Phutu. b> Todd Lack
Cyrus Art
Production
performers put
on a show for
^ attendees at
Monday night's
AIDS Care
Service meet*
ing.
Local people helping to tackle
AIDS crisis receive recognition
BY LAYLA FARMER
THE CHRONICLE
Two individuals and two
organizations were recognized
with awards from AIDS Care
a Service, Inc. (ACS) at the its
annual meeting on Monday
night.
Community members
Richard Cassidy and Daughn
Eagan were feted for their
service to ACS, as were the
Northwest Care Consortium
and The Chronicle. Outgoing
members of the Bdard of
Trustees were also recognized
during the ceremony.
"This past year has been
an amazing year for AIDS
Care Service. Over 5,000 vol
unteer hours have been
logged," commented ACS
President Christine Jolly.
"There's a tremendous
amount of work being done in
this community."
Cassidy was given the
Friendship Award in apprecia
tion of the many hours he has
spent supporting and encour
aging ACS clients.
"Richard is an outstanding
volunteer," Jolly commented.
"He continually advocates for
our clients. He does a good
job of helping us out and mak
ing sure that he is a friend of
the organization ."
Cassidy, who is HIV-posi
tive and a cancer survivor,
said he was "blown away" by
the honor.
"I'm honored just to serve;
they need so much," he said of
ACS. "My drive is to instill
and inspire hope in people that
are living with HIV/ AIDS ....
I'm just there for them I
know what it's like A kx of
Richard Cassidy
times, people just want a
friend to listen."
Though it is now in remis
sion, Cassidy says he almost
lost his battle with cancer. '
The experience has given him
a renewed dedication to help
ing others.
"Having tasted death and
(having) the peace that comes
from being brought back from
that, I am compelled to share
with my brothers and sisters,"
he declared. "God is bigger
than AIDS; God is bigger than
cancer."
Eagan, a former member
of the ACS board, was hon
ored with the Benefactor
Award for her efforts in drum
ming up support for the ACS
food pantry.
"Daughn has done so
much for our organization,"
Jolly remarked. "She's so
committed - always advocat
ing for food or actual financial
gifts to the organization."
Eagan, who volunteers at
the panty three to four hours
per week, says she receives far
more than she gives.
"1 really just love being
Daughn Eagan
with the clients; they are
always so very grateful," she
commented. "There are
weeks and months where you
think, 'I could use that three to
four hours for something
else.' But then you get there
and you realize you're right
where you need to be. You
leave feeling' more blessed
than when you came."
The work of volunteers
like Cassidy and Eagan are
vitally important as HIV
infections nationwide contin
ue to occur at alarming rates,
said Dr. Scott Rhodes, presi
dent-elect of the ACS board.
"One new infection occurs
in the United States about
every 9.5 minutes. That's
over 150 new infections per
day," he stated. "HIV ranks
number six in causes of death
for individuals between the
ages of 25-44."
The Northwest Care
Consortium's Visionary
Award was earned because of
its years of providing medical
needs and support for those
with HIV and AIDS. The
Chronicle received the
Baptist nurses like where they work
SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE
Wake Forest University
Baptist Medical Center has
made the 2009 "Top 100
Hospitals to Work For" list
from Nursing Professionals
magazine.
"We are indeed honored
and humbled by the fact that
our nurses feel so strongly
about the positive environ
ment we have all strived to
achieve here at Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical
Center," said A. Patricia
Johnson, vice president of
operations and chief nursing
officer. "Relationship-based
care has focused us all, not
only on our patients and fam
ilies, but also on caring for
each other as members of a
team."
Early in 2008, Nursing
Professionals sent a survey to
25,000 randomly selected
hospital nurses throughout
the country to measure their
job satisfaction. Sample ques
tions asked included: How
well does your hospital man
age personal training and
development? Is your hospi
tal a family-friendly employ
er? Does your hospital offer
flexible working arrange
ments? Does your hospital
promote equality and diversi
ty in your nursing work
force? How strong is the
nursing voice within your
hospital on a scale of one to
10?
The Top 100 hospitals are
listed alphabetically with no
numeric ranking. Other North
Carolina hospitals to appear
on the list are: Carolinas
Medical Center, Charlotte,
Duke University Medical
Center, Durham, Mission
Hospital , Ashe ville ,
University of North Carolina
Hospitals, Chapel Hill.
This list appears in the
first issue of Nursing
Professionals, spring 2009
(January). The magazine will
be published twice a year,
spring and fall (September).
Its focus is to serve as a tool
for hospitals, the military and
corporations to recruit
upcoming nursing graduates.
With a circulation of 55,000,
it will be available at more
than 1,000 nursing schools
throughout the country.
Advocate Award for its news
coverage of HIV/AIDS-relat
ed issues.
Artists from Cyrus Art
Production (CAP) provided
entertainment for the evening,
regaling the audience with a
multi-media performance that
incorporated dance, drama
and music. The piece was
centered around HIV/AIDS
awareness, according to
Founder Duane Cyrus.
"I want to create works
that are socially relevant, and
HIV/AIDS is something that
affects us all," declared Cyrus,
who has traveled the world as
a dancer. "I've lost many
friends and colleagues to the
disease."
A panel discussion on HIV
advocacy followed the CAP
performance.
For more information
about AIDS Care Services,
Inc. or to volunteer, call (336)
777-0116 or visit
www jaidscare service .org .
Spend an evening with
G RAM M V AWA R I >WIN N I NC >
SONGSTRESS
Patti Austin
Tuesday, March 24
8:00 PM
K.R. Williams Ai ditorii m
Featuring the WSSl Burke Singers
under the direction of DWalla Simmons
Burke. Boh Moody MumV Director of the
Winston-Salem Symphony u ill emcee.
Tickets are $50 advance; $55 day
of show. Tickets can he purchased
at the WSSl ticket office or at
it tni .ticketmaster.com. Student tickets
are $20 (with their respective college
I D.) and are on s ale only <it the W SSl
ticket office. Proceeds from ticket sales
support university scholarships.
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l<? iikiiv m/oruuUion.
WINSTON
SALEM
STATE
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