Council on Aging 2007-2008 Board of Directors elected, awards presented

The Council on Aging of West Florida recently held is annual meeting of the nonprofit organization's members and supporters. Following a presentation by guest speaker Secretary of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs E. Douglas Beach, Ph. D., the 2007-2008 board of directors was elected and the 2007 Council on Aging Volunteer of the Year and Hall of Fame Awards were presented.

Newly elected officers are Sue Straughn, Chair; Nora Bailey, First Vice Chair; Dona Usry, Second Vice Chair; Councilmember P. C. Wu, Ph. D., Secretary, and Chaplain Larry Mosley, Treasurer.

Elected to the board for a two-year term are Nora Bailey, Father Jack Gray, Janet Holley, Dr. Thomas Lampone, Chaplain Larry Mosley, Sue Straughn, Bettye Swanston, Pensacola City Councilmember P. C. Wu, Escambia County Commissioner Marie K. Young, Jan G. Peterson, Mark Harden, Santa Rosa County Administrator Hunter Walker and Bonnie Jones.

Board members returning to complete their two-year terms are Rosemary Bonifay, Capt. John Brick (USN Ret.), Rodger Doyle, Ann Brown, Irv English, Dr. Donna Jacobi, Zola Lett, James M. "Mick" Novota, Margaret J. Poppell, DeeDee Ritchie, Jeff Rock, Dr. Petra Schuler, Monica Sherman, Reverend Irvin Stallworth, Ethel Tamburello, Dona Usry, Denise Windham and Bruce Windham. Board Member Emeriti are Clyde Bizzell, Joe Black, Rita E. Jones, Kenneth Kelson, Charles H. Overman, III and Malcolm Parker. John B. Clark is President/CEO of the agency.

The 2007 Council on Aging Volunteer of the Year Award was presented to Emily Eddins for outstanding service to the agency. Gene Turnipseed was recognized as a finalist. Hall of Fame Awards, the highest form of recognition the Council of Aging board of directors bestows on citizens and businesses in the community, were presented to Ballinger Publishing and WUWF-TV for their support of Coming of Age, Lifestyle Television and Magazine for Seniors. The Hall of Fame Awards were accepted by Malcolm Ballinger and Trish Allison, respectively.