Azose elected to World ORT
Mercer Island resident Terry Azose is among a distinguished group of longtime, respected ORT America leaders who have been elected to serve on the World ORT Governing Bodies this year.
“ORT” comes from a Russian phrase, “Obschestvo Remeslenovo i. Zemledelcheskovo Trouda,” translating to “Society for Trades and Agricultural Labor.” The organization was founded in St. Petersburg, Russia.
ORT America provides cutting-edge training and strategic educational initiatives that empower 300,000 people annually in 62 countries to become productive citizens and lead their families and communities forward. ORT America is committed to supporting Jewish values, strengthening Jewish identity and providing the educational opportunities that help people to help themselves.
Having visited ORT schools throughout the world, Azose met with the Israeli Minister of Education and mayors in Israel last February to launch Phase 6 of WO’s Science Journey and to dedicate the “Smart Board” technology in the Kadoorie village. Azose is also serving on the Los Angeles ORT Technical Institute Board of Trustees and has worked for the past 15 years as the human resource coordinator for Morris Piha Real Estate Services.
For more information, go to www.ortamerica.org.
Islander graduate serves 10 months in AmeriCorps
Georgina Shultz, a graduate of Mercer Island High School and Hofstra University, is serving with AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) for 10 months in Vinton, Iowa.
Shultz, the daughter of Island residents Ted and Francesca Shultz, is required to fulfill 1,700 hours of service, along with 140 other volunteers. All volunteers — ranging in age from 18 to 24 — receive $4,725 in compensation to go toward college tuition or loans.
The AmeriCorps NCCC program’s purpose is to “improve the environment, enhance education, increase public safety, address human needs and assist with disaster relief.” Recent projects have involved flood relief work in the North Central region, disaster aid in Louisiana and Mississippi, youth tutoring and mentoring, housing construction and trails maintenance. The organization has four campuses nationwide in Iowa, Maryland, California and Colorado.
For more information go to www.americorps.gov/nccc.
Eyes on the Community Award goes to Carin Mack
The Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation presented Mercer Island resident Carin Mack, a social worker, with the Eyes on the Community Award at the annual HOPE Conference for Parkinson’s in November. The award honors those whose contributions within the Parkinson’s community “improve the quality of life” therein “through awareness, education, care and advocacy,” as consistent with the mission statement of the Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization.
For more than 10 years, Mack has led the Parkinson’s patient, family and caregiver support groups that currently meet twice each month at the Community Center at Mercer View. The number of community residents involved in the groups ranges from 20 to 50.
According to Bill Bell, Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation Executive Director, Mack “has touched hundreds of lives and helped numerous individuals and families during their journey with Parkinson’s disease, many of them living on Mercer Island. She is a low-flying angel to all those who attend her groups.”
Mack also leads macular degeneration and dementia support groups.
