Developmental Services of Northwest Kansas hosted its annual awards luncheon in Hays September 24th. Awards were given to staff, persons served, and community members. The first awards of the afternoon were given to employees of DSNWK for their years of service. Those staff recognized and listed by location, are:
Atwood – Earla Connell, Jane Griffith, Lynette Kanek, Zelda Merz
Hays – Kellie Begler, Roseanne Benabdallah, Matthew Binder, Starla Conner, Michael Cox, Norma Dorzweiler, Nancy Duffy, Trevor Engel, LaVonne Giess, Robert Hageman, Alaina Hughes, Kyle Kreutzer, Ruth Lang, Jacqueline Lattin, Richard Lovin, Dawn Marlett, Gracemary Melvin, Edith Murguia, Mark Nebel, Jan Nosekabel, Dustin Olsen, Monica Roe, Rebecca Rupp, Jason Schmidt, Cheryl Snyder, Jim Strobel, Ronnie Welch, Anne Werth, David Whalen
Hill City – Marla Baker, Carolyn Bell, Katherine Bell, Marva Boyd, Gertrude Deges, Sherri Jackson, Barbara Kinderknecht, Nannette Kohart, Gina Nichol,
Norton – Larry Fletchall, Rene Readle, Laquita Smith
Oakley – Pamela Sager
Russell – Mellissa Holloway
DSNWK gave special recognition to three staff members who made successful efforts in coming to the aid of persons served by DSNWK in need and providing emergency assistance. Those recognized were: Monica Roe of Hays, Charles Bowker and Marsha Niehoff of Russell.
Special recognition was also paid to five staff members for their outstanding work with persons with disabilities. Stormy Boisvert and LeeAnn Schmidtberger of Hays, Raenette Martin of Oberlin, Tammy Morton of Hoxie and Virginia Carver of Atwood were presented with the Employee of the Year Awards.
Two $100 scholarship awards were presented to Edith Murguia and Shaunna Ruder of Hays. These awards were given from the Jerelyn Becker Memorial Scholarship Fund for employees studying in higher education in a field related to serving people with developmental disabilities.
Several awards were given to individuals served by DSNWK for achievement through employment and independence. Those receiving awards and listed by location are:
Atwood – Barbara Bieker and Betty Bieker
Hays – Duane Basgall, Guy French, Gary Harbers, Raylynn Lumpkin, James Lynn, Melisa Mong, Ross Mowry, Jeff Saindon, Robert Skeers, Scott Wiglesworth
Hill City – Ray Dean Dancer and Rosemary Dancer
Oakley – Chad Ostmeyer and Jessica Soderlund
Goodland – Shelby Estes
DSNWK presented two Individual Achievement Awards to individuals served by DSNWK. Bailey Thompson of Norton and Tim Speier of Hill City were presented these awards which go each year to one youth and one adult who have shown tremendous individual progress throughout the year.
Several awards were presented to members of area communities: Fort Hays State University received DSNWK’s Employer of the Year Award for their outstanding support of people with disabilities in the workforce.
The Community Support Award, which was presented to an entity who has shown DSNWK outstanding support, was given to the Hays High School.
DSNWK’s Good Neighbor Awards were presented to Mark Richardson an individual served by DSNWK in Hoxie for his outstanding community volunteerism and Harriet Richardson of Hoxie who has shown great support to the individuals served by DSNWK and the program in Hoxie.