The Journey Awards

Above: Dorothy Rappel & Marcia Herman Johnson, Nora Foster Gunsky (foreground). There's nothing like a "Dorothy Hug". View more photos on My Blipfolio

Monday September 19, 2011 marks the beginning of National Rehabilitation Week. Today, in celebration of this event, the Miller Dwan Rehabilitation Center/Polinsky Rehabilitation Center of Essentia Health where I work hosted the 13th annual Journey Award Ceremony.

Each year the Journey Award is given to an outstanding individual whose contributions make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities, and the Junior Journey Award recognizes an outstanding young person who demonstrates optimal use of his or her abilities. Additionally, the Ernie Pearson Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes an outstanding staff person or rehabilitation professional, whose motivation and work in the area of rehabilitation supports the belief that there are no boundaries for people with disabilities. Ernie Pearson, friend and colleague, was a longtime social worker, case manager and supervisor at Polinsky for more than 27 years. We miss him deeply.

This year's recipients are all extraordinary people with the spirits and ideals for which the awards were intended:

Ernie Pearson Lifetime Achievement Award recipient: Dr. Dorothy Rappel About the Recipients
Journey Award recipient: Patrick Plys "I chose joy" Patrick's Story
Junior Journey Award recipient: Molly McGovern Molly's Story

What a pleasure to be a part of this event. We have the most amazing staff of rehabilitation professionals that I am honored to work with everyday, and the most amazing patients whose strength and perseverance "pay it forward" everyday by what they give back to us, to give forward to the next individual.