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Dr. Roy Thompson and Margaret Neblett also recognized as Tennessee's Top Volunteers
NASHVILLE, Tenn. Feb. 6, 2013 –The Tennessee Titans have named Renee Bobb of Nashville the winner of the 2012 Titans Community Quarterback Award. Bobb received the annual award during a special recognition luncheon today hosted by the Titans at LP Field. Bobb earned a $10,000 grant for her non-profit organization, Safe Haven Homeless Shelter, from Titans Owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr. and the Tennessee Titans Foundation.
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Bobb, 46, was one of three Community Quarterback Award finalists recognized for their volunteer work with non-profit organizations throughout Tennessee. These volunteers were selected by a panel of 16 judges for their leadership and dedication to bettering their hometown communities.
This year's runner-up was Dr. Roy Thompson, 59, of Murfreesboro, Tenn, who volunteers for the Interfaith Dental Clinic. Dr. Thompson's selection earned a $5,000 grant for his organization.
Margaret Neblett, 67, from Nashville, a volunteer for Preston Taylor Ministries, based in Nashville, was a finalist in the statewide competition and earned a $2,500 grant from the Titans Foundation for her charity.
The following information was included in Bobb's nomination form, submitted by Joyce Lavery, Executive Director of Safe Haven Family Shelter:
"For over 28 years, Safe Haven Family Shelter has served as the area's only shelter-to-housing program that accommodates homeless families. Through our shelter and transitional services, we provide comprehensive services for families to depart the program with stable employment and secured housing. Renee has volunteered with Safe Haven Family Shelter for over three years. She is a former resident of Safe Haven and is a current board member. In addition to board service, she is dedicated to ensuring that homeless families achieve long-term sustainability with her class: "Vision for Success." This class helps families look beyond their current adversity by creating a visual guide to support their attainment of future career and personal goals."
The Titans Community Quarterback Award program is a statewide contest that recognizes outstanding volunteers, ages 13 and up, of non-profit organizations in Tennessee. The winners were awarded grants from the Tennessee Titans Foundation that totaled $17,500, bringing the total grants awarded since the program started in 2000 to $270,500.
* *"We have been presenting the Titans Community Quarterback Award since 2000 and we are continually amazed at the magnificent volunteer work throughout the state," said Titans Owner K.S. "Bud" Adams, Jr. "Renee Bobb continues the tradition of statewide winners who give so much to non-profit organizations in Tennessee.
"Like our winners before her, Renee is an inspiration to us all," continued Adams. "Community involvement is very important to me and the entire Titans organization. We are pleased to present this grant to the Safe Haven Family Shelter in recognition of Renee's dedication. We salute not only today's three grant winners but everyone that was nominated for this year's Titans Community Quarterback Award! I say this every year, and it continues to be true – this program shows that Tennessee truly is the Volunteer State."
Below are excerpts taken from the finalists' nomination entries regarding their volunteer efforts plus the amount of the grant awarded from the Tennessee Titans Foundation to their respective organizations:
$5,000 Grant Winner – Dr. Roy Thompson, 59, Murfreesboro, Interfaith Dental Clinic
"The mission of the Interfaith Dental Clinic is to restore, protect and improve the oral health of the uninsured, low-income, employed persons, their children and the elderly in Middle Tennessee through access to affordable quality dental care, oral disease prevention services and oral health education. Dr. Thompson has been a direct service volunteer for the Interfaith Dental Clinic for more than a decade, using his dental expertise to provide comprehensive care for the uninsured, working families and the elderly. He joined the board in 2009, and in 2011 and 2012, Dr. Thompson spearheaded the $1.3 million effort to build the agency's second site, the Interfaith Dental Clinic of Rutherford County."
$2,500 Grant Winner – Margaret Neblett, 67, Nashville, Preston Taylor Ministries
"Preston Taylor Ministries (PTM) was founded in 1998 to confront many of the problems present in the PTM housing area, problems like drug use, gang involvement, teenage pregnancy, illiteracy, poor school performance and crime. In order to provide hope for children and families living in this environment, PTM sponsors several avenues for building life-changing relationships. Margaret has been a part of Preston Taylor Ministries since 2000, making this her 13th year of service. She is a weekly junior high after-school volunteer as well as the chief decorator of all of Preston Taylor Ministries' large events. However, her areas of service "off the clock" cannot be measured, as it is common for her to arrive with a full home-cooked meal for the students or stay late hours scrubbing the tile floors until they shine!
Previous Titans Community Quarterback Award Winners are:
2011 – Sue Hillman, Catholic Charities of Tennessee, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
2010 – John Blackburn, Hickman County Long Term Recovery Committee, Collierville, Tenn.
2009 – Tasha French, *"The Contributor," *Nashville, Tenn.
2008 – Wayne Howell, Franktown Open Hearts, Franklin, Tenn.
2007 – Bill Boss, Hands-On Science Center, Tullahoma, Tenn.
2006 – Mary McEwen, Bethlehem Center, Nashville, Tenn.
2005 – Sondra Clark, Christ Presbyterian Academy, Nashville, Tenn.
2004 – Mary Cunningham, Meals on Wheels, Kingsport, Tenn.
2003 – Wayne Watson, Colonial Heights United Methodist Church, Kingsport, Tenn.
2002 –Lynn Dunwoody, Auxiliary Probation Service, Memphis, Tenn.
2001 – Anna Sternheimer, Nashville Family Shelter, Nashville, Tenn.
2000 – Georgeanna Chapman, Martha O'Bryan Center, Nashville, Tenn.
Gameday Charity Drive Volunteers Also Recognized
To further salute volunteerism, the Titans recognized volunteers who assisted the team during seven gameday charitable drives that collected a variety of needed items for area locations. Each of the seven drives below had approximately 40 volunteers collect items donated by Titans fans at collection points surrounding LP Field.
Assisting the Titans with these drives was American Paper & Twine, who provided trucks and drivers to transport collect items from LP Field to the respective charities. Those seven drives were:
• LP Pencil Box School Supply Drive staffed by volunteers from LP Building Products
• Nurses for Newborns Baby Shower
• Cell Phones for Soldiers Drive staffed by U.S. Army's 5th Special Forces Group (Green Berets)
• YWCA "Undie Sunday" – Ladies Undergarment Drive
• Titans Foundation Coat Drive staffed by volunteers from Liv2Giv Foundation
• Second Harvest Food Bank Drive
• U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Drive
