PUBLIC HEALTH AWARDS: 2010 recipients

Annual Public Health Awards Presented April 22

Eight individuals and organizations were honored at the 2010 Public Health Awards ceremony held today, April 22, at 1:30 p.m. at the Exhibition Hall of the Alliant Energy Center, Monona/Wingra rooms. Public Health Awards recognize significant contributions made by the recipients to the health of the people and the environment of Madison and Dane County. In addition, the ceremony also recognized the many individuals and organizations in our community that partnered with public health to respond to the 2009-2010 H1N1 flu pandemic.

"Many people, from all walks of life, contribute. We honor them on this day and benefit from their good work for the public health every day," said Dr. Thomas Schlenker, Director of Public Health Madison and Dane County.

Nominations for the Public Health awards were submitted by individuals and organizations in the community, and by Public Health staff. The awards were presented by Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, and Madison City Council President, Mark Clear, representing Mayor Dave Cieslewicz.

The 2010 Public Health Award Recipients are:

• Advocacy Award: Rebecca McSorley, MEDiC Clinic, Salvation Army Homeless Shelter
• Distinguished Service Award: Betty Banks, Today Not Tomorrow, Inc.
• Leadership Award: Cheryl Wittke, Safe Communities
• Partnership Award: Kate Pender, St. Mary's Hospital/Triangle Ministry
• Tommye Schneider Environmental Health Leadership Award: Safe Food Advisory Committee Members: Susan Bulgrin, (Culver's Frozen Custard), Wally Borowski, (Paisan's) and Melanie Horzuesky, (Bluephies)
• Volunteer Award: Marilyn Howe, Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Dane County
• Partner Recogntion for H1N1 (PDF)

Advocacy Award: Rebecca McSorley, MEDiC Clinic, Salvation Army Homeless Shelter

For advocating for client needs and guiding other medical students on effectively working with and advocating for the underserved population at the Salvation Army.

Rebecca McSorley is passionate about public health. Shortly after Rebecca arrived in Madison to attend the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, she got involved with the student lead MEDiC clinics to improve the health of the underserved. This was a natural extension of her previous health outreach work in Burkina Faso, through the Peace Corps. For over three years, Rebecca has spent well over thirty hours a month volunteering through MEDiC, including her regular attendance at the weekly clinic at the Salvation Army of Dane County Homeless Shelter.

As the MEDiC Clinic Coordinator for the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, Rebecca mentors other student volunteers on compassionate patient interaction, how to assess their healthcare needs, and linking patients to MEDiC or other healthcare agencies in the community. Through her teaching, she empowers the MEDiC volunteers to effectively advocate for the healthcare needs facing the underserved population. Rebecca has been instrumental in initiating a MEDiC Counsel Psychiatric Services Subcommittee for The Salvation Army to consider expanding services to include psychiatric care. She has also helped initiate a weekly dental clinic at the Salvation Army.

In 2009 the MEDIC clinic gave medical care to 552 people who were staying at The Salvation Army's homeless shelter; over half of these people were children. Rebecca respects the dignity of all the clients and empowers them to take control of their health instead of being a victim to it. With their basic healthcare needs being met, many of the clients feel empowered to overcome other barriers in their lives, moving out of shelter and creating more stable lives for themselves and their families.

Distinguished Service Award: Betty Banks, Today Not Tomorrow, Inc.

For a distinguished career in providing education and advocating for families, especially African American families and families of children with disabilities.

Betty has been a long-standing partner to public health and a strong advocate for the African American community and families of disabilities. Prompted by personal experience, Betty has raised awareness about autism and has advocated for the importance of providing opportunities for children and adults with disabilities. She has also empowered many families of children with disabilities about the power and responsibility of advocating for their own children.

In 1990, Betty began working for Family Enhancement. She had a vision to promote good health and well-being for families and children through education, increased awareness, collaboration, and advocacy. She has built life-long relationships with the families she mentored and providers she partnered with by making the journey fun and rewarding.

Betty's work continues today through her volunteer work with several local agencies and organizations, her membership on the board of Access Community Health Center, and her participation as a member of the Community Advisor Community for the MERC Infant Mortality Research.

She provides dynamic leadership as the executive director of Today Not Tomorrow, Inc. Through this work, Betty uses media to entertain and inform youth and young adults about healthy relationships, communities, and families, and advocates for alternatives to risky behaviors and choices. She continues to educate about race, communities and the history of families caring for one another and their community here in Madison and Dane County.

Leadership Award: Cheryl Wittke, Safe Communities

For leadership in building partnerships of diverse people and organizations to work on injury prevention projects shown to be effective in saving lives, preventing injuries and making our communities safer.

