Rochester, NY - The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) has designated Dr. Betty Perkins-Carpenter as the recipient of the 2009 PCPFS Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Perkins-Carpenter was selected for her continued dedication to fitness, including her most recent work on fall prevention for seniors.
The award was presented to Dr. Perkins-Carpenter on May 20 at the Capitol in Washington, D.C. by PCPFS acting Executive Director Rear Admiral Penelope Slade-Sawyer.
The President’s Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award is given to individuals who have dedicated their lives to the promotion of physical fitness. PCPFS members choose recipients based on the span and scope of an individual’s career, the estimated number of lives they have touched, their legacy, and the additional awards or honors received over the course of his or her career.
Dr. Perkins-Carpenter has developed a life-long career in fitness. A former diving coach for the 1976 Olympics, she has also coached both men and women’s diving teams at the college and high school level. She founded a local swim club, and the internationally known pre-school fitness program called Fit By Five. Dr. Perkins-Carpenter founded Senior Fitness Productions in 1986. Her current mission is to reduce the shockingly high number of falls by senior citizens resulting in injury and death. She is the author of many articles and books, including How to Prevent Falls: Better Balance, Independence and Energy in 6 Simple Steps.
Dr. Perkins-Carpenter holds an undergraduate degree in physical education administration, a master’s degree in childcare administration, and a doctorate in health administration. She served on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and was a speaker at the White House Conference on Aging. She has appeared on national broadcast outlets and in many publications as an acknowledged expert in fitness for senior citizens.
When asked how she felt about receiving the award, she was speechless. “It’s surreal,” she said,
“I feel so honored”.
