Board of Health to Honor Individuals, Organizations for Public Health Excellence

Vancouver, Wash. --The Clark County Board of Health will recognize winners of the 2017 Public Health Community Award at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 26. The ceremony will open the board's monthly meeting in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. 

Winners are: 

Marilyn Johnson (individual award) 
Marilyn Johnson's long, distinguished nursing career has included supervising cancer care at Southwest Washington Medical Center's oncology department. After retiring, she became certified as a parish nurse and ran a program at her church, combining medical and spiritual care. Today, she serves as community coordinator for Faith Community Nursing/Health Ministries NW. In addition to addressing the needs of various community populations, she has taught a program on living well with chronic disease. 

Rose Village Community Health Workers (organization award) 
The Rose Village Community Health Workers are trusted members of Vancouver's Rose Village neighborhood who understand the strengths, challenges, cultures and life experiences of this community. The team focuses on community building activities, promoting healthy eating and active living, and advocating for health equity at the individual, community and policy levels. Team members connect community members to resources, provide social and health promotion opportunities in local schools and community centers, and advocate for community needs with health system and government leaders. 

The following were selected for "Honorable Mention" recognition: 

Bike Clark County 
Promoting bicycle access, education, safety and the enjoyment of cycling to children and adults in Clark County 

Daybreak Youth Services 
Serving youth with addiction and mental health issues and helping them return to school, families and work 

ESD112 Early Childhood Education Assistance Program 
Promoting healthy children in Southwest Washington through developmental screening and regular well-child checkups 

Sue Hoeffner 
Strengthening partnerships between faith organizations and schools to address community health issues 

Memorial Urgent Care Nurses 
Partnering with Public Health to prevent sexually transmitted diseases by ensuring services for all, including the community's most marginalized 

Charles Mitchell 
Advancing social justice for low-income clients by ensuring their access to affordable, quality healthcare 

Sue Neal 
Using leadership, advocacy, and compassion to ensure healthcare for the medically underserved in Battle Ground 

St Luke's/San Lucas Episcopal Church 
Addressing problems of poverty and homelessness through volunteer outreach and compassion for all people