2021 Parker Impact Award Recipients

2021 Parker Impact Award Winners
The Rotary Club of Parker is happy to announce the recipients of the 2021 Parker Impact Awards. These awards are given annually to recipients who have devoted countless hours of compassionate and loving care to our community.  The awards were inaugurated in 2011 by late club member Lindy Blackburn, who died in December 2020 of complications from COVID-19.
 
 
Rob Nelson, volunteer extraordinaire.  In addition to his ongoing service such as supporting military families through the Warriors Warehouse at Ft. Carson and volunteering with the Grace Baptist Church food bank, he recently started The Diaper Difference, recognizing that many families are struggling with this most basic need.  One of Rob’s strengths is his ability to connect people to projects.  For more information on projects Rob is involved with, check out his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/rob.nelson.50951
 
 
 
 
 
Leah Ryan, Erin Jones, and Alex Yakubovich created the Facebook group Be the Good Ones, “providing small needs and good deeds to those within our community in Douglas, Arapahoe, and Elbert County.”  Like Rob Nelson, the Be the Good Ones team have created networks to connect people who need assistance with people who want to help.  Services provided have included everything from running errands to dropping off winter coats for kids to pulling weeds.  For more information, go to their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BeTheGoodOnes
 
 
The staff at Parker Adventist Hospital for their service to Parker amidst the constantly changing circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.  In addition, CEO Mike Goebel cited three people in particular from the hospital team:
  • April Krall, ICU nurse with expertise in emergency/disaster preparedness who spearheaded the effort to convert spaces for additional COVID patients.
  • Terri Lytle, ICU nurse who is known for her compassionate care of patients, including the creation of a bereavement keepsake box.
  • Jon Brillhart, safety manager whose many duties included overseeing the incident command center that ran for over two months last year, as well as helping to organize the vaccine clinics at the hospital.
 
The volunteers of the Parker Task Force, whose 34-year mission has been to provide food, limited financial support and other services to help local families become self-sufficient.  The needs have expanded greatly in the community this past year, while the number of volunteers able to serve under the pandemic conditions has decreased.  But the remaining volunteers have stepped up to fill the gaps, showing dedication, compassion and selflessness.  For more information on the Parker Task Force, check out their website at https://www.parkertaskforce.org/
 
We are happy to honor these individuals for their Service Above Self particularly in the midst of the COVID pandemic.