PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Board of Health this week recognized 12 individuals and organizations with Public Health Hero Awards.
The awards issued Thursday were part of the board’s annual recognition of National Public Health Week.
The four organizations and eight individuals were nominated for the award by the public for their work and contributions to public health in Jefferson County.
“Each year, each day of the week during National Public Health Week has a theme. This year’s themes were focused on community, violence prevention, reproductive and sexual health, mental health, rural health, accessibility and nutrition,” said Apple Martine, director of Finance and Administration for the board.
The four organizations recognized were The Benji Project, JC Mash Free Clinic, JUMP Board and Jumping Mouse Children Center.
Eight individuals nominated to receive the Public Health Hero Award were Cameron Botkin, Tonia Burkett, Greg Graves, Charlie Johnson, Judith Lungren, Shannon Minnihan, Beau Ohlgren and Mark Saran.
The Benji Project provides mental health resources for Jefferson County youth and teens 11-19 years old. The goal of the project is to teach youth and teens skills to manage stress and build emotional resilience during a time of their life when teens often experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation.
JC Mash Free Clinic, located in Port Townsend, is on a mission to strengthen the safety of accessible medical care by providing free consultations with medical practitioners, referrals, and advocacy to obtain medical and behavioral health services.
The JUMP (Jefferson Universal Movement Playground) organization in Chimacum built the first handicap-accessible and ability-inclusive playground in the county.
Jumping Mouse Children’s Clinic was recognized for its work in offering mental health therapy to children 2-12 years old that have been affected by emotional stress or trauma which impacts their ability to communicate and relate to others.
Botkin coaches basketball in the Chimacum School District and aims to use athletics to keep local youth connected and healthy and help them build up confidence on and off the court.
Burkett runs a consulting firm in Port Townsend dedicated to helping make Jefferson County a more inclusive place by facilitating training and providing anti-racist literacy.
Graves worked with the Jefferson County Parks and Recreation Department from 2011 -2014 improving and maintaining hiking trails and encouraging a healthy lifestyle by getting outside in nature.
Johnson is a firefighter for East Jefferson Fire Rescue who has gone out of his way to make sure that patients are heard and feel safe during rescue efforts, his nominator said.
Lundgren, owner of the Hill Top Tavern in Port Townsend, was recognized for her fundraising work through Barstool Bingo which has made contributions to multiple charities around the county.
Minnihan is the director of Food Services for the Port Townsend School District and has made several changes to the school lunch program, from providing healthier food options to introducing reusable dishware lowering the district’s carbon footprint to increasing the number of vegetables grown in school gardens, the nominator said.
Ohlgren was recognized for his work in supporting LGBTQ youth in the county, specifically for running the Jefferson County Transgender Support Group.
Saran, a Port Townsend-based therapist, was honored for his work with youth and teens, those going through ADD/ADHD treatment or teen pregnancy as well helping leadership in creating more resources for transgender youth in the county.
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Reporter Ken Park can be reached at kpark@peninsuladailynews.com
