Decker to receive community service award

The Wayne County Community Foundation Board of Directions has selected Donna Decker with its highest recognition, the 2018, “Ben Franklin Award for Community Service.”

The award commemorating one of Nation’s “Foundation Fathers… Benjamin Franklin” is accompanied by a grant of $1000 from the Foundation’s Ben Franklin Fund. This gift will be given to a charity of Mrs. Decker’s choosing.

The selection recognizes Donna’s years of service to her community and her profession.

For the past quarter century, Donna Decker, RN has served as Wayne Memorial Hospital’s Community Health Education Manager. In 1994 she launched the Hospital’s Community Health Department. One of her first significant projects was the “Together for Health School

Program,” a three-part program helping students in our schools choose health lifestyles. That program won the PA Office of Rural Health’s “Innovative Rural Health Program of the Year in 1997.

In 2001, the National Family Health Service selected her as the “Outstanding Community Partner” for the State, in recognition for her work “to create essential partnerships that connect people to programs and services, and encourage healthy living and build strong communities.” In 2007, Donna was awarded the state’s “Community Rural Health Leader of the Year”.

Over the years, Donna has either implemented or helped organize dozens of program including the above mentioned Together for Health School Programs, the Winter Walking Program; the Blue Ribbon Well Weights Program; the Prevention Initiative and Rachel’s Challenge/Challenge Accepted initiative.

She chaired the Hospital’s Community Advisory Board; produced a weekly radio show entitled, “Healthworks” and works with many, many local groups on health challenge such as tick borne diseases, pain management and stroke education….just to name a few.

Donna is truly a dynamo…an advocate….an innovator…..an activist….. and indeed a role model not just for health care professionals, but for students, their parents, teachers, and a wide variety of civic and community leaders in Wayne County.

Donna is “one of a kind!” She’s that type of person who acts when she sees a problem, creating meaningful and effective solutions, while offering others the opportunity to be involved and share in the success.

She truly gives life’s breath to the word “empowerment” and has given completely of herself for the health care and welfare of thousands in Wayne County.

Donna and her husband, Dave have been married 50 plus years.

They have 5 children and 17 grandchildren.

The Wayne County Community Foundation will present its award to Donna Decker on Thursday, November 1, 2018 at the Bryn Mawr Conference Center, Honesdale. Dinner tickets may be purchased by calling (+1) 570-251-9993 or via email – wccf@ptd.net. Ads for a Commemorative Book are also available.