Every year, Logan County holds its annual Children’s Memorial Flag Day, raising public awareness of child abuse and neglect. Necco ASO Team Leader, Okey Newsome has always made attending the event a priority. “I enjoy going to the ceremony because it honors the children who have lost the battle to child abuse and because it empowers me and many others to keep fighting for the children”.
This year’s ceremony was a little different for Okey. He didn’t know it, but many would be there to celebrate him.
“We Can” is a child abuse awareness group in Logan County. Every year, they recognize a children’s advocate with the “Social Worker of the Year” award. Ellen Browning and Vickie Bell made special effort at the April 25th ceremony to make certain all of Okey’s key players were there to witness his receipt of the award.
“A few of the people at work knew. I was very surprised. They snuck my dad in and a few of my friends”, Okey reported.
The award goes to a social worker who has demonstrated outstanding commit and dedication on behalf of the children and families of Logan County. As Browning and Bell read the biography of the recipient, Okey began to think they were speaking of him. “They said things like, ‘This recipient, in growing up, his life wasn’t perfect, but he always took up for the underdog; the kids who were less fortunate than him.’ I thought that sounded like me”.
Zeke Davis, Program Director of the Logan Necco office, commented on Okey winning the award, “It makes us honored that he is on our staff and so highly thought of in the field. Okey, at heart, is a true helper. He’s always wanting to help someone along the way”.
Its no surprise that Okey would be chosen as this year’s recipient. The Logan Office has been churning out “Social Worker of the Year” recipients for some time now. To date, the following Logan team members have won the award: Rebecca Adams, Dreama Franklin, Alice Mitchell (Boone County), and Zeke Davis.
No, we at Necco don’t think its something in the water, we think its something in our talent.