To those who didn’t know, I was selected as one of the three judges for the American Diabetes Wholesale Second Annual Diabetes Educator of the Year Award.  The voting for the three finalists had ended abotu 2 months ago, and the ceremoney to announce the winner is next week,  so I have been trying to plan this stuff out.  The ceremony is right down the road in Boca Raton, FL.

It should be cool, I will be meeting some good people in the diabetes community, Charlie Kimball (type 1 diabetic Indy Car driver), Mr. Diabetes, Christopher Thomas (Diabetic Rockstar), Donna Rice (former AADE president).

I am also excited to find out who the winner is, they have kept it secret the whole time.

On other news, I am excited about this weekend since the Phillies are coming to town.  I am actually only able to make it to Sunday’s game, but I haven’t even bought my tickets yet, I should probably do that soon.

Well you all have a great day.

The Diabetes Educator of the Year Award voting period has ended as of March 20, 2009 and the votes are currently being tallied. We appreciate all the great responses we received and wish to extend our appreciation to all who took the time to participate and cast their votes in the contest. The winner is to be announced on May 1, 2009 in a special ceremony, so please stay tuned for future updates.

As we quickly approach our November 7th deadline for the second-annual Diabetes Educator of the Year Contest, we want to encourage you to tell us about an inspirational healthcare professional you know who is dedicated to fighting diabetes, and has made a difference in your life, or in the life of a loved one.

At ADW, we have set out to pay tribute to these educators, which include certified diabetes educators, nurses, and physicians, who consistently show compassion and an unfaltering commitment to their work, patients, and diabetes community. If you have someone that you think deserves to be the 2008 Diabetes Educator of the Year, we’d love to hear from you!

The nomination process is easy – just visit www.AmericanDiabetesWholesale.com/Contest and fill out the required information. Our winner will be flown in for a two-night, three-day stay at one of South Florida’s most beautiful resorts, the Boca Raton Resort & Club. He or she will also be honored in a special ceremony coordinated by all of us here at ADW, together with our local diabetes advocate partners.

Last year’s winner, Barbara J. Odom, RN, PHN, M.ED is an extraordinary example of the loyalty and devotion that we at American Diabetes Wholesale so admire. She is U.S. Navy Veteran, a registered nurse of 36 years and has been a certified diabetes educator since 1985. Since retiring from the Department of Veterans Affairs Healthcare System in June 2001, she has worked independently and volunteered her time in the San Diego Community and throughout the country. She is motivated by her love of nursing, teaching and helping others. She facilitates a monthly support group in Southeast San Diego, does workshop presentations on diabetes and other health concerns at churches, community groups and health fairs.

Help us continue to recognize those who are making a difference – go to www.AmericanDiabetesWholesale.com/Contest before November 7th and tell us about that special person who you think should be the 2008 Diabetes Educator of the Year!

Thank you again for all your support; we couldn’t continue to do this without you. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have, and we look forward to hearing about the exceptional diabetes educator in your life!

All the best,
Your American Diabetes Wholesale Team