(Rock Island, Ill.) The Arc of Rock Island County held its Annual Meeting and Volunteer Recognition Event on April 27, 2010. The annual gathering recognized the volunteers for their support for The Arc. In the past year volunteers provided more than 6,000 hours of service. Associate Executive Director of Administrative Services/Chief Financial Officer Stacey Carey distributed awards for cumulative hours, including special recognition for Gay Nefzger (Rock Island , IL) who logged more than 1,100 hours of volunteer service.
Additionally, The Arc presented its Elected Official of the Year Award, Community Advocate of the Year Award, the inaugural Business Partner of the Year Award, and the Evelyn Colberg Award. The recipients for 2010 were as follows:
- Elected Official of the Year Award Presented to Illinois State Representative Pat Verschoore (Rock Island, IL). Representative Verschoore has during his lengthy legislative service worked vigorously to protect funding and build awareness of the need for supports for individuals with developmental disabilities in our community. Due to the ongoing session, Char Verschoore accepted this recognition on his behalf.
- Community Advocate of the Year Presented to Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences (Rock Island, IL). Last fall The Arc and Trinity initiated a partnership with win-win results. As part of their curriculum, students in the Trinity nursing program are required to do 12 hours of field service at The Arc's Opportunity Center in Moline. This partnership has an amazing impact on the individuals at the Opportunity Center as well as the students. Students get hands on experience, offering sometimes their first personal or professional interaction with individuals with developmental disabilities. Through their experiences in this partnership, Trinity's students learn the importance of responding with sensitivity, understanding, and patience, when treating individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Business Partner of the Year Presented to Nestle Purina Pet Care (Davenport, IA). This year The Arc initiated this new award, developed as a way of thanking business partnerships established through Work Services for companies which invest in The Arc's committed and dedicated workforce. This year's recipient has provided meaningful work opportunities for most workers at Arc Industries. The company, however, does not treat Arc workers as distant subcontractors. Rather, when they visit Arc Industries, Purina staff goes out of the way to make our workers feel a valuable part of their "team." Chad Rostenbach of the Davenport Facility of Nestle Purina Pet Care graciously accepted this recognition from Arc Industries.
- Evelyn Colberg Award Presented to Kathy Conrad (Silvis, IL) [Photo submitted] The Arc gives this award honoring a volunteer, an organization, or a business that has served people with developmental disabilities with a sustaining commitment, dedication, and humility. The Evelyn Colberg Award was first presented in 1987, named for one of a group of Arc Charter Members who began the organization now known as The Arc of Rock Island County. This year Kathy has provided countless hours of dedicated service to The Arc and the individuals we serve, supporting the Human Resources Department, the Training Department, the library in the Training Center, and the Development & Communications Department.
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