Date:
9/29/2011
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 575.562.2253
PORTALES--The Eastern New Mexico University Foundation awards for Business of the Year, Philanthropists of the Year, and Volunteer of the Year will be presented at the 36th annual ENMU Foundation Breakfast on Saturday, Oct. 8, during homecoming on the Portales campus.
The Business of the Year is the Roosevelt General Hospital Auxiliary (RGHA).
Established in 1963, the RGHA has played an instrumental role in enhancing the Roosevelt General Hospital for the community to benefit.
RGHA's mission has always been to promote the welfare of the hospital, its patients and staff.
The organization is made up of volunteers within the community that have an interest in helping the hospital by managing the gift shop, delivering flower arrangements to patients, providing information to visitors, and having community bake/garage sales.
All proceeds earned from any Auxiliary activity provide monetary assistance to the hospital for the purchase of hospital-related items. In addition, RGHA has established the Roosevelt General Hospital Auxiliary Endowed Scholarship fund, designated to scholarships for Roosevelt County students at ENMU and Clovis Community College.
RGHA has donated the following to the hospital: computers, recliners for patient rooms, office furniture, digital cameras, wheelchairs, a sandwich/salad bar for the RGH cafeteria and various other items. The recent purchases they are most proud of are the lighted signs on the front of the hospital, the fireplace in the foyer and the tables and benches on the patio outside the cafeteria. The RGHA also presents two college scholarships annually to students in health- related fields to encourage them to practice in the Roosevelt County area.
Since its inception, RGHA has contributed over $43,000 to their ENMU scholarship fund, helping a total of 66 students with their college educations.
The Philanthropists of the Year Dale and Audrey Davis
Dale Davis was born in Warsaw, N.Y., a small dairy community, on June 17, 1928. In 1944, at the age of 16, he went to sea in the Merchant Marines until he was injured in 1945, at which time he went home and finished high school.
After high school in 1946 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and was commissioned in 1951. He went on the retired list as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1968.
After his retirement from the Marine Corps, he earned a bachelor's degree at Berry College and a master's and doctorate degree at Georgia State University in business.
After receiving his doctorate, Davis taught for nine years in Georgia then in 1982 came to ENMU as an assistant professor of marketing. In 1984 he was promoted to associate professor of marketing and in 1996 was promoted once again to professor of marketing. After 33 years teaching. Dr. Davis retired in 2006 from ENMU.
"ENMU was good to me. My wife and I appreciate it," Davis said.
His philosophy of giving back to the community is, "If you feel like you are given much, then give back in return."
Reflecting that, he and his wife started the "Audrey and Dale Davis Scholarship in Business" and have been giving to ENMU ever since.
The couple are generous supporters of numerous foundations and charities; fortunately, ENMU has been the primary recipient of their gifts.
The Volunteer of the Year is Robin A. Wells.
While growing up in Missouri and Kansas, Wells was involved in various activities and clubs in high school. After serving in the public schools for 32 years as a speech/language pathologist, she retired and went to the University of Kansas to achieve her doctoral degree in early childhood special education.
While being employed in the public schools, she became interested in, and worked with, children with autism. In the late 1980's - early 90's, Wells and a few colleagues established the Autism Task Force in Kansas. In 1990 the governor appointed her as an original member of the Kansas Commission on Autism.
In 2004, Wells joined the Department of Educational Studies at ENMU, teaching special education courses. Her commitment to improving the workforce in New Mexico, working with very young children and their families, spurred her to develop the master's degree in special education with an emphasis in early childhood special education online program in 2008.
She not only became very involved with different activities on campus (volunteering over 300 hours during KENW-TV fundraising efforts alone), but also felt the responsibility of actively participating in local organizations. Wells believes, "It's my personal commitment to my community."
She is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Portales, P.E.O. Chapter BE, elder of the First Presbyterian Church, and ENMU Women. She also volunteered for the Roosevelt County Literacy Council and Portales Woman's Club.
Statewide, she is a member of the Early Childhood Higher Education (ECHE) Task Force, the New Mexico SpecialQuest State Leadership Team on Inclusion, the National Professional Development Center on Inclusion Committee for New Mexico, the Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) Advisory Board, and was a member of ECAN (Early Childhood Action Network) and Decade of the Child organization committee. ells has held various leadership positions in eight of the 12 local and statewide committees.
She started volunteering for Public Broadcasting stations in Kansas. When she moved to Portales she decided to get involved again. "I love what Public Broadcasting has to offer to all ages. There is such broad programming for every interest," she said.
Wells said that it takes everyone to make this community vibrant. "Even an hour of your time of doing what you can do has an impact on your community, and it makes you feel like you have played a part," said Wells.
For more information, call the ENMU Foundation at 575-562-2412.