2011 WASHINGTON STATE ASSOCIATION OF SENIOR CENTERS AWARDS

Each year the Washington State Association of Senior Centers honors outstanding individuals and organizations at our Spring Conference. Awards categories are as follows:

Professional Leadership Award
A nominee for this award will have held a senior center position for more than five years and demonstrated through their work efforts, performance and concern that clearly excel beyond their daily responsibilities. These extra efforts can be demonstrated in the area of legislation, professional or community involvement, creative programming, etc.

Rising Star Award
The nominee should exert the essence and spirit of their predecessors, determined to inspire a change or make a difference in the industry. They must be working in the senior services arena less than five years and exhibit a tremendous amount of energy and possess a great rapport with clients, while working in unison with others.

Community Connection Award
An agency, organization or individual nominated in this category will be a community entity that has provided assistance at their local senior center. This organization or individual will have clearly demonstrated support for their senior population and center by going beyond normal volunteer activities. Community support should be highly valued by their senior center staff, participants and the community.

Service Recognition Award
A program, service or event nominated in this category is creative, meets a specific community need, was on the cutting edge of a recent trend, solved a community problem or highlighted the special uniqueness of the community, the center or the older adults it served.

2011 Awards Nomination Form

2010 Award & Grant Winners

CONGRATULATIONS to all Award Winners!

Professional of the Year:  Kristy Dunn
City of Burien

Nominated by Bophary Du, City of Burien Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services

I am happy and proud to nominate Kristy Dunn for the Professional of the Year award. I’m a bit hazy on dates and length of time, but she’s been with the City of Burien for over 5 years and working with seniors for more than 12. As a recreation supervisor, she’s been involved in her fair share of work, especially this past year while a colleague was on maternity leave. For the first few months of the maternity leave, she oversaw the production of the fall recreation brochure and parks website updates. As a shift in duties within the department, Kristy had taken on overseeing of the Meals on Wheels program: filling in for late-noticed drivers, recruiting new drivers and hiring a program coordinator. Kristy also has been integral in coordinating the remodel of and move of the entire Parks dept into our new site, which is a 2-years+ endeavor. Under her guidance, the details of the new site and move have been smooth. Almost a year ago, we merged the parks and senior front desks and she’s been instrumental in making the transition successful for workers and participants.

A noteworthy task this past year as the senior program director was that Kristy brought the ShapeUp Program to Burien. In an effort to reduce the number of falls, King County Emergency Services looked for various senior sites around the Puget Sound to house fitness programs that help balance problems. With grant money geared just for this purpose, KCES selected Burien as one of the sites because Kristy successfully negotiated and interviewed with the coordinator. As a result, Burien received $1200 for fall quarter to promote current senior fitness programs; a wii tournament with the other 3 selected sites (North Bellevue, North Shore and Bitter Lake) (this is apart from the regular wii bowling league that she also helped start up almost 2 years ago); a kick-off event with ShapeUp totes equipped with vials of life, therabands and fitness guide; $10-discounts for participants who are new and/or want to try new fitness classes; and more fitness equipment (weights and rack) for our fitness classes. This ShapeUp program has been so successful that KCES is renewing contracts for 2010, with the addition of more money to add new classes and instructors.

Kristy had served on the WSASC Board for several years and is still active on the conference scene, helping out where she is needed. She’s a consummate professional, who also likes to have fun. Conscientious of others, she’s been a great supervisor and friend. Kristy truly deserves this award for her contributions to the professional and senior worlds.

Here’s an addition to the below w/more concrete numbers, straight from her resume:

• Over 17 years experience in the field of senior services; programs, activities, administration, and special events.
• 11 year member of WSASC – WA State Association of Senior Centers

Served on the Board of Directors for 7 years (President, Past President, NISC Representative, Membership)

• 4 year member of NISC – National Institute of Senior Centers

Served on Board of Directors for 3 years (Membership and Senior Centers)

• 5 year member of WRPA – WA Recreation & Parks Association
• 6 year member of South Sound Senior Center Directors Group
• 8 year Instructor in Blood Borne Pathogens, American Red Cross
• 6  year member of Risk Management committee with YMCA and Fremont Public Association
  
  
  

New Professional of the Year:  Linda Croasdill
Recreation Program Specialist
SeaTac Senior Program
13735 24th Ave S
SeaTac  WA 98168

Nominated by Kathleen Cummings, 
Senior Services Coordinator,  SeaTac

Linda Croasdill arrived on the radar of the SeaTac Senior Program three years ago.  Though she has spent her entire 20  year plus career working with seniors, her new job in SeaTac was a whole new world for her. She had previously worked in skilled nursing facilities and assisted living environments.

Linda has brought enthusiasm, compassion and humor to her work each day at SeaTac.  Though she had big shoes to fill (she took over  Rocky Kirwin’s job when he went to Auburn)  she never missed a  beat.  In fact, she embraced her work with humor and as a good sport.  She enjoyed her new nickname – the Rockette- derived from filling Rocky’s position and being  ‘just a  little shorter ‘ than Rocky.  Her rockette days were short lived though. These days Linda is known as the ‘go to’ person at the Senior Program. Whether you need help with a resource, have a question about computers, or just need a hug, Linda is the person to see.

