Date: 2/23/2019

Title: Arc Awards

The Arc of Story County recognized three individuals connected to Friendship Ark at their annual Viva la Arc event last Saturday.

Thomas, a Friendship Ark core member, received the Self-Advocate of the Year award. Thomas knows he is responsible for his own well-being and voices his concerns when they come up. He is showing his peers that they, too, can advocate for themselves. Thomas is a joy to everyone he interacts with and is amazingly creative in the ways he communicates and participates in everyday life.

Laura Dolan, Friendship Ark Human Resource Manager, received the Professional of the Year award. Laura has been with Friendship Ark since 2007. She started her career with us as a Site Supervisor, moving to the Human Resource Manager position in 2014 upon completion of a degree in this area. Laura has a close relationship with our core members who love to come and visit her office frequently and provides our staff with all of the tools they need to provide excellent services to our core members. Through her work, she is enriching the lives of our employees and the adults with intellectual disabilities that we serve.

Sarah Buck, President of Friendship Ark's Board of Directors, received the Volunteer of the Year award. Sarah has been a member of our Board of Directors since 2014 and the Board President since 2016. Sarah serves the Ames community in many ways. In addition to being on our Board of Directors she is active on Mary Greeley Medical Center’s Board of Trustees, as well as its Foundation. She also is a member of the Rotary Club of Ames, St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, and the United Way’s Women with Initiative. Sarah’s generous contributions of time, talents, and resources to Friendship Ark have continued to enhance the lives of adults with disabilities now and into the future.

We want to thank all of our award recipients for their support of and advocacy for adults with disabilities. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.