PRESS RELEASE August 19, 2008

MCDOWELL COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES PRESENTS 2008 CHAMPION FOR CHILDREN AWARDS

MARION - This year, the McDowell County Partnership for Children & Families is pleased to present two Champion for Children awards to members of our community who have helped make a difference in the lives of young children. Dr. James Gaskill and Betty Wall were selected as the 2008 award winners. The awards were presented at the Partnership’s Annual Meeting & Election of Officers Tuesday at First Baptist Church in Marion.

Phyllis Davis, Dental Hygienist for the NC Oral Health Section, nominated a local dentist who has made it his purpose to serve children. Although not a pediatric dentist, Dr. James Gaskill has provided dental services for the young children of McDowell County, including Head Start, children in DSS custody, children who live at South Mountain Children’s Home, and now the Partnership’s United Way Dental Fund – Healthy Smiles for Preschoolers. He has been providing hospital care for young children for 14-15 years. Marion, for many years, has been the only small town in the region to have a dentist with hospital privileges. Dr. Gaskill also provides care to Group Home Residents, Nursing Home Patients, and Special Needs Patients.

Dr. David Ricketts has known Dr. Gaskill for 10 years. He says, “The thing I admire most about Jim is how he runs his practice. Jim is a perfectionist in everything he does. He washes his own car, cuts his own grass, and changes his own oil. He wants it done right.” Dr. Ricketts believes his perfectionism is evident in his dental practice as well. “The way he has taken on disadvantaged kids and their dental care, it is a mission field for Jim. When no other dentist in this county would take Medicaid, Jim took them on and he not only did their dental work, he formed a special relationship with the families, schools, and hospital. He has had a relationship with Head Start for years and years,” said Dr. Ricketts.

Dr. Gaskill has Fridays off but he takes every other Friday and does 2-3 oral surgeries for children at The McDowell Hospital. His wife Judy volunteers with him and she is his dental assistant. Dr. Ricketts says, “He’s proud of his routine at the hospital. The staff there knows he will be there every other Friday.

Jim Gaskill is a graduate of NC State and the UNC-Chapel Hill Dental School. He has been a practicing dentist in Marion since the mid-1970’s. He is a Marion Rotary member, a member of the Civitan, the Presbyterian Church in Morganton, and sings in the choir. He has served on the Health District’s Board for many years. His hobbies are scuba diving, driving motorcycles, boating on the lake and ocean, and traveling.

Sherri W. Owenby, current Director of First Baptist Children’s Center, nominated Betty Wall for this year’s second Champion for Children award. Sherri states, “She was one of the very first in the county to become involved in Smart Start. She recognized early on the importance of hiring qualified teachers and providing them the benefits so many childcare personnel did not receive. She has worked hard to keep childcare fees as affordable as possible for the families they serve while maintaining a high quality center at the same time – an almost impossible task!”

Betty Wall has earned the love and respect of children, parents, staff and fellow early childhood professionals over the years. As a member of First Baptist Church, she has exemplified the church’s Christian mission of serving the children and families of McDowell County by serving as Director of their childcare center not once – but three different times and for over 16 years! Her love and concern for the families the center serves is obvious in everything she undertakes.

She is a talented business woman who used her talent to make the First Baptist Children’s Center one of the best childcare centers in McDowell County. In partnership with the church, Betty has fought to keep childcare costs reasonable for the families they serve as well as provide a wonderful, high quality Christian environment for their children. Even throughout her own illness and hardships, she has continued to be an advocate for all children and their families. Betty realized early on the need for well educated teachers and the importance of providing them with adequate wages and benefits. Although this is a real hardship for the center to manage financially, she is still adamant and strong in her dedication to her staff and their needs.

Betty has freely shared her leadership skills with other Directors in the county. She isn’t afraid to speak out for what she believes in or what she knows to be best. First Baptist staff view her as family and show her the respect and admiration she so richly deserves. This year, Betty retired – again - for the third time! The membership of the First Baptist Church recently honored her by naming her “Director Emeritus” of the First Baptist Children’s Center. She has certainly dedicated her life to the children and families of McDowell County and is greatly deserving of being named a Champion for Children!

Joy Griffith, Director of Children’s Services Network says, “I have known Betty for more than 20 years and have admired her desire to provide the best care for children in McDowell County. Betty's education is not in early childhood but you would not ever know that. As I recall, she originally took the job as center director because she had a business background and believed this would be as effective in this job. She certainly took her job seriously, as not long after she became the director,the state drastically changed the licensing laws. She was determined she would understand and learn everything she needed to know to make her center be the best. They in fact are- this is in large part due to her tenancity.”

Griffith states, “When you speak to her about the FBCC she alwaysspeaks with pride and joy to see that her program continues to be one of the best programs in the county. She has been a Smart Start activist since its inception andhas served as a former board member. As adirector, she would settle for nothing less from herself or her staff to make this a reality. I can not think of a better person to receive the Champion for Children award and congratulate Betty Wall for making children a priority in life.”

For more information, contact Caroline Rodier at the McDowell County Partnership for Children & Families at 659-2462.

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