"Support Person of the Year" award goes to the Dillards

David and Shelley (Laney) Dillard were awarded the title of Support Person of the Year by the Washington State Association of Activity Professionals. Sandi Smith, activities director at Odessa Memorial Health Care Center, nominated the couple for their willingness to "visit every single resident (of the long-term care wing) every single day."

Shelley's father is Dick Laney, now a resident of the long term care wing. Shelley and David had been caring for Dick in his home until it was no longer possible to provide all the care he needed. Now they spend a great deal of time at the hospital, trying to make life a little brighter for all the residents and staff."They do Bingo with the residents once a month, donating their time and prizes. The residents look forward to this with much enthusiasm. They take them from one side of the hospital down to the other side for breakfast every morning.", says Smith. "They are very supportive to the staff. They are more than the average dedicated volunteer. They are extremely warm, caring, and thoughtful people."

On October 23, the staff and residents held a party in honor of the Dillards as everyone gathered in the activity room for a banana split social.

Shelley and her brother Bud (Richard, Jr.) spend their early childhood years in Odessa. After their parents were divorced, the children moved with their mother to Texas and Oklahoma, while their father remained in at the Laney Brothers dairy a few miles outside of Odessa. David Dillard told the Record that Shelley had not been back home to Texas in over a year. Now that her father is settled in at the hospital and is doing well there, he said, she has scheduled a visit to her own home.