Wow ! Congrats, Meg !! I agree with Levonian and Fly Free,
I'd love to read ur story - please post it here !!!
FYI: Hey, Look at:
http://cnhs.gmu.edu/assistedliving/essay-contest.html
"Moments, Memories, and Mission:
Stories from the Field of Assisted Living"
2004 National Assisted Living Employees Essay Contest Winners!!!
Congratulations to all of the more than 250 participants from 42 states and the District of Columbia who submitted entries for the first ever National Assisted Living Employees Essay Contest. Every contest participant will receive a frame-able certificate from the Program in Assisted Living Administration at George Mason University, and should be proud of their efforts in both sharing their stories and representing their communities on a national level.
While many essays were of outstanding quality, we are pleased to announce 21 that have been selected for publication in an illustrated paperback book:
“Moments, Memories, and Mission. Stories from the field of Assisted Living”.. These essays were selected through their ability to represent a cross section of the stories submitted from across the nation, as well as the diversity of assisted living employees.
The following authors will receive a plaque from the University recognizing publication of their essay, as well as three complimentary copies of the published book:
1. Wednesdays with Dorothy
Trevor Fuhriman
Executive Director – Salt Lake City, UT
2. The Red Hat Society
Rosalind Pope
Receptionist – Aliso Viejo, CA
3. A Sacred Moment
Charlene Dale
Administrator – Whitefish, MT
4. I Have Tomorrow
Debra Frank
Resident Aide – Kalamazoo, MI
5. One Size Does Not Fit All
Robin Nihoul, RN
Assisted Living Dir. – Jacksonville, FL
6. True Communication
Megan Washam
Activities Volunteer – Orono, ME
7. Learning to Drive
William Campbell
Van Driver – Malden, MA
8. Inspirations of the Heart
Robin Craner-Skammel
Activities Coord. – Belmont, CA
9. A Good Run
Allyson Coffey
Assistant Administrator – Towson, MD
10. The Need to be Needed
Christine Winkowski
Chaplain – Wauwatosa, WI
11. Everyone has a Story
Kay Anderson
Recreation Coordinator – Lincoln, NE
12. The Apartment
Stacy Gatto
Senior Executive Director – Pineville, NC
13. What a Lifter!
Bob Hanson
Cook – Papillion. NE
14. The Daffodils are Blooming
Connie Clem
Administrator – Berryville, VA
15. “Helen”
Sandra Ferguson,
Front Desk – Glendale, CA
16. Always
Jennifer DeLuca
VP Communications – Greenville, RI
17. A Friend Named Victor
Jolanta Luty-Midzio
Care Aid – Sarasota, FL
18. His Eye is on the Sparrow
Lorren Sumner
Care Assistant – Lychburg, VA
19. Softly and Tenderly
Mary Snortum
Activity Director – Fond du Lac, WI
20. A Story of a Girl
Rosa Shrout
Lead Housekeeper – Alexandria, VA
21. You Will Know
Brad Smith
CEO/Owner – Crestview, FL
And now the DRUM ROLL…….!!!
The following essays chosen for publication have additionally been selected as the Top Three Award Winning entries:
FIRST PLACE – BEST ESSAY: $1,500
“A Sacred Moment”
Charlene Dale, Administrator
Riverside Senior Living
Whitefish, Montana
First Runner Up – Best Essay: $1,250
“His Eye is on the Sparrow”
Lorren Sumner, Care Assistant
Heritage Green – Daybreak
Lynchburg, Virginia
Second Runner Up – Best Essay: $1,000
“Always”
Jennifer DeLuca, Corporate Communications
Village Retirement Communities
Greenville, Rhode Island
All “published” authors will be contacted in the next few days for additional information regarding their stories. Publication of the book and receipt of plaques and certificates is expected to be completed during the next 60-90 days. Check this site at that time for information on how to order “Moments, Memories and Mission. Stories from the field of Assisted Living.”
THANK YOU TO THE HUNDREDS OF DEDICATED ASSISTED LIVING EMPLOYEES WHO MADE THIS FIRST EVER CONTEST A SUCCESS. YOUR STORIES HAVE BEEN AN INSPIRATION, AND A REMINDER OF YOUR COMMITMENT AND SERVICE TO OTHERS.
Sincerely,
Contest Judges
Andrew Carle (Editor) MHSA,
Assistant Professor
Director – Program in Assisted Living Administration
George Mason University
Marie Kodadek, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
College of Nursing and Health Science
George Mason University
James Metcalf, Ph.D., Professor
Coordinator – Undergraduate Health Science
George Mason University
Mary Anne Noble, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Coordinator – Advanced Clinical Nursing
George Mason University
Georgia Weiss, President
Avalon Assisted Living
It is always great to feel an accomplishment that you made. I was interviewed for a book and it took like 3 years for the book to be finally published. It is nice to see my name in a book that can be viewed by anybody nationwide.
Meg 
:P