Waldenmeyer receives coveted Enrique “Kiki” Camarena award
By Dee Longfellow
For The Elmhurst Independent
Frank Burr, one of the National Directors of the Elks Club Drug Awareness program and the Drug Awareness Chairman for the state of Illinois, was invited to the podium by Mayor Steve Morley to talk about two awards that were presented to Elmhurst Police Sgt. Nick Waldenmeyer.
“Every year [the Elks] nominate someone like [Waldenmeyer] with the National Special Achievement Award,” Burr said. “The common theme is that [the recipient] is dedicated to helping youth and their families by providing guidance, education and seminars, and most of all, a good heart and soul.
“At this time, I would like to award Sgt. Nick Waldenmeyer the Elks National Drug Awareness Team Special Achievement Award for outstanding performance, and it is signed by the National Director of Elks Clubs.”
Also each year, the national program asks every Elks lodge to nominate someone for the Enrique “Kiki” Camarena award, also bestowed upon Waldenmeyer. The award is named for a D.E.A. agent who literally gave his life for the war on drugs, according to Burr, having been tortured and killed by a Mexican drug cartel. Each lodge is reminded of Camarena’s statement, “One person can make a difference.”
