TERRE HAUTE — In tough times, most of us hope there is someone in our corner, who still believes in us, our own ambassador to the world.
Terre Haute has that in Rod Henry, the Rev. Honnalora Hubbard and Cam Cameron. The efforts and lives of each received special attention this month, and gave this city reason to be proud.
Henry, president of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce, was named 2009 Executive of the Year by the Indiana Chamber Executives Association. Hubbard, director of Terre Haute Ministries, was chosen to serve on the Indiana Faith-Based Advisory Council. Cameron, offensive coordinator for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, had his basketball jersey number retired at his high school alma mater, Terre Haute South.
All three allow this community to believe that brighter days are ahead.
Consider Henry, for starters. He’s guided the local Chamber of Commerce for two decades. In that time, its membership has grown from 150 to more than 800 last year. Likewise, its membership budget has grown, from $141,000 to $500,000. In 2009, he helped initiate a health-care conference to discuss the federal health-care reform bill. Henry led the Chamber’s efforts to attract a second prison facility to the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex. He also built the Jobs Growth 2000 program, which combined various employment sectors into private-public investment initiative that has helped rejuvenate the Downtown district during its nine years.
His willingness to wade into difficult situations was recognized as well. “He is not fearful to take a stand on issues, speaking in behalf of the business community,” said Shelli Williams, president of the Indiana Chamber Executives Association.
In a nutshell, his is a positive voice for Terre Haute.
The same is true of Hubbard. She served as a point person for the Wabash Valley Long-Term Disaster Recovery Coalition in the wake of the June 7, 2008, flood in Terre Haute. That catastrophe also spawned a coalition of nearly 40 local churches that responded to the need for volunteers. Hubbard, a young minister who grew up in West Terre Haute, now leads that multi-denominational organization, Terre Haute Ministries.
Together, those distinctly different churches have pooled resources and manpower to assist needy people in the community. Instead of numerous churches having to stock food pantries, for example, a few can specialize in that area and connect those services to the others through the network. Other churches can focus on gas cards or bus tickets, family counseling or home repairs.
That fusion of people caught the attention of Ike Randolph, director of Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. “I think they’ve figured out the whole dynamic of the faith-based community working together,” Randolph said, during a visit to Terre Haute last year.
Last week, Randolph asked Hubbard to serve on the state’s Faith-Based Advisory Council, which — among other duties — works to develop and implement a 92-county disaster preparedness and response database. In Randolph’s invitation, he noted Hubbard’s “philosophy on life is refreshing and very inspiring.”
The ability to inspire is one of Cameron’s gifts, too. Many Terre Hauteans remember him best as the lanky, red-haired point guard who led Terre Haute South to three consecutive IHSAA boys basketball Final Four berths from 1977 to ’79. The jersey he wore was officially retired by the school Friday night. Other locals will recall him quarterbacking the Braves football team, when head coach Bobby Clements let Cameron call some of his own plays in the huddle.
From South, Cameron went on to play basketball for Bob Knight at Indiana University, coach football under Bo Schembechler at Michigan, and serve as head football coach of the Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Dolphins. He’s now the play-caller for Baltimore’s Ravens.
In recent years, Cameron gave back to South several plaques he received while at the school. “He wanted kids to know that you too can do these things,” former Braves assistant coach Paul Kelley told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel a few years ago.
Cameron, Henry and Hubbard give Terre Hauteans of all ages hope at a time when it’s deeply needed.
