Landscaper Wins Kansas Worker of Year Award

In honor of hardworking people across the nation, Dickies Workwear announced its 2003 state and national winners in the 12th Annual American Worker of the Year Awards.

And this year’s Kansas winner is a green industry guy.

Snatching the Kansas Worker of the Year Award, 21-year-old Ben Sutherlin is a landscaper and student from Lexena, Kansas. He was nominated by his friend Polly Sheridan, who wrote in her winning essay, "He can be found wearing a canopy hat while landscaping where he does anything from mowing in the summer, raking leaves in the fall, shoveling snow in the winter, to building a deck, cascading waterfall or fish pond in someone's back yard."

A full-time student, Sutherlin also helps coach Little League baseball and coaches wrestling at Shoney Mission West High School.

The national and state recipients were selected from thousands of entries, written by appreciative spouses, parents, co-workers, friends, kids, bosses, etc. Entrants were asked to write in 100 words or less why their nominee represents "the spirit of the American worker" and deserves recognition.

Each of the 50 state winners will receive more than $500 in cash and prizes. The national winner will receive a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 SXT Quad-Cab pickup truck, and an all-expense paid trip to Nashville to appear in the American Worker of the Year Awards ceremony, broadcast live from the stage of the Grand Ole Opry on Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. CDT.