Sample Platinum Award Winning Nomination (Senior Advocate)- Frances E. Maxwell (2006)

Nominated by: Grace Dodson, Monroe County Senior Citizens, Inc.

WHY MY NOMINEE DESERVES TO WIN…

The Monroe County Senior Citizens, Inc., would like to nominate Frances Maxwell for the Senior Advocate Platinum Award. Her work and volunteer efforts support positive aging in our community.

Mrs. Maxwell has served as executive director of Monroe County Senior Citizens, the Cora Veal Senior Center, and the Office on Aging for the past 29 years. Her goal is to provide services and activities for senior citizens throughout the county. She works to tailor the programs to meet the needs of the residents. She says her job is a pleasure and she wants the Cora Veal Senior Center to be "a home away from home for all."

She currently serves as president of the Sequoyah Chapter of AARP in Monroe County. She has also held the offices of vice president, program chairman and scams reporter.

She recently organized an elder watch program for the county to report and educate people about elder abuse.

Mrs. Maxwell was a member of the first ombudsman program organized in East Tennessee in 1982. She continues to volunteer for three area nursing homes and many families have requested her help. She has been awarded the Anthony Stark Award three times for her dedication and work.

For the past 25 years, Mrs. Maxwell has coached the Monroe County Senior Olympics team, making it one of the most recognized teams in the district. Each year more than 30 Olympians participate. Her teams have participated in three national games - one in Syracuse, N.Y., and two in St. Louis, MO.

In addition to coaching, Mrs. Maxwell participates in the games and has more than 400 medals in basketball, racquetball, table tennis, shot put, discus, volleyball and many other events.

Mrs. Maxwell hosted a local live radio show about senior citizen issues for 20 years. Each month the show reached more than 3.000 people.

During her term as mayor of Madisonville (1990-94), Mrs. Maxwell made senior citizens one of her top priorities. She supported the senior citizen population in their efforts to improve their lives in the community by conducting health fairs, picnics and parades to honor seniors. She organized educational programs on topics such as how to pay water and electric bills. She also kept the mayor's office open on Saturdays to hear from the elderly in town.

Mrs. Maxwell is a member of Chestua Methodist Church, where she was pianist and instructor for the young people's class for more than 25 years. She was also a lay speaker and served on the building committee for 10 years.

She has volunteered for United Way for 17 years, serves on the Monroe County Interagency Council, and has served as president and secretary of the Madisonville Sports and Civic Club. She also held every office, including three terms as president of the Monroe County Pilot Club.

Mrs. Maxwell lost her husband of 51 years in May 2005. She has three children and six grandchildren.

At age 69, Mrs. Maxwell has a vitality and zest for life. She thrives on challenges and garners great enjoyment from achieving the seemingly unattainable. When asked to what she attributes her success, she replied, "The many, many friends who are the elder."