Red Cross recognizes outstanding community members

Mary Burton the philanthropist award on behalf of Westfield Shoppingtown West Park is Joyce Hunter, Westfield Shoppingtown West Park Senior Marketing Director given to an individual, organization, corporation, or foundation that best exemplifies the spirit of charitable giving. The recipient, , Mary Burton presenting the award toSoutheast Missourian

The American Red Cross annually presents awards to volunteers, employees and supporting organizations whose accomplishments support the Red Cross mission. This year award recipients were honored during the organization's Missouri State Conference.

Evelyn Boardman was given the exceptional volunteer award, which recognizes distinguished volunteer service over a period of several years that has substantially exceeded the volunteer's original commitment to the Red Cross.

Boardman, a volunteer from the Southeast Missouri Chapter, has been involved with the Red Cross at the local, national and international levels for more than 20 years. While working in Europe on a military installation, she held the position as Red Cross chairman of volunteer services. During the Vietnam era, she spent much of her time on military bases processing health and welfare reports and aiding in family communication. She also spent time helping to acclimate military wives from other countries to American culture.

Westfield Shoppingtown West Park was given the philanthropist award, which recognizes a person, group, corporation or foundation that best exemplifies the spirit of charitable giving. The mall has donated space for blood drives since it opened in 1981. More than 900 units have been collected annually at these drives. The annual Heartland Blood Drive, held every January, collects over 600 units in three days.

This September, the mall hosted the national Blood Services 2003 "Save A Life Tour." Westfield initiated the fund-raising events and annually provides the venue, including Holidays on the House, which has raised over $30,000 for Red Cross emergency services and the Mother/Daughter Look-Alike Contest. Westfield's creation of a Court of Honor highlighted armed forces communications by listing members of the military from Southeast Missouri and providing a location for messages to be sent to the troops.