Two longtime Kennewick volunteers were recognized and praised for their work to make their city a better place to live.

Candice Bluechel, who “inspires everyone she works with,” was named Kennewick Woman of the Year, and Wayne Bell, who “leads by example and is the first to get his hands dirty,” was named Kennewick Man of the Year for 2022.

Bluechel was nominated by Laurie Church.

Bell was nominated by Bob Kelly, 2015 Kennewick Man of the Year, and Gerry Berges, who received the honor in 1997. Bell’s wife, Maureen Bell, was Kennewick Woman of the Year in 2015. 

The awards date back to 1946 and were presented by the Kennewick Past Man of the Year Club and the Kennewick Past Women of the Year Club. The awards were announced March 20.

Woman of the Year

Bluechel, who moved to Kennewick in 1999, has a long list of volunteer work on her resume.

She served for 12 years on the Kennewick Planning Commission.

She was a board member for the Kennewick Arts Commission and Children’s Development Center. She served as president of Soroptimist International of Three Rivers and was co-chair for Tri-Cities Soroptimists Against Human Trafficking.

She was a member of Leadership Tri-Cities Class 8 and worked as business services manager at WorkSource Columbia Basin. She also is a past Rotarian.

Kennewick Man of the Year

Wayne Bell’s leadership activities span several decades.

He served as president of the Kennewick Kiwanis Club in 2021-22 and 2010-11. 

He chaired the committee to fund and build a playground for children at the Kennewick Boys & Girls Club and coordinated a pen pal program for fourth-graders at Amistad Elementary School with his wife.

He coordinated parking at the Benton Franklin Fair for Kiwanis for 10 years.

From 1990-92, he led efforts to rebuild ballfields on the empty lot next to Canyon View Elementary. 

For a list of past winners, go to: kmwoy.com.