Tanner Health System’s Get Healthy, Live Well recently honored the hundreds of volunteers dedicated to making west Georgia a healthier place to live, learn, work, play and pray.
Get Healthy, Live Well held its annual Volunteer Recognition Celebration on June 9 at Tanner Medical Center/Carrollton. The theme of the celebration was “A Night with the Stars.” The celebration began with an invocation by Pastor Vincent Dortch of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Carrollton and Tanner Chaplain Steve Schneider was the night’s inspirational speaker.
The “Volunteer of the Year” award was given to Annette Boykin, a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Boykin has been trained to teach Living Well with Chronic Disease, Living Well with Diabetes and Fresh Start for tobacco cessation — all Get Healthy, Live Well classes. She has also been trained as an instructor for the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) and taught a yearlong class at her church, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Carrollton.
Boykin also had the most volunteer service hours, logging 240 in the past year.
“This year’s ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award goes to someone our entire staff knows well, who we can call at any moment and she will come running to help with the biggest smile on her face,” said Get Healthy, Live Well Community Coordinator Mahaya Clark. “She is one of our strongest supporters."
The “Lifetime Achievement” award was given to Jacqueline Dost, past executive director of Keep Carroll Beautiful. Dost was the task force chair for Get Healthy, Live Well’s community gardens initiative, which established more than 22 gardens in Carroll, Haralson and Heard counties. She helped plan the annual health summit and supported reverse-angle parking in Villa Rica.
Dost also supported Get Healthy, Live Well’s Safe Routes to School initiative.
“She was one of the first to support Get Healthy, Live Well when we started several years ago and she is well-known to most everyone in the community,” said Get Healthy, Live Well Program Manager Gina Brandenburg. “Her organization’s mission is to ‘engage the citizens of Carroll County in taking responsibility for improving our community environment.’ That mission fit so well with the mission of Get Healthy, Live Well that our partnership was a perfect match.”
The volunteers who were recognized for their hard work and leadership were given beautiful handmade glazed pottery by Clayton Brandenburg. Brandenburg made two unique platters for Boykin and Dost. All volunteers were given an award for their contributions.
Volunteer service awards were given for volunteers with 50, 100 and 200 hours of service. Twenty-five volunteers received 50-hour awards, six received 100-hour awards and Boykin received a 200-hour award. In total, 235 volunteers gave 5,108 hours of service in the past year.
Join Get Healthy, Live Well in its efforts to improve the community’s health. Visit www.GetHealthyLiveWell.org and complete an online application to become a volunteer.
Complete List of Award Winners
It Takes A Village Award – Bridgette Stewart (University of West Georgia)
Mission Possible Award – University of West Georgia
Fork and Spoon Award – Caron Connelly (Power of Produce [POP] Club)
Mover and Shaker Award – Erica Studdard (Friends of Carrollton GreenBelt)
Breath of Fresh Air Award – Bremen and Bowdon housing authorities
Health Avengers Award – Gretchen House (Diabetes Prevention Program instructor)
New Kid on the Block Award – West Georgia Track Club and First Baptist Church of Carrollton
Kickball Award – Shakeira Herring (College), Eli Brandenburg (Youth) and Joanna Schoerner (Adult)
Keeping the Faith Award – Overcomers Christian Center in Villa Rica
Lego Award – City of Villa Rica/Main Street Villa Rica
What Ya’ Doin’? Award – Eric Brandenburg
Volunteer of the Year – Annette Boykin (Antioch Missionary Baptist Church)
Lifetime Achievement Award – Jacqueline Dost
Leaders of the Pack Award