that he just drank coffee and talked to businessmen at the dime store." she recalled. "I didn't realize then, the networking they were doing over coffee. He said that the role of the Chamber was to do things to- gether that they couldn't do alone. I suppose that definition still applies today as well as any." She is cautiously happy about the growth she's seen since those days watching her father drink coffee with businessmen. "The Fayetteville I grew up in has changed significantly. But not all change is progress," she noted. "I hope we will plan our growth carefully and not lose all of what makes us special." There are many things Allen loves about the city she has been so dedicated to. "The University keeps us young with ideas and diversity," she said. "I love the beauty of our city. Fayetteville is my heart. I have always been proud to live here." 11 Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce

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