Cheryl has served as the Executive Director of Safe Communities since its inception in 1999. Cheryl consistently exhibits passion and drive to prevent injuries in Dane County by her exceptional abilities to bring diverse partners together to get involved and take action on the top causes of injuries impacting Madison and Dane County residents. Over 350 individuals and organizations are members of the Coalition. Safe Communities is a non-profit organization directed by Cheryl and a Board of Directors, with guidance from specialized task forces and workgroups. Safe Communities works to prevent injuries through initiatives promoting traffic safety, preventing falls, poisoning, suicide and injuries at home, and keeping children safe..

Cheryl has the ability to raise the visibility to Coalition initiatives through her effective communications skills. Safe Communities is most often identified as the "Slow Down" yard sign organization. This campaign is not only seen in Dane County but also across the state. Other effective injury prevention initiatives, where she mobilizes local communities and neighborhoods, include the "Stop on Red," and Pedestrian Flag traffic safety campaigns, suicide prevention training, and the older adult Falls Prevention Task Force.

Under Cheryl's leadership, Safe Communities has garnered national and international recognition. Dane County is the only county in the nation to be awarded three National Highway Transportation Safety grants to develop best practices in traffic safety. In addition, last year, Safe Communities was one of only six communities in the United States, and the first one in Wisconsin to receive the World Health Organization designation as a "WHO Safe Community."

Through Cheryl's extraordinary leadership, Safe Communities thrives and continues to make headway in the fight to reduce injuries and save lives.

Partnership Award: Kate Pender, St. Mary's Hospital/Triangle Ministry

For leadership and collaboration with Public Health and others in engaging Triangle residents for emergency preparedness using social capital theory-neighbors helping neighbors.

Kate Pender has been the St. Mary's Community Parish Nurse in the Triangle Neighborhood for the past seven years. She effectively provides a variety of nursing services to the Triangle Neighborhood including case management for individuals and families and group health education classes. One of Kate's most notable contribution to public health programs and services in the Triangle Neighborhood is her leadership in PLAN (Preparedness through Linking All Neighbors)-Public Health's emergency preparedness project using social capital theory to create neighborhood emergency plans.

The Madison Triangle Neighborhood includes residents of four subsidized, independent living apartment units housing approximately 350 adults. Residents in this neighborhood may have disabilities and income challenges. Many persons are living independently for the first time and have long desired to establish and maintain social connections and community involvement.

Kate's implementation of the PLAN initiative is seen as a model for other neighborhoods. Kate procured safety supplies and training for residents in first aid and CPR. She initiated the first fire drill in over a decade and a tornado drill. Her work also resulted in distribution of the Dane County Emergency Management Voluntary Disaster Assistance Registry to all residents with many having been completed. Kate has recruited and retained one resident from each floor to act as floor captains. This initiative has also encouraged neighbor interaction and support.

Kate's work is beyond what has been traditionally thought of, and commonly practiced as parish nursing. Her vision of working to create a healthy community is truly innovative and exemplifies a social capital approach, thereby improving health equity.

Tommye Schneider Environmental Health Leadership Award: Safe Food Advisory Committee Members: Susan Bulgrin (Culver's Frozen Custard), Wally Borowski (Paisan's), and Melanie Horzuesky (Bluephies)

For providing invaluable guidance to Public Health on policies including enforcement, inspection and consistency issues, food code issues, and training modules for food handlers.

These three restaurant owners/managers have served as members of the PHMDC Safe Food Advisory Committee for many years. Susan and Wally have served as members since the establishment of the committee in 1997. During this time, they have represented the food industry and have provided invaluable guidance to the Department on the numerous food safety issues.

All three have taken time away from their busy businesses to meet quarterly to discuss and advise on food safety issues. They represent the needs and concerns of the food industry and have assisted Public Health to develop effective training materials and to address industry issues that they bring to our attention.

They have also communicated with other restaurants operators or food industry people and relayed information to Public Health that comes from other food operators. These Safe Food Advisory Committee members are dedicated to their volunteer roles and responsibilities in helping to assure a high level food of safety in Madison and Dane County, which benefits all who eat at restaurants in Madison and Dane County.

Volunteer Award: Marilyn Howe, Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Dane County

For helping organize the RSVP home safety assessment program and providing over 100 home safety visits to older adult clients of the Aging Network in Dane County.

Marilyn was one of the organizers of RSVP Home Safety Assessment Program in 2004. She has completed over 100 home safety visits to clients of the aging network agencies in Dane County. As a retired nurse, she uses her skill and experience to help find creative ways to make people's lives safe and more comfortable. Since falls are the number one cause of injury death and hospitalizations for persons over age 65 in Dane County, this is an important service to prevent falls which also may prevent the loss of independence and disability. Research shows home safety visits can lower the incidence of serious injuries from falls.

Marilyn goes beyond her call of duty, finding furniture and special adaptations for people with special needs. She has designed forms, procedures and gathered resource lists to help others in this program. She has recruited and trained other volunteers. She also works with case managers from aging and health agencies who make the referrals and has been a resource to the Falls Task Force.

Marilyn's time, dedication and commitment to the Home Safety Assessment Program is to be commended and is making a difference in people's lives and public health.