Dyess We Care Team Wins Award For Volunteer Service

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Dyess We Care Team has won a special award highlighting the value of volunteers.

According to a news release issued by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Dyess We Care Team won an “All on DEC” award in the Veteran Contribution division for their work with the Abilene State Supported Living Center.

The news release reads:

“Dyess We Care Team (Veteran Contribution Award): Composed of active duty and retired military from Dyess Air Force Base, this team of a few dozen volunteers has most recently painted three homes for residents of the Abilene State Supported Living Center. The group was founded in 2000 and over the past 19 years, the volunteers have given their time to help individuals who cannot afford or are not able to do the work themselves. Their work has extended beyond what they have done at Abilene SSLC to other homes and nonprofits in the Abilene area.”

“Volunteers are critical to our mission of providing high-quality, individualized services to Texans,” said Mike Maples, Deputy Executive Commissioner for HHSC in a news release. “Whether it’s hosting events, raising funds to enhance our campuses, or simply being a friend to the people we serve, they provide extraordinary experiences for our clients. Our All on DEC award winners go above and beyond by generously sharing their time and talents and help serve as goodwill ambassadors for our facilities.”

The awards are handmade bowls featuring painted bluebonnets on the side and a Lone Star inside the bowl, and they were fashioned by patients at the Kerrville State Hospital.

The “All on DEC” awards are named for the Deputy Executive Commissioner who oversees the state hospital and state supported living center systems and approves the selection of recipients for this high-profile award. The volunteer service awards underscore the importance and value of volunteers and the role they play in supporting the people served by Texas state hospitals and state supported living centers.

The Dyess We Care Team will officially receive the award Thursday, August 16, 2019 at the SODA District Courtyard, located in south downtown Abilene.