Northeast Tarrant Division of the American Heart Association Honors Top Volunteers

Dateline Colleyville: August 26, 2001 10:50 AM

Northeast Tarrant Division of the American Heart Association Honors Top Volunteers

The Northeast Tarrant Division of the American Heart Association honored their top volunteers and supporters from the past year at its annual awards luncheon held Tuesday, August 21, 2001 at 11:45 a.m. at the Texas Star Sports and Conference Center in Euless.

Karen Parsinen of Colleyville, a member of the executive committee and part of the planning team for the gala, was honored as Heart of the Year. This award is given to the person who is voted by the board of directors as most exemplifying the ideals and mission of the American Heart Association.

Karen Parsinen and Dennis Carpenter

Pat Paprocki, RN, with Harris Fitness Center in Bedford received the Distinguished Service Award and will have an American Heart Association research grant named in her honor this year.

Roger Nelson of Colleyville, who was chairman of the record-setting Northeast Tarrant American Heart Walk last October, has been named the Regional Volunteer of the Year.

Board President Dennis Carpenter selected two recipients of the President's Award for exemplary service to the board -- Linda McNeely of Southlake, chairwoman of the March 24 gala, and James Kunke of Euless, communications chairman for the gala and American Heart Walk.

Nurse Ginger Castranova will receive the Ben A. Shilcutt Community Service Award for her work with St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Keller. The award is named after the late former president of the Mended Heart Club.

L to R: Pat Paprocki, James Kunke, Karen Parsinen, Carl Jones,
Karen Gustafson, Dennis Carpenter, Cindy Bollom and Linda McNeely

Meritorious Service Awards were presented to board members completing either five or 10 years of service. Dr. Ron Epps of Bedford received a 10-year award, and five-year awards were presented to Rebecca Barksdale, Rose McGaha Grimsley, Jerry Harrison, Carl Jones, James Kunke, and Mary Shilcutt.

Representatives from the top-five schools in this year's Jump Rope for Heart were recognized for their efforts.

New board members and officers were introduced at the luncheon, including incoming president Carl Jones.

The American Heart Association's national goal is to reduce death and disability from heart disease by 25 percent by the year 2010. Currently, cardiovascular disease is the number one killer in the United States, causing more deaths each year than the next seven leading causes combined.

Locally, 41 percent of all deaths recorded in Tarrant County during 1998 were related to cardiovascular disease.

For more information about the Northeast Tarrant Division of the American Heart Association, or to contact this year's honorees, call Tamra Ward at (817) 315-5011. Additional information on American Heart Association goals and programs is available on the Internet at www.americanheart.org.

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