CHARACTER COUNTS! announces Employee Pillars of Character winners

PRESS RELEASE DATE: MAY 28, 2009

CHARACTER COUNTS! recently awarded six exceptional community members with Employee Pillar of Character Awards.

Each year, colleagues and employers nominate unsung heroes of the workplace who exemplify the Six Pillars of Character: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.

"CHARACTER COUNTS! established this awards program five years ago for workers who set good examples regularly," CHARACTER COUNTS! Director Holly Laiben said.

"Many employees have strong work ethics and go above and beyond their job description on a daily basis without expecting or receiving adequate recognition. These awards help to fill that void."

CHARACTER COUNTS! received 22 nominations from a variety of businesses, schools and nonprofit agencies for this year's Employee Pillar of Character Awards.

The Employee Pillars of Character winners are:

Tanita Braswell - Martin County School District, Facilities Department

Diana Gregory - Marin Memorial Health Systems

Mike Groom - Stuart Community High School

Jeff Raimann - Indiantown Middle School

Chris Scott - Gulfstream Aluminum & Shutter Corp.

Joe Washington - Hibiscus Children's Center

Other nominees include:

Georgette Brown - Epilepsy Foundation of Florida

Kathy Derringer - Helping People Succeed

Margie Dotson - United for Families

Vanessa Fernandez - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Martin County

Tony Hester - TnT Realty & Associates

Madelaine Hevia - South Fork High School

Deidra Kinnaman - American Red Cross, Martin County Chapter

Kelly McIntyre - American Red Cross, Martin County Chapter and Palm City Presbyterian Church

Robert Mora - Clark Advanced Learning Center

Rebecca Morgan - United for Families

Susan Morgan - The Salvation Army

Patricia Oram - Alzheimer's Community Care Inc.

Marybeth Pena - Martin County Health Department

Natalie Peraza - Whole Child Connection of Martin County

Margaret Rivers - Treasure Coast Hospice

Sammy Zaza - Martin County High School

CHARACTER COUNTS!, now in its 13th year in Martin County, provides character-building activities and projects in our local schools and community. As a United Way of Martin County program, CHARACTER COUNTS! offers motivational business seminars and works to increase public awareness of the importance of core ethical values.

Visit www.charactercounts.net or call (772) 283-4800, ext. 234 for more information.