Klosterman 2024 RK Thompson speaker

Submitted information

The Thompson family and Van Wert Service Club announce that Megan Klosterman will be the speaker for this year’s R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Awards banquet.

Klosterman is a 2004 graduate of Van Wert High School, after which she attended BGSU and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. She lives outside Charlotte, North Carolina, and is currently working as an infusion nurse, while also manages three infusion locations for Charlotte Gastroenterology & Hepatology. Klosterman enjoys all things family, sports, and being active. She is a proud Buckeyes and Bengals fan through good times and bad. 

In 2013, Klosterman was diagnosed with Addison’s Disease, a rare autoimmune disease, and subsequently two other autoimmune diseases. Denials and roadblocks from insurance and healthcare systems — especially related to rare disease issues — have been battles she had to face. These issues nearly took everything away, but most definitely took away an active lifestyle or normalcy of any kind. 

Her self-reliance and perseverance helped her to be able to take back her life. Since then, she has worked to change policies to help others get the care they need as well.

Klosterman is married to her high school sweetheart, and they are expecting their first miracle baby in July. 

She said she is very excited to share her story and show what great things can happen for not only yourself, but others when you stand up for yourself and preserver.

This year’s awards banquet will be held Wednesday, May 1. The R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Award Program was initiated 54 years ago by R.K. Thompson Jr. in honor of his father, the late R.K. Thompson Sr. Both men worked closely with young people and encouraged them to set high, but attainable, goals and then apply themselves to obtain those goals.

The program provides cash awards for high school seniors in Van Wert County who best exhibit that character trait. The Self-Reliance Award is designed to seek out and honor a senior who does the best with what he or she has; whether he or she is a scholar, an athlete, a student leader or someone who must seek employment to help their family meet expenses.

The R.K. Thompson Self-Reliance Award is sponsored by the Thompson Family Trust, through the Van Wert County Foundation, and administered by the Van Wert Service Club.