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Sid Granet Awards
Sid Granet was the
Executive Director of the Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging from
1975 until his death in 1987. His
philosophy was to Be all you can be. In Sid’s own words, “In
times of great economic stress and community pressure, it's easy for
a social service agency (or individual) to focus on the negative.
Taking these negatives and turning them into positives is the
biggest challenge facing us today. An agency (or individual) must
learn to focus on what can instead of what can't be done.”
The Sid Granet Award
was created in his honor, and are awarded once each year at the the
annual Governor’s Conference on Aging in Chicago.
If you know of a worthy recipient
or group, please send us email by using the link at the bottom of this page.
The 2007 Sid Granet award winners
are–
Charles Johnson,
Director, Illinois Department on Aging is honored for his many decades
of service to provide community-based and in-home services for senior adults in
Illinois. Formerly the Executive Director of Northeastern Illinois Area Agency
on Aging before being appointed Director of the Illinois Department on Aging,
Mr. Johnson has worked most of his adult life to help senior adults
remain independent and in their own homes for as long as
possible.
White Crane Wellness Center (Chicago)
is honored for their continued dedication to working with the Area
Agency on Aging serving Suburban Cook County on a number of health
initiatives. White Crane promotes disease prevention programming for
older adults in 130 municipalities in the suburbs of Chicago. White
Crane provides a comprehensive, holistic, community-based approach
to chronic disease prevention. White Crane also helped implement the
Chronic Disease Self-Management Program to empower older adults and
give them tools to reduce the negative impact chronic disease has on
lives. White Crane Wellness Center has reduced the negative impact
of ill health in thousands of people throughout the suburbs of
Chicago.
Volunteers of Hanover
Township Senior Services (Bartlett) for their continued
dedication to help seniors maintain an independent lifestyle within
the community along with a sense of belonging and joy of living.
They give older and active adults an array of opportunities to
volunteer. Currently, the township has 230 giving individuals who
participate in community projects such as helping prepare tax
returns, deliver meals, prescription drug assistance, and the new
P.A.L. Program which helps seniors in need of companionship.
Many of the senior volunteers also act as teacher aides in
elementary school, operate a gift shop in the senior center, work to
prevent fraud through the IL Attorney General’s Senior Sleuth
Program, and work on projects to benefit hospitals, hospice and
other community partners. Last year, the volunteers performed
over 17,000 hours dedicated to various projects.
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