Award Recipients

Biographies of Award Winners:

OHCF 2008 Senior Wish Champion Award- Allyson Famous * Activities Assistant * River Valley Landing Senior Community

Allyson Famous is committed to celebrating the lives of her residents through the Senior Wish program and has consistently utilized the skills she acquired through the OHCF Senior Wish Training to unite the River Valley Landing community, securing contributions of resources to conduct Senior Wishes, and garnering positive public awareness about her community in the media.

One of Allyson?s more recent Senior Wish initiatives, a concert outing for 81 year old Nellie Arndt demonstrates how she makes a wish come true. For this Senior Wish Allyson secured the participation of KFIS-The Fish radio station, sponsor of The Newsboys concert, who contributed a block of tickets and arranged for a post concert celebration to introduce Nellie to the band members. Allyson achieved donations from an area makeover artist, limousine transportation from Northwest Limousine Co, and champagne for a send off reception at the community. Allyson also contacted KGRW, the Christian Rock station Nellie and her husband founded in Winston, OR more than 25 years ago, and arranged for an on-air telephone interview with Nellie. The Senior Wish was featured in community newspapers and the clips help Nellie remember and share her experience. Nellie credits her Senior Wish with bringing fun and excitement back into her life and has inspired fellow residents at River Valley Landing to fulfill their dreams with Allyson?s help. Because of Allyson?s good work, River Valley Landing will receive a $500 award for life enrichment programs. Keep up the good work Allyson, you are a true champion!

OHCF 2008 Community Champion Award- DeVaul Henderson * Island Sailing Club & School

When DeVaul Henderson of Island Sailing Club & School was approached by the staff of Avamere at Sherwood about granting a Senior Wish he was more than happy to help. Avamere resident and former avid sailor, 77 year old Hennie Page, had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and wished only to go sailing one last time. DeVaul, who had recently lost his father to pancreatic cancer was moved by Hennie?s story and was honored to host a sailing trip for him along with his daughter and two grandsons. Before setting sail from DeVaul?s port on the Columbia River, Hennie savored the moment as he stepped aboard the boat and was treated to his favorite meal of filet mignon. DeVaul went above and beyond donating his time and services to make Hennie?s dream come true and even offered to take the family for a second sailing outing. Thank you, DeVaul, for your generosity, your spirit of giving, and for inspiring a sense of community in all who hear this story. You are appreciated and embody the characteristics of the OHCF Community Champion, someone outside of the long term care profession who has signally contributed to the quality of life of a long term care resident.

Archives:

OHCF Leadership Award - Dr. Mark Jager

Dr. Jager has been at Concordia University since 1995 as Professor and Chair of the Department of Health and Social Services. His leadership was instrumental to the creation and implementation of the BS in Health Care Administration, the Master of Business and the Bachelor of Science of Nursing degrees. He has integrated aging and long term care content into the health care administration courses and has championed internships in long term care communities so students can learn first hand how to manage the challenges facing them. He has taught hundreds of the health care administrators and providers working in the field today who have learned about person-centered, high quality care within the value-based curriculum at Concordia. ?Dr. Jager?s leadership and attention to the quality of health care degrees at Concordia has impacted positively both the quality of care provided at long term care facilities and organizations, and their financial and managerial stability.? It is with great pleasure we award Dr. Mark Jager the first OHCF Leadership Award.


Community Partner of the Year Award - MetroWest Ambulance

The OHCF has been the beneficiary of Metro West?s generosity and support at every possible level. The entire staff rallies to organize transportation for Senior Wish grantees, whisking them off to family reunions, sky-diving trips, and horse-back riding adventures. MetroWest participates in all the Forget-Me-Not training presentations, sharing the role of what being a Community Partner is all about with newcomers to the program. MetroWest is an annual corporate sponsor at the Unforgettable Wine-Tasting and Auction and this year Karri Bolman dedicated countless hours and quality networking to organizing the Silent Auction portion of the event. Whether the need is small or large, MetroWest is always there for the OHCF and we thank the whole team for their incredible partnership with this award.


Volunteer of the Year Award - Linda St. John

It was the Oregonian article about an elderly woman?s shopping spree at Saks Fifth Avenue that originally caught Linda?s eye. Within a week, she was a regular volunteer at OHCF ? offering to do whatever needed to be done and making herself an invaluable member of the team, in addition to her full-time work at Mentor Graphics and caretaking responsibilities for her elderly father. Linda?s networking brought the Senior Wish Program to the attention of the BMW-ACA auto club of Portland who chose the Foundation as the beneficiary of their summer car rally to Crater Lake. Linda?s invaluable help ?behind the scenes?; her business savvy, and her participation on the scholarship committee have made a lasting contribution to the OHCF. With this award, we honor Linda for her dedication and volunteer commitment.


Forget-Me-Not Champion of the Year Award - Jodi Burroughs, Porthaven Health Care Center

Jodi Burroughs is that special kind of person who creates magic wherever she goes. She is an advocate in the deepest sense of the word for each person living their dreams and stops at practically nothing to make sure they do. Jodi truly ?champions? the dreams and wishes of residents at Porthaven and is the driving force behind countless dreams becoming reality. Without Jodi?s persistence, Glenna would not have had the opportunity to be the ?Sky-Diving Granny of Oregon; Billie?s book would not have been published; Linda would not have traveled to Washington, DC to see the Native American Exhibit at the Smithsonian with all she needed; Martin would not have the experience of swimming once again, Bull would not have movies about boxing; Taki would not have Japanese music everyday in her room; Blanche would not have gotten to ride a horse; and many other heart-warming stories. Thank you Jodi for bringing the Senior Wish Program to life for so many residents and their families.


Community Business of the Year Award - Les and Cathy Johnson, Luxury Accommodations

At a local Gresham Chamber of Commerce meeting, Susan Bowker asked a fellow commerce member who owned a limo service for some help. He couldn?t, but recommended this ?other guy? ? Les Johnson. From that day forward, Les & Cathy Johnson and their dedicated staff have been part of the OHCF family. It began with driving Alice to hear George Strait; Kay Teresi to her hole-in-one; Ella to be part of a local dinner theatre production; transporting kids in ?stretch limo?s? from a local day care serving low income kids to visit residents in a care community; transporting Sherri and veterans to the traveling Healing Vietnam Wall in the pouring rain; and the list goes on. For most wish recipients, having their dream fulfilled was positively amazing....but having it fulfilled and riding in a limousine really put it in the realm of the magical. Thank you to Les, Cathy and your wonderful staff for your incredible generosity and heartfelt support of the Senior Wish Program.


Special Achievement Award - ?The Gerontology Department at Portland Community College? Dr. Janice Abushakrah and Linda Wiener

This award is being given to the dynamic duo from the Gerontology Department at Portland Community College, Janice Abushakrah and Linda Wiener, who are paving the way for generations of men and women to enter the field of aging, aging services, and long term care. Through their innovative online certificate in gerontology that serve students around the state; to integrative programs that simultaneously fulfill academic degree and certificate requirements; to building collaborative partnerships with community organizations, such as the Oregon Health Care Foundation, to providing students with more opportunities to receive financial and career support; to championing the development of the Wisdom Keepers program at Sylvania and its introduction at campuses across the state; to educating a cross-section of students and working professionals about the career possibilities available in the field of gerontology...we salute the Department of Gerontology for its commitment to ?designing the future? for individuals in gerontology, aging services, and long term care.