Community Service Awards: Public Servant

Editor's note: The Community Awards recognizes the people who make our communities special.

The Nevada Appeal solicited nominations for the awards during May and a panel of readers chose three finalists and the winner in each of the 12 categories. The Appeal will run short stories on those finalists from now until the awards banquet at the Carson Nugget, which will be 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. June 26. At the banquet, first lady Dawn Gibbons and Appeal Publisher John DiMambro will present the awards to the winner in each of the categories. For information about the banquet, or to purchase tickets, call 882-2111.

Today, we feature the finalists in the category for Public Servant of the Year Award.

Helaine Jesse

As a longtime Carson City resident, Helaine Jesse's legacy is cemented in more than a dozen buildings at Western Nevada Community College. Buildings that exist, in part, because she loves her job.

A nominee for Public Servant of the Year, Jesse is currently employed at WNCC as the vice president of development and external affairs.

She advocates support of the college's mission to serve the greater Carson City community and to develop funding resources for initiatives that the college cannot fund through state dollars.

In 1986, Jesse graduated from the University of Oregon and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history. In 1997, she received her master's degree in speech communication from the University of Nevada, Reno.

"She is an outstanding role model for others to emulate as she works to improve the Carson City community for all of us," said Daniel Neverett, vice president of finance and administrative services for the college.

Jesse has raised more than $150,000 annually for scholarships. She was responsible for the creation of the WNCC intercollegiate athletic program and the Woody Wurster Machine Tool, the EL Cord Automotive, the Andy Butti Welding buildings, the Reynolds Center for Technology, the John H. Sheldon Technology Complex, the Jack C. Davis Observatory walkway, the Douglas campus and the John L. Harvey Baseball Stadium.

"This is a huge honor. I am very flattered," Jesse said. "I have a job that I love, and that makes it easier to come to work every day."

In 1991, Jesse and former assemblyman Dean Heller, R-Carson, teamed up to pass the truth bill, which would require the government to release information regarding POWs and MIA to the families.

"Because of what we did in Nevada, Sen. Richard Bryan was able to get that law passed at the national level," Jesse said, adding that she is most proud of this accomplishment.

Frankee Haynes

Frankee Haynes, 37, said it's her love of people and a calling for what she does that keeps her volunteering.

The native of Casper, Wyo., has been a resident in Carson City for 25 years. She has served her community as a domestic violence court advocate for nine of those years.

In her role, she assists domestic violence victims issuing temporary protective orders, stalking orders, listening to their stories, assessing their situations, and accompanying them to court, as well as the hospital. She also volunteers as a sexual assault advocate and is on call 24 hours a day one week out of each month.

"I love helping people. I have a calling for it; not everyone can do it." Haynes said.

Haynes graduated high school in Casper and went to college for criminology. She has been a court advocate for three years. She oversees two other court advocates, Ada Dezerga and Joni Lukes.

"I couldn't have been nominated without the help of my fellow advocates," Haynes said. "I'm very humbled by the nomination. I was taken aback completely."

"I work with her everyday and I watch how empathetic she is with the victims," Dezerga said. "Her effectiveness in getting the victims to move on with their life is very impressive."

Haynes is a single mother of two, a daughter Chelsea, 16, and a son Derek, 18.

"My greatest accomplishment is my children; they've turned out to be very beautiful people," Haynes said.

Ron Pierini

For the last decade, Douglas County Sheriff Ron Pierini, 55, has worked to make the department he leads better for his employees and better for the community they serve.

Since 1997, Pierini has made significant improvements in the department. In 1998, he helped to develop a K-9 program that now has four trained dogs. A school resource officer was assigned to Douglas High School in 1999.

In 2004, Pierini assisted in starting a Douglas County Advisory Council, which focuses on raising money for the department.

In 2005, he developed the S.E.T (Street Enforcement Team) task force, which consists of two county detectives and one state detective. Their role is to focus primarily on methamphetamine and the trafficking of controlled and other illegal substances. This task force has made 100 arrests with a 100 percent prosecution rate in 18 months.

Pierini is also involved in TRIAD, developed by the National Sheriffs' Association, a joint effort between law enforcement, firefighters and the seniors of Douglas County.

"My biggest accomplishment is the fact that we've established relationships with the community. We've asked the seniors to be our eyes and ears," he said.

His priority is prevention in the youth community.

"Pierini is very supportive of our department," said Chris Griffith, deputy of Youth Services. "He empowers us and encourages us to provide direct service to the public and the children."

Griffith said he and his partner, Deputy Teresa Duffy, nominated Pierini because he cares about education and believes in prevention, rather than follow-up after a crime has been committed.

"He comes to every graduation and shakes hands with every kid," Griffith said. "He sends them a message that they need to take their community and life seriously."

Pierini has been married for a year to Celeste, 37, and has two daughters, Candyce, 34, and Leah, 13.

"When I retire, and thank the sheriff, I won't thank him for what he's done for the department or his deputies. I'll thank him for what he's done for the children," Griffith said.