Senior Services seek nominations for inspiring seniors in King County

Published 4:16 pm Friday, April 10, 2015

Senior Services is now accepting nominations for the 2015 Inspire Positive Aging Award. The deadline is April 27.

Nomination forms are available at www.inspire-award.org. Requests for the form or questions regarding the award may be directed to Brittany Blue at 206-727-6261 or brittanybl@seniorservices.org.

King County is filled with older adults whose lives inspire us about how to age with grace, enthusiasm, creativity, hope, and energy. They quietly make life better for others even as their years advance. Senior Services created the Inspire Positive Aging Award in 2006 to recognize these role models.

“Is there an older adult in your life who inspires you?” said Senior Services CEO Paula L. Houston. “Many of us have a parent or grandparent, a mentor or teacher, or a friend or neighbor, whose life exemplifies positive aging through community involvement, healthy living, relationships, and endurance—all the traits we ourselves hope to exhibit as we age. Join us in celebrating positive aging and nominate someone you know for the Inspire Positive Aging Award.”

The 2014 recipient of the Inspire Positive Aging Award, McCoy Khammany Sengsi, 64, was a former captain and police officer who escaped from the Communist takeover in Laos, starting a new life in 1980 with his family in the U.S. He became a U.S. citizen in 1986.

He has demonstrated great community involvement, particularly in Seattle’s Laotian community, where he is known as a liaison, community leader and mentor. He helped establish the Lao Veterans Association of Washington state and helps people find resources to learn and establish a new way of living. He was nominated by his brother-in-law, Khamphay Muongchanh, who wrote, “He is a great man who offers mentorship and social services without ever expecting anything in return.”

Any individual age 60 and over who lives in King County is eligible for nomination. Nominations may be submitted by anyone who wishes to participate.

The recipient receives two roundtrip airlines tickets to a domestic destination of his/her choice and a one-year membership to his/her King County senior center. The individual who nominates the award recipient receives a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card.

The Inspire Positive Aging Award will be announced on May 20 at their annual meeting. This free event requires advanced registration at seniorservicesannualmeeting2015.eventbrite.com