TMP-M
The Point of Light is the highest recognition given by Thomas More Prep-Marian to honor significant individuals who have given time, talent, or resources through dedicated service to the school. Recipients of the Point of Light award show commitment to our tradition of excellence are involved in activities that bring honors to the inductee and to TMP-Marian and a heart for service.
Inductees are nominated by the TMP-Marian community and voted on by a variety of individuals representing the school administration, staff, alumni, religious, and community for a diversified selection committee.
TMP-Marian is honored to announce the following 2021 Point of Light Inductees:
Mark and Jan Bieker for their commitment to Thomas More Prep-Marian and the Hays Community. Mark is a 1980 graduate of Thomas More Prep, and Jan is a 1976 graduate of Dodge City High School and a 1982 graduate of Wichita State University. They have one child Melissa (Bieker) Pinkney, a 2004 graduate of TMP-Marian and teacher at TMP-M since 2008, who is married to Jeff Pinkney. Mark and Jan have three grandchildren, Carson, Caden, and Nora Pinkney. Mark is self-employed in the oil and gas industry and Jan retired after a 32-year career as a physical therapist. They are deeply involved in the Hays community, church, and catholic schools. They are parishioners of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Mark has served on the church Parish Council, Stewardship Committee, Lifeteen Band, and various other committees over the years. He is a 3rd-degree member of St. Joseph Knights of Columbus 1325. Mark has performed with Crossroads Gospel Group and Jan has been involved with Meals on Wheels. Mark has served 12 years on the Endowment Board of Thomas More Prep-Marian, assisted with the bierock sales for over 20 years, and helped with past breakfast fundraisers. Both were ACE co-chairs, Sports, and Fine Arts booster members, and co-chairs for the annual Chili Supper for St. Joseph Elementary School. They have generously donated to the TMP-M Learning Commons, St. Thomas More Society, and various other fundraisers for Holy Family and TMP-M. Four generations have, and are attending TMP-Marian, Charles Bieker 1958 (SJMA), Mark Bieker 1980 (TMP), Melissa (Bieker) Pinkney 2004, Carson Pinkney 2027, and future Monarchs Caden Pinkney 2029, and Nora Pinkney 2031. We extend a huge thank you to Mark and Jan for their many years of service and continued commitment to the Hays community and especially our Catholic schools.
Kraig & Laure Gross for their commitment to Thomas More Prep-Marian and the Hays Community. Kraig is a 1978 TMP graduate and earned a degree in accounting from Ft. Hays State University. He is President of Kansas Natural Gas. Laure is a 1977 Victoria High School graduate and earned a degree in business from FHSU. They have two children, Kara 2000 (Gross) Denton and Derick Gross 2003. Kara is married to Shawn Denton, who is a Thomas More Prep-Marian faculty member. Derick is married to Colleen (Loo) Gross. Kraig and Laure have five grandchildren, two currently attending Holy Family Elementary School. Kraig has served on the Thomas More Prep-Marian finance committee, the Endowment board, was a Sports Booster Club officer, and continues to sell tickets for the Sports Booster Club raffle. He has and continues to serve on various boards in the community. Laure has served as a Eucharistic Minister, on the St. Joseph Parish council and is a graduate of Leadership Hays. Kraig and Laure were past co-chairs of ACE, active in the Sports Booster Club, money counters at St. Joseph Parish, and continue to support both Thomas More Prep-Marian and Holy Family Elementary. They were officers and active members of the Hays Striders Track Club for many years. We extend a huge thank you to Kraig and Laure for their many years of dedication and continuous service to the Hays community and Catholic schools.
Vernon "Vern" Gross for his years of dedicated and faithful service to Thomas More Prep-Marian in the maintenance and grounds department. He is a graduate of Schoenchen High School and served in the U.S. Army in Korea from 1952-1954. Vern married Jeannie Riedel on June 11, 1955, and they have three children, Steve, Scott, and Stephanie (Garlow) Gross. Additionally, they have five grandchildren, John, Shandi, Cj (Hathaway) Lehr, Sophia, and Juliet, and three great-grandchildren Holden and Avery Gross, and Louisa Hathaway. Vern worked in the oil field trucking business for 40 years and has been employed by Thomas More Prep-Marian since 2006. He spends a good part of each day during the school year taking care of the kitchen and dining room and fills in the rest of his time cleaning floors, painting, and general maintenance. Many times, Vern would work on weekends during the school year to clean and polish the floors in the hallways when the students weren’t around. He served as an usher at St. Joseph Catholic Church for 29 years and is a member of the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus. Vern’s work ethic is admired by school faculty, staff, and students and he is a very positive role model. Vern has been a real blessing to Thomas More Prep-Marian and we thank him for his dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm.
Mark and Cindy Washburn for their deep commitment to TMP-Marian and the Hays Community. Mark graduated from Hoxie High School in 1975 and has a BS in Business Administration from Fort Hays State University. He is a business owner and entrepreneur specializing in sales. Cindy graduated from Marian High School in 1973. She completed a BS degree in Elementary Education in 1977 from FHSU. Cindy retired after 39 years as an educator for St. Joseph School/Holy Family Elementary. They are members of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, with Cindy serving as a Perpetual Adorer and Eucharistic Minister for the Homebound Ministry and Mark on the fundraising committee for the IHM building fund, counting the collection on Sundays and a member of the Knights of Columbus. Mark and Cindy helped establish the baseball/softball complex at TMP-M, served on the Sports Booster Club and Mark served on the budget committee for Catholic schools and Cindy on the TMP-M Alumni Board. Cindy is part of a five-generation family attending Hays Catholic Schools starting with her grandmother Mathilda (Dinges) Karlin, in the first graduating class of 1921 of GCHS.S Her father, Irvin Karlin was a 1942 graduate of SJMA and received the Point of Light Award in 1997. Mark and Cindy have one son, Dustin 2004 and his wife Emily and two grandchildren, Tessa and Rudy, who attend HFE. They have been co-chairs of ACE Auction and served on the ACE procurement committee and their service is beyond compare from working concessions, taking tickets, serving lunch, being a host family for border students at TMP-M to serving their parish as Eucharistic Ministers and Sacristans at IHM. We extend a huge thank you to Mark and Cindy for their many years of service and extreme generosity to the Catholic parishes, schools, and Hays community
A full list of Point of Light Inductees is available at https://www.hayscatholicschools.org/page/pointoflight. The 2021 Point of Light recipients will be honored at the annual Homecoming Alumni Banquet on Saturday, Sept. 18th.