2007
National Conference Award Winners
Several
individuals and chapters were honored at the 2007 National
Conference for their efforts in promoting the mission of the
Scleroderma Foundation. Selecting a finite group is always
difficult because so much was accomplished by so many last
year.
Foundation
Teen Ambassador Lauren Beeson and Youth Ambassador Samantha
Murray helped Foundation Board Chair Joe Camerino, CEO Frannie
Waldron, Foundation Chief Development Officer Robert Riggs
and Foundation Chapter and Support Group Manager Krissy Nirdlinger
hand out the awards.
The
award winners are:
Outstanding
Patient Support – Southern California Chapter.
The Southern California Chapter was selected for its outreach
to the large Spanish speaking population in its area. Office
assistant Josephine Battany, who speaks Spanish, accepted
the award along with chapter Executive Director Brian Adams.
Outstanding
Chapter Fundraising Award – Missouri Chapter.
The Missouri Chapter was selected for this competitive honor
for increasing overall funds by more than three-fold from
2005-2006. The chapter held three Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma
walks in 2006. An emotional Mary Blades, president of the
chapter, accepted the award.
Outstanding
Chapter Public Awareness Award – Tennessee
Chapter. For the past six years, the Tennessee Chapter has
participated in Women’s Expos, a consumer tradeshow
that attracts thousands each year. The chapter has been able
to raise awareness of scleroderma in Tennessee by attracting
foot traffic to its booth through giveaways. Once at the booth,
a volunteer explains the disease to the visitor. Chapter President
April Simpkins accepted the award.
Outstanding
Chapter Education Award – New England Chapter.
The chapter’s patient education seminar, a full-day
program, attracted a large group of attendees from New England.
The diverse panel included a lung specialist, a make-up artist
and a workplace specialist. Chapter Executive Director Tom
Curran and President Marie Coyle accepted the award.
Fundraiser
of the Year – Denver Jaycees. For many years,
the Denver Jaycees have organized and run a mini golf tournament
to benefit the Colorado Chapter. The event also includes a
dinner and auction, with all proceeds benefiting the chapter.
Mary Webb from Colorado accepted the award on the Jaycees
behalf.
Support
Group Volunteer of the Year – Barb Heenan.
Support Group leader in Omaha, Nebraska for the past five
years, Barb has tripled attendance at her bimonthly meetings
while organizing a Stepping Out to Cure Scleroderma walk and
patient seminars. Barb is much-loved in her group, but credits
her fellow members for making the group function as well as
it does.
Chapter
Volunteer of the Year – Bunny Garthe. President
of the Evergreen Chapter, Bunny was involved in organizing
the first Stepping Out walk, and is a great support for people
who have no hope.
Messenger
of Hope – Kris Garthe. Bunny’s daughter
Kris was the driving force for the first walk. Very willing
to share her story, Kris survived a stem cell transplantation
procedure seven years ago. Her ever-present smile lights up
a room.
National
Volunteer of the Year – Walter Coyle. Walter
has been involved in the scleroderma cause for nearly 30 years.
A member of the board of the New England Chapter, Walter voluntarily
served as interim executive director of the National Office
for three months in 2006 while the Board of Directors searched
for a new chief executive. Walter has served on the national
board and volunteers daily on the New England chapter.
Doctor
of the Year - Rick Silver, M.D. Dr. Silver is a rheumatologist
and a professor of rheumatology at the Medical University
of South Carolina. Well loved and respected by his patients,
Dr. Silver has long been a friend to the Scleroderma Foundation,
serving on both the Medical Advisory Board and chairing the
research grant peer review committee. Much is asked of Dr.
Silver, and he always answers the call.
Founder’s
Award – David Parker, J.D. Mr. Parker, a partner
in a Los Angeles law firm that bears his name, has been involved
in the scleroderma community for 20 years. He has faithfully
served as a member of the Board of Directors in many capacities,
including the last eight as board secretary.
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