The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Champions Competition underway
SYRACUSE, N.Y. » WellCare Health Plans, Inc., a local Medicare Advantage health plan, has chosen the finalists in its annual WellCare Champions Competition and the beginning of online voting to determine the grand champion.
WellCare, formally known as Today’s Options, created the competition to honor individuals who help older adults in Central New York live better, healthier lives.
All of the Champions and their stories are featured on www.WellCareChampions.com. Community members can read about them and vote for a grand champion daily through Aug. 28.
The champion with the most votes will be named the 2018WellCare Grand Champion. He or she will be honored at the New York State Fair’s Chevy Court on Aug. 28 just before the 2 p.m. show. The winner will present a $10,000 donation to his or her chosen charitable organization at that time.
“Each year, our WellCare Champions finalists impress us with the inspired work they do in the community,” said John J. Burke, WellCare’s state president in New York.
WellCare Champions are Central New York residents who are examples of how one person can make a difference in the lives of older adults. The Champions program complements WellCare’s commitment to making a difference in the communities by honoring individuals who share WellCare’s goals of improving the quality of life and maximizing access to services for seniors and people with Medicare.
David Pasinski - Pasinski has dedicated his life to social justice, spiritual care, medical ethics, and the rights of elders and the terminally ill. As senior chaplain of Hospice of Central New York, Pasinski has provided counsel-
ing, comfort and care to thousands of elderly and ill adults, but through volunteer work with Sarah’s Guest House and Unity Acres, he also addresses other needs like food, shelter and transportation. He also teaches at OASIS, a local senior educational facility for older Americans who wish to continue to learn and grow.
JoAnne Spoto-Decker – Spoto-Decker has devoted several years to helping the older adults in Elbridge stay engaged in the community through Aurora of Central New York. She actively looks for solutions to issues that present obstacles and difficulties for older adults. She has worked with county officials to develop emergency preparedness programs for seniors, including one for heat emergencies, developed a safe driving program and a senior shopper service, and created two programs that focus on behavioral health for older adults.
Richard Synek – For Synek, honoring and helping veterans in need is not a choice, but a calling. Recognizing that millions of U.S. veterans are at-risk of becoming homeless and going hungry, Synek founded Feed Our Vets. Since 2005, Feed Our Vets has provided free food to more than 25,000 veterans and their families, distributing 1.1 million pounds of food in central New York. Synek works tirelessly to give back to the men andwomenwho have given so much to our country.
Kimberly Townsend – Townsend has made it her mission to advocate for the needs of the community, especially older adults. For the past four years, Townsend has been CEOof Loretto, a non-profit dedicated to helping those with long-term care needs stay in a home-like setting. For Townsend, this also means addressing the needs of the 2,500 dedicated caregivers, including setting up programs like a free employee health clinic and diaper service. Under her leadership, Loretto has continued to expand and innovate care— now 19 programs and leadership in memory care— partnering in research with Upstate and advocacy with the Alzheimer’s Association.
Douglas Wagner – Wagner volunteers for the Oswego County Meals on Wheels program, delivering meals and much more to the home-bound residents. Wagner reports back to the office any concerns about the residents and regularly performs small everyday tasks for those along the route like grabbing mail or bringing in garbage cans. Wagner, retired from the U. S. Postal Service and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, is a champion to the seniors in his community and has impacted many senior lives.
Go to www.WellCareChampions.com to read the Champions’ full stories and watch their videos on YouTube.
Voting is open through Aug. 22. Each voter has the opportunity to vote once per day for the WellCare Grand Champion.