September is Healthy Aging Month, and Sept. 21-27 marks National Employ Older Workers Week in North Carolina. The Division of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) launched the annual observance by hosting an awards luncheon in Raleigh on Sept. 17 that recognized the contributions older workers make to their workplace and in their communities.
Reena Shetty, DAAS’s State Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Coordinator, and Kathryn Lanier, DAAS’ Chief of Elder Rights, welcomed attendees. Steve Hahn of AARP North Carolina, which sponsored the lunch, addressed attendees by noting that the U.S. Department of Labor considers anyone age 40 or older to be an older worker and mentioning federal legislation currently being proposed to protect older workers from discrimination.
A DHHS employee and volunteer stood among the award recipients. Dianne Rawdanowicz, a Client Advocate for the Client Assistance Program at the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, received a medal and certificate as the runner-up for the Ann B. Johnson 2014 Older Worker Award – Public Sector. The selection committee pointed out Rawdanowicz’s impeccable work and caring nature, noting, “Having achieved her Masters Degree at age 60, there’s no obstacle that is unattainable.”
Meanwhile, DAAS volunteer Addie Holton received a medal and certificate as the 2014 SCSEP Program Participant for her ability to learn quickly, attention to detail and engagement in a variety of DAAS activities. Not only did she receive her award, but she volunteered at the event by greeting attendees at the sign-in table.
Among the other winners in the public sector were 80-year-old Evelyn Vorhees, who goes above and beyond as the “heartbeat” of the Senior Nutrition Program at the Albemarle Commission Senior Nutrition Program while battling breast cancer and caring for a son with a disability and cancer. The non-profit agency Helping Hand Mission won in the Employer of the Year category for consistently supporting the SCSEP by training and hiring older workers to meet community needs assisting low-income and homeless individuals.
To view the Governor’s Employ Older Workers Week proclamation, go to https://www.ncgov.com/newsroom/proclamation/20140921/employ-older-workers-week. To learn more about DAAS and its programs, go to www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/.