Mary Bartoshuk has been known for years for her tireless volunteer work across Hendry County and Southwest Florida. Now, Bartoshuk has earned statewide recognition from two powerhouse organizations in Florida’s aging community.
At the annual Florida Conference on Aging, held this August in Tampa, Bartoshuk earned awards from the Florida Council on Aging and AARP.
She was nominated for both awards by the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida, where Bartoshuk serves on the agency’s volunteer Advisory Council.
On August 14, Bartoshuk was honored with a Quality Senior Living Award in the area of public service. The award, presented annually by the Florida Council on Aging and FPL, is one of the most prestigious awards in Florida’s professional aging network. It honors an individual or organization that makes outstanding contributions to improve the quality of life for Florida’s older adults.
“We nominated Mary because of her boundless energy and enthusiasm for serving our region’s elders,” explains Marianne Lorini, President and CEO of AAASWFL. “Every day she improves the quality of life for seniors in Southwest Florida. If ever there was a real life superwoman, it is most definitely Mary.”
The following day, Bartoshuk earned the Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus Community Trailblazer Award, presented by AARP. This one-time award in recognition of AARP’s 60th anniversary was presented to six recipients from AARP’s six regions in the state. Bartoshuk was selected as winner for Florida’s Coast to Coast region, which represents fourteen counties.
“This award will never be given again, so this is an esteemed group of honorees,” said Donna Ginn, state president of AARP Florida and award presenter. “This award celebrates and recognizes individuals… who demonstrate real vision. They are respected by their peers, are dedicated to their communities, do extraordinary work, and have found innovative and sustainable solutions to the issues in the areas where they volunteer.”
Bartoshuk resides in LaBelle. She has been a member of the AAASWFL advisory council for eight years and also trained as a volunteer for the agency’s health and wellness programs.
The Quality Senior Living Awards also recognized another group of honorees from Southwest Florida. Glades County Public Schools earned an award for service to seniors by an organization. The school district was nominated by Hope Connections, which partners with Glades County students to distribute food to low-income seniors.
No comments:
Post a Comment