Press Release
Lakeland, Fla., (July 31, 2024) – The Greater Lakeland Advisory Board of Children’s Home Society of Florida (CHS) proudly hosted the Community Appreciation and Recognition Social on July 30, 2024. This special event celebrated the dedication and contributions of outstanding individuals and organizations that have significantly impacted the lives of children and families in the community.
During the event, six distinguished awards were presented:
2024 Advocate of the Year: Dawn Chapman, a long-time CHS Greater Lakeland Advisory Board Member and Co-Chair of the Advocacy Committee, was honored as the Advocate of the Year. She is a tireless advocate for children and families and recently spent time with CHS front-line staff to express appreciation for their efforts.
2024 Community Partners: Heartland for Children was recognized as the Community Partner for their responsiveness and collaboration in supporting local CHS initiatives and fostering positive relationships with law enforcement ensuring better outcomes for youth. The Florida Network for Children’s Advocacy Centers was also celebrated for their outstanding support of CHS’ Children’s Advocacy Center Team in Bartow and their steadfast efforts advocating for additional funding to support critical work on behalf of children and families in Greater Lakeland and statewide.
2024 Legislative Champion: Senator Colleen Burton was named the Legislative Champion for 2024. As a long-standing child advocate, Sen. Burton has championed improvements in the lives of Florida’s citizens. She was recognized for her leadership in health care reform during the past Legislative Session and her ongoing support of CHS and the Community Partnership Schools™ model.
2024 Community Supporter: Fresh Kitchen was celebrated for their contributions to local CHS initiatives, including making CHS a beneficiary of their annual fundraiser.
2024 Community Supporter: The “Friends”, comprising of four volunteers: Courtney Wentworth, Kayla Plouffe, Samantha Judd and Liz Plemons were recognized for their support of local CHS events including the CHS Charity Pickleball Tournament, the Back-to-School donation drive, and the annual holiday drive for children and families.
“We are incredibly thankful for the dedication and passion of our award recipients,” said Dr. Amy Bratten, Board Chair and Provost for Polk State College. “Their commitment to advocating for and supporting children and families in our community is truly inspiring. Each of them plays a vital role in creating brighter futures, and we are honored to recognize their outstanding contributions.”
The Community Appreciation and Recognition Social was graciously hosted by Boring Business Systems which is celebrating 100 years of serving the greater Tampa Bay area’s business needs — from IT solutions to copy and print services.
Immediately following the Social, the CHS Greater Lakeland Advisory Board held their advisory meeting and welcomed new governance including Chair Clint Rhoton and Vice Chair Nate Pearson. They will each serve a 2-year term.
For more information about Children’s Home Society of Florida, please visit chsfl.org.
About Children’s Home Society of Florida
On the front lines since 1902, Children’s Home Society of Florida is the oldest and largest statewide organization devoted to helping children and families. Children’s Home Society of Florida serves more than 50,000 children and family members throughout the state each year. More: www.chsfl.org.
