FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Population Health Trust Seeks Nominations for the 2024 Skagit Change Maker Award and Community Champion Award

The Population Health Trust (PHT) and its partners are excited to host another Powerful Partnerships event this year on October 3, 2024, at McIntyre Hall. Each year, the event celebrates the advancements in population health made by collective impact, honors community members for their significant contributions to the community, and serves as a call to action for others to make a difference in Skagit County.

“Skagit County has a long, rich history of people supporting the community,” says Thomas Boucher of North Coast Credit Union. “Powerful Partnerships reflects the leaders and organizations working every day on some of the most challenging issues to support the communities we live in.”

This year, the Trust and its partners are honored to recognize two individuals for their service and contributions to the community, and nominations for the awards are now open!

Skagit Change Maker Award

Inspired by the life of Terry Belcoe, the Skagit Change Maker award honors an individual who is action-oriented, boundary-crossing and solution-focused in their commitment to community improvement. Terry joyfully served our community and many local organizations with a “do it now” approach, which resulted in tangible benefits to the people of Skagit County.

Past recipients of the Change Maker award are Cheryl Bishop (2018), Lisa Janicki (2019), Sue Krienen (2021) and Flora Perez-Lucatero (2022).

The Trust is honored to recognize another community member who exemplifies the following traits.

Excels in their professional work or area of expertise.
Makes significant contributions to the Skagit community, above and beyond their profession or work.
Mentors current and future community leaders.
Proactively tackles important work on behalf of the Skagit community.
Inspires others to action.
Promotes collective impact, working across organizational and other boundaries.
Puts service above self.

Skagit Community Champion Award

Ensuring that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health (health equity) is a vision of the PHT. “As CEO of Economic Development Alliance of Skagit County (EDASC) and a member of the PHT, it is important to recognize community servant leaders who work tirelessly and often behind the scenes for better health and prosperity for all Skagit residents, especially those who may be farthest from advantage,” says John Sternlicht. The Trust seeks help to recognize an individual who works to promote health, create environments where all can thrive, and who demonstrates the following.

Commits time, energy, and passion to improve the lives of Skagitonians, especially those who experience barriers to thriving such as poverty and discrimination.
Makes significant contributions to the Skagit community, above and beyond their profession or work.
Shines light on the needs of the population they serve.
Creates or contributes significantly to programs, services, and opportunities that tap into community knowledge and wisdom.
Shows a commitment to partnerships and the power of collective action.

To nominate a community member for the Skagit Change Maker Award or Skagit Community Champion Award, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RHMSPL9. Nominations will be accepted until 5:00 PM on August 2, 2024.

The honorees will be recognized on October 3, 2024, at the Powerful Partnerships event held at McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon from 3:30 to 6:30 PM. The event is free to attend, but registration is required by September 19, 2024. To register, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RTLBPCG.

“Powerful Partnerships is an opportunity to connect as a community, celebrate the power of our collective effort, and focus on a future where we all can truly thrive,” says Bill Henkel, Executive Director of Community Action of Skagit County.

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