South Plains Branch NASW March is Social Work Month Awards Banquet

Dateline:  March 24, 2015

Location:  Trustpoint Hospital, Lubbock, Texas

The staff at Trustpoint Hospital transformed their cafeteria into a lovely banquet hall, beautifully decorated with flowers, candles,  cloth table clothes and a slide show, emphasizing the teal NASW uses as its symbolic color, for the annual South Plains Branch NASW March is Social Work Month Awards Banquet.  The genial setting and format of the annual banquet allowed for networking and visiting before the meal, with hors d’oeuvres and beverages.   As social workers we regularly rush to the South Plains Branch NASW CEU luncheon meetings once a month, eat lunch, listen to the speaker, and rush off to work.  At the function tonight, we had a chance to sit back and relax, visit and mingle, and just enjoy, and be served, instead of rushing off to the next crisis.

Thanks to Bonnie Anne Rudd, who asked Trustpoint to sponsor the banquet tonight, we had a wonderful venue and a great, relaxed time.  Thanks also to Scott Brown, Trustpoint Director of Marketing, and their coworkers for their hands on efforts to make this a wonderful event.  We had a fine meal that included some wonderful desserts!  Social workers do not usually get served, and the Trustpoint staff did so graciously tonight.

After the meal, there was time for door prizes before the awards, and during the awards. Everyone in attendance was afforded the opportunity to receive a door prize!

The awards ceremony began with Pat Hollingworth  awarding the Fields of Practice Certificates

 

State Agency – Valeria Joiner

Mental Health – Margaret Lair
Criminal Justice -  Joyce Badger
Children and Families – Will Weathersby
Medical – Jan D’Orsay
Social Work Education – Cara Speer
Private Practice – Beverly Greiner
Retired – Anne Howe
School Social Work – Adelaida Montemayor
Elderly – Joyce Atkinson
 
For those certificate winners not present, we will have your certificates at the upcoming NASW events:  the annual April workshop, and the CEU lunch meetings in the coming months.

Interspersed among the awards presentations throughout the evening, were more door prizes.  As always, Cara Speer does a wonderful job acquiring “social worky” door prizes that are fun and have practical value.  Some door prizes were donated by members, including 3 Joe Arrington Cancer Center cookbooks thanks to Jan D’Orsay. One of the recipients of this door prize was Lex Webster, the chef at Raider Ranch who feeds us so well at our monthly meetings. Joining in the spirit of the evening, Lex said that since our next CEU lunch meeting is in May, he will have time to peruse the cookbook, and find something to cook for us from it at the May meeting!

This year, Public Citizen of the Year is really Public Couple of the Year:  Greg Carley most ably introduced the Reverend Ted (posthumously) and Betty Dotts, with contributions from Joyce Badger and Dr. Scott Badgett.  Mrs. Dotts gave a gracious and warm speech in acceptance.

Bonnie Anne Rudd presented the award for Agency of the Year to Raider Ranch, acknowledging their long history of hosting CEU activities, their generosity in providing us a meeting room, and free lunch!  Ashley Robertson thanked the social workers for their contributions to the community and Raider Ranch.

The Student of the Year from the Texas Tech University BSW program is Ashley Kuehl, presented by Helen Morrow. Helen told us that Ashley was the unanimous selection of herself, Dr. Elbow, Dr. Phelps and Dr. Lowe at Texas Tech! We were all given a pronunciation lesson: the name is pronounced “keel.”   Helen told us that both Mr. and Mrs. Kuehl have been United States Marines, and we thank them for their service to our country! as well as Ashley’s outstanding social work ability.  Ms. Kuehl was supported by the staff at VetStar, a part of Starcare Specialty Healthcare Systems of Lubbock County.  We thank them for their presence at the banquet!

Cara Speer, the 2014 Social Worker of the Year, presented the award to the 2015 Social Worker of the Year.  All of the previous Social Workers of the Year who were present were asked to come forward and support the 2015 winner, Greg Carley!  His efforts on behalf of the South Plains Branch include, but are not limited to, CEU activities for the luncheon series and the ethics workshop, Nominations and Leadership Recruitment, devoted steering committee member, and nominee for the upcoming election of Chair of the South Plains Branch.  Greg was out of town on business today, and we are grateful that he was able to get back to Lubbock to attend the banquet!

Poignantly, the last presentation of the evening was a memorial presentation.  Dr. Mike Rice lost his life in a plane crash earlier this year.  He, too, was a stalwart supporter of social services, and had a social worker’s heart.  He was a mentor to many, including Bonnie Anne, and gave of himself tirelessly to the needs of his patients. He was a strong advocate of the geriatric behavioral health program at Trustpoint.  One of his many passions was the American Diabetes Association, so the cost of the “ticket” for this evening’s event is being donated to the American Diabetes Association. We collected $240 + Trustpoint staff amount, and are grateful that his widow, Sandra Rice was present to acknowledge this memorial presentation.

As we departed, Scott Brown and staff, who had been taking photographs for us all evening, “framed us” for posterity. 

We asked all the social workers present to fill out a ticket with their name and phone number.  This will go into the drawing for the two NASW memberships that will be awarded at the annual ethics workshop on April 17, 2014.  You need not be present to win.  Your next opportunity to be entered into the drawing is at the workshop on April 17, 2015.  You are allowed one entry for the morning workshop, one entry for the afternoon workshop, and one bonus entry if you attend both workshops!

It was a wonderful night.  Once again, thanks to Bonnie Anne for her creativity, and the wonderful staff at Trustpoint for their efforts above and beyond!

I can’t tell you when I have had so much fun at an annual banquet.  As social workers, we need to learn to celebrate ourselves, and not always take ourselves so seriously! 

Thanks to all!