Willie B. Nelson, Board Chairman of Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation (SIHF), has been selected as the recipient of the 2008 NACHC Ethel Bond Memorial Consumer Award. Mr. Nelson received the award Sunday, September 18th at the 2008 Community Health Care Awards of Excellence hosted by NACHC. The Ethel Bond Memorial Consumer Award is in recognition of Mr. Nelson’s outstanding achievements and contributions to the health center mission and to community-based healthcare overall. Mr. Nelson’s wife, Gloria, and daughter, LaVonda, attended the award ceremony.
The hosting party, The National Association of Community Health Centers, was organized in 1971 and is the only national association dedicated exclusively to expanding health care access for America’s medically underserved through the community-based health center model. NACHC serves as the unified voice and common source for research, information, training and advocacy for health centers that depend largely on public financial help.
Willie B. Nelson has served on the Board of Directors for Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation for over 15 years. He has served as the Board Chairman for the past 6 years. During his board tenure, Mr. Nelson has assisted in creating access to quality healthcare services for the medically underserved in 12 communities through 36 health centers. This now provides much needed care to over 80,000 patients each year regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.
“I am proud of how we have grown and developed our organization over the years. Building access to healthcare services has been a difficult task, but we have prevailed and we continue working hard each day to create a better future,” said Mr. Nelson during his acceptance speech.
SIHF is pleased that our very own Board Chairman, Willie B. Nelson, received this prestigious award and we are very grateful to Tom van Coverdan of NACHC for selecting him for this wonderful recognition.
Willie B. Nelson is a very active member of the East St. Louis Community. Mr. Nelson worked his way to bank manager of First Financial Bank after starting out as a custodian in 1955. After he retired in 1998, his full-time job became being active in the community. In 2001, Mr. Nelson organized the First Cancer Relay for Life Race in East St. Louis, which has grown to an annual event raising thousands of dollars for the communities’ cancer patients. He has played active roles in many other organizations such as the Elks, Illinois Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Chamber of Commerce, Katherine Dunham Museum, Target 2000 Metro East Associates, Friendship Baptist Church, and Greater Faith Christian Church.
