Covenant News

Senior Services Group Honors CRC Employee

NORTHBROOK, IL (July 29, 2005) - She teaches ceramics, oversees a woodworking shop, and recruits volunteers to roll bandages for medical missions in Africa. It's not what Susan Stevens does that makes her extraordinary. It's the way she does it.

The Creative Arts Center and volunteer coordinator at Covenant Village of Northbrook, Stevens was recently awarded the prestigious Shining Star Award for outstanding activities by Life Services Network (LSN), a statewide trade association of senior services providers in Illinois. The annual awards are presented to employees of older adult service providers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to the quality of life of those they serve.

"Twelve winners were selected from over 200 nominations submitted by older adult service providers throughout the state," said Dennis Bozo, LSN president. "The winners of this year's awards are remarkable individuals whose daily presence in the lives of the elderly makes all the difference in the world to those who count on them."

A 10-year Covenant Village of Northbrook employee, Stevens has enhanced the Covenant Village activity program and expanded the number of villagers who participate in it, according to Cheryl Krupa, Covenant Village recreation director. "She is unabashedly optimistic, most always has a smile, and perks up the gloomiest individual," says Krupa. "She is tireless when it comes to doing her job. She has a way of lovingly becoming everyone's granddaughter."

Stevens' efforts benefit those in the greater Northbrook community as well as those at Covenant Village. By promoting participation in creative arts and woodworking activities, Stevens encourages villagers to create craft items that are sold at the community's annual Holly Fair. More than half of last year's $28,000 net sales were donated to village of Northbrook agencies and services, including the fire and police departments and the public library. One year the donation enabled the fire department to purchase a Resaca-Annie, a child-sized dummy on which to practice CPR.

Stevens is a resident of Huntley, Illinois. The award was presented during a ceremony at Navy Pier in Chicago by Charles Johnson, director of the Illinois Department on Aging. The accompanying photo shows Stevens with Connie March (left), LSN board chair, and Ron Jaeger, LSN board chair-elect.

Covenant Village of Northbrook is a nationally accredited not-for-profit continuing care retirement community administered by Chicago-based Covenant Retirement Communities on behalf of the Board of Benevolence of the Evangelical Covenant Church.

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