We thank God for Bill Lamb who is receiving the 2021 Elizabeth Welch Award, which recognizes an older adult who has effectively advocated for the needs of other older adults.
Bill currently serves as board chair for Friends of Residents in Long Term Care (FOR). Under Bill’s leadership, FOR played a key role in ensuring that the voices of residents in long term care facilities were heard during the pandemic. During the last legislative session, Bill’s advocacy work was instrumental in the passage of the No Patient Left Alone Act and in the much-needed increase in the personal needs allowance for residents in adult care homes.
The Elizabeth Welch Award is presented by the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services. This award honors Dr. Elizabeth Welch, who served as chair of the psychology department at Salem College. She was often quoted to say we should not “retire” but “reinvest.” At age 89, she published her personal account of growing old and the challenges and gifts that age can bring. Her book “Learning to be 85” made her a popular speaker across the state. At the age of 92, she was a congressionally appointed delegate to the 1995 White House Conference on Aging where she was the only delegate from North Carolina to have a resolution passed by the conferees. Welch believed in the power laid at the feet of baby boomers to bring about social justice for older adults, women, people of color, and other historically marginalized populations.
If you or someone you know at CUCC receives recognition for their work of Love in the world, please let the office know. office.cucc@gmail.com