The Buckingham Recognizes Local Senior Volunteers with Salute to Seniors Awards Dinner

March 15, 2013 - PRLog -- The Buckingham retirement community recently held an awards dinner to honor four Houston area seniors who received The Buckingham Salute to Seniors Award.

The Salute to Seniors Award is presented quarterly to honor an individual who is making a difference in their community. Qualified nominees are active adults age 62 and above who volunteer their time and talents to their communities, and who also exemplify leadership, spirit, and citizenship.

“Recognizing and honoring seniors for the contributions they bring to Houston is very important to The Buckingham,” said Cathy Lightfoot, director of sales and marketing at The Buckingham. “As a native Houstonian, I have seen how much this city thrives on the tireless efforts of volunteers. These honorees dedicate an immense amount of time, energy and passion to the organizations they serve, and the Salute to Seniors Award is our way of showing our sincere appreciation.”

The honorees were nominated by the nonprofit organizations they serve, and include:  Gladys Williams, Eileen Gilley, Bobbye Burke and Dr. Beng Ho.

Gladys Williams

(Nominated by CanCare)

Gladys Williams, 81, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989 and bravely fought and beat the disease.  She became a volunteer with CanCare in 1992 and has been serving the organization ever since, sharing her own cancer fighting experiences with hundreds of people.  Her main role is helping with referrals.  She learned Spanish fluently by studying in Guatemala and is a big asset to CanCare in reaching out to the Spanish speaking community.  

When Williams isn’t volunteering, she works at Fox 26 television station assisting with the “Take it to Akin” show.  She has been married to her husband, Hugh, for nearly 59 years and they enjoy spending time with their children and grandchildren.  

Eileen Gilley

(Nominated by the American Cancer Society)

Eileen Gilley has been volunteering with the American Cancer Society for over 11 years. A breast-cancer survivor, Gilley serves at the Deke Slaton Cancer Center at Texas Oncology. She works with the Reach to Recovery Program, which matches women who have survived breast cancer with those who’ve been recently diagnosed to share information and give them heart-shaped pillows, and she works with the Look Good Feel Better Class, as well as helping with several support groups.

At just 84, she says she likes to put on her face in the morning and get going. She says that helping others keeps her going. On top of volunteering, she enjoys spending time as a Red Hat Lady.

Bobbye Burke

(Nominated by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society)

Bobbye Burke lost her husband to AML in 1995 and started volunteering with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society that very fall by planning a golf tournament. She has served on the advisory board and the board of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in the past and is currently back on the advisory board. She is in her 11th or 12th year of volunteering at MD Anderson on the hematology floor where she volunteers every Wednesday. She also helps at Leukemia and Lymphoma Society events. She has seen lots of changes in the treatments of blood cancers since she started volunteering.

Dr. Beng Ho

(Nominated by the American Cancer Society)

Dr. Beng Ho has led the American Cancer Society Asian Cancer Council (ACC) for over five years. He is involved in every community activity that is planned by the members of this council, including educational seminars, health fairs and volunteer trainings. Dr. Ho has been instrumental in recruiting different Asian groups to join the ACC and is constantly looking for bigger and better ways to expand the membership and get much needed information about cancer out to the communities that need it. Dr. Ho is also very involved with AARP and has sat on their Texas Council in the past.

ABOUT THE BUCKINGHAM

The Buckingham is Houston’s premier life care senior living community located in the heart of the Memorial neighborhood.  Situated on a 17-acre site along Buffalo Bayou at 8580 Woodway Drive, The Buckingham offers resort-style services and amenities for active, independent seniors, as well as all levels of health care services on-site at The Plaza at The Buckingham.  The community features 205 independent living residences; 42 private assisted living apartments; 16 private memory support apartments; and 60 private skilled nursing suites.

The Buckingham is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit senior living community sponsored by Senior Quality Lifestyles Corporation (SQLC), a Texas-based nonprofit organization that sponsors sister communities Edgemere in Dallas, Querencia at Barton Creek in Austin, The Stayton at Museum Way in Fort Worth, Mirador in Corpus Christi, and The Barrington of Carmel in Indiana.  For information visit www.buckinghamhouston.com, or call (832) 426-1372.