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Senior Services Group Honors CRC Employee
NORTHBROOK, IL (July 29, 2005) - She teaches ceramics, oversees a woodworking
shop, and recruits volunteers to roll bandages for medical missions in
Africa. It's not what Susan Stevens does that makes her extraordinary.
It's the way she does it.
The Creative Arts Center and volunteer coordinator at Covenant Village
of Northbrook, Stevens was recently awarded the prestigious Shining Star
Award for outstanding activities by Life Services Network (LSN), a
statewide trade association of senior services providers in Illinois.
The annual awards are presented to employees of older adult service
providers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to contribute
to the quality of life of those they serve.
"Twelve winners were selected from over 200 nominations submitted by
older adult service providers throughout the state," said Dennis Bozo,
LSN president. "The winners of this year's awards are remarkable
individuals whose daily presence in the lives of the elderly makes all
the difference in the world to those who count on them."
A 10-year Covenant Village of Northbrook employee, Stevens has enhanced
the Covenant Village activity program and expanded the number of
villagers who participate in it, according to Cheryl Krupa, Covenant
Village recreation director. "She is unabashedly optimistic, most always
has a smile, and perks up the gloomiest individual," says Krupa. "She is
tireless when it comes to doing her job. She has a way of lovingly
becoming everyone's granddaughter."
Stevens' efforts benefit those in the greater Northbrook community as
well as those at Covenant Village. By promoting participation in
creative arts and woodworking activities, Stevens encourages villagers
to create craft items that are sold at the community's annual Holly
Fair. More than half of last year's $28,000 net sales were donated to
village of Northbrook agencies and services, including the fire and
police departments and the public library. One year the donation enabled
the fire department to purchase a Resaca-Annie, a child-sized dummy on
which to practice CPR.
Stevens is a resident of Huntley, Illinois. The award was presented
during a ceremony at Navy Pier in Chicago by Charles Johnson, director
of the Illinois Department on Aging. The accompanying photo shows
Stevens with Connie March (left), LSN board chair, and Ron Jaeger, LSN
board chair-elect.
Covenant Village of Northbrook is a nationally accredited not-for-profit
continuing care retirement community administered by Chicago-based
Covenant Retirement Communities on behalf of the Board of Benevolence of
the Evangelical Covenant Church.
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