Linda greets each senior who enters warmly and by name and has yet to meet a job she won’t or can’t do.  You are just as likely to find Linda in the kitchen helping, working on a registration or coordinating  one of our many trips. When we need someone to be our Easter bunny, we look no further than Linda.

Linda brings a contagious can do attitude to work each day. Seniors regularly come up to her and say “you must really love your job – it shows” .  Indeed  Linda does love her job and has definitely found her niche.  SeaTac feels fortunate to have found her!



Organizational/Advocate Award: Board of Directors of the Upper Kittitas County Senior Center

Nominated by Kay Lloyd
Board Member of the Upper Kittitas County Senior Center

Like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, this team has taken the challenge of resurrecting our fire-destroyed Center. It is my pleasure to nominate the Board of Directors of the Upper Kittitas County Senior Center for the Organizational/Advocate Award. Their involvement in the Cle Elum community to rebuild the Upper Kittitas County Senior Center, that burned to the ground on August 1, 2009, has been far beyond the duties of a Volunteer Board.

Gary Kasowski, President of the Board, has been an outstanding leader. His 30+ years as an electrical contractor has provided the Board and the Senior Center with a Vision and an understanding of the construction of a building. He has overseen the rebuilding process from the very beginning: working with the insurance company after the fire, approving building plans, scheduling, and directing all of the volunteers who have helped, from raising the walls to the current status as of this writing, of painting the inside walls of the new building. His “vision” will be realized in May, 2010, a mere nine short months after total destruction, when we will have a ‘soft’ opening of the new Senior Center, with a Grand Opening during the Summer.

Ken Prenslow, Vice President of the Board, has been a right-hand man for Gary in the rebuilding of the Center. He and his wife Edna played key roles in several fund raising campaigns to get the new Center built. As members of Kiwanis, they were both instrumental in receiving a donation of $10,000 from Kiwanis towards our reconstruction fund. He and Gary have driven 120 miles roundtrip to Yakima to buy groceries, to get the best prices, for our chef, who prepares all of our meals.

Shirley Sparrow, Secretary of the Board, has been spectacular in keeping us informed of what is going on both in the rebuilding of the Center and with the community. She helps Susan with the bake sales at Safeway, after our members have spent time in their kitchens making goodies. She keeps the memberships current and produces the Senior Center Newsletter every month. She designed donation jars to put out in the local businesses so anyone could contribute to the rebuilding; and, has faithfully collected the monies and deposited them in the reconstruction bank account. She is also “Director of the Day” every Wednesday at the Depot Cafe. She has joined WSASC to represent us and keep us up to date on what is offered from that organization.

Barry Danko, Treasurer of the Board, has ensured that our financial and legal obligations have been followed and reported in a timely manner. His ability to research and write any legal letters and papers is priceless.

Susan Klein, Board Member, has devoted this last year to finding volunteers to serve at breakfast and lunch five days a week; as well as volunteers to serve at our special dinners (i.e. Crab Feed, Chef Shonda’s Dinners, etc. held at temporary quarters at our local Eagles’ club and the Depot Cafe). She has also taken on the responsibilities of arranging for upcoming events both current and after the new Center opens. Her responsibility is also to update the calendar on the website, so people know what events are planned. She has worked tirelessly on fund raising events, bake sales, finding people to clean all of the items that survived the fire (i.e. cups, plates, salt and pepper shakers, silverware, water pitchers, etc.), not counting doing a lot of it herself. She is also “Director of the Day” every Thursday at the Depot Cafe.

Edna Prenslow, Board Member, has worked with her husband Ken to do fund raising campaigns. She has been responsible for all of the “Thank You” cards that needed to be sent to anyone, or any organization, that donated to the Reconstruction Fund. She is also “Director of the Day” every Friday at the Depot Cafe.

Barb Sowers, Board Member, has been very instrumental in coordinating fund raising efforts, especially with the local Grange and coordinating a Rest Area Coffee Stop over 4 days. She is part of the committee to furnish the new Center. She is also “Director of the Day” every Tuesday at the Depot Café.

Linda Lindgreen, Board Member, has served as our Accountant: balancing books, providing timely reports to the Board on all of our accounts, paying bills, reconciling accounts, and providing information to our grant writers.

Jack Williams, Board Member, has volunteered his time to help at our temporary home at the Depot Café as “Director of the Day” on Mondays. He has also opened up the building on Sundays for private clubs to hold meetings there

Kay Lloyd, Board Member, has been instrumental, with her daughter’s help as web administrator, in establishing a website, www.centennial-center.org, which keeps people informed of the activities and events at the Senior Center and its temporary locations. She is also responsible for managing the Yahoo Group email list, which reminds members of upcoming happenings. She has helped to organize the gathering of books to restock the Senior Center Library after the fire. Kay was successful in writing and receiving a grant from the Cle Elum Hotel/Motel Tax, which will allow us to produce an informative 4-color brochure and provide the funds needed to promote our renewed facility.

In conclusion, all of the Board Members faithfully show up for Special Meetings, Board Meetings, and volunteer their time when asked, no matter what task is put before them in this time of rising up from the ashes. They are comfortable sharing their ideas and making it all work; especially challenging and needed in this time without the presence of an Executive Director, leaving duties usually handled by a director to fall on our capable shoulders.

We are, in one word, AWESOME!

Best New Senior Program/Activity Award: ShapeUp