Community Corner
McQuarrie Receives Volunteer Award
Kathy McQuarrie, of Doylestown, has received the Tom Nelson Volunteer of the Year Award from the Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc., and PRO-ACT (Pennsylvania Recovery Organization–Achieving Community Together). She received the award during the annual Tree of Hope dedication ceremony on Dec. 18.
“Kathy McQuarrie is a longstanding advocate and champion for recovery and recovering families,” said Bev Haberle, executive director of The Council.
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McQuarrie has been active with PRO-ACT since the volunteer organization’s establishment in 1999. She led the development of its Family Education Program to help families learn about addiction, enabling and available resources. As chair of the Family Education Committee, she continues to facilitate the award-winning free program in Bucks County, and she trains and schedules facilitators for nine program sites throughout the five-county southeast Pennsylvania region. In addition, she is active with other PRO-ACT committees, including Celebration & Recreation, Awareness in Action and Public Policy.
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As a member of the Public Policy committee, McQuarrie was a staunch advocate for Pennsylvania Act 106 legislation, which provides access to treatment of alcohol and drug addictions for insured patients with a doctor’s prescription for treatment. As a member of the Awareness in Action committee, she coordinated and hosted the Philadelphia premier of HBO’s Addiction series and has served as spokesperson for the Family Education Program as well as a resource for media stories on recovery. Inspired by the movie Traffic, she spearheaded an effort to promote recovery through public recognition of famous people who support recovery, and she organized a STAR Brunch recognizing notable legislators, administrators and celebrities who support recovery. As part of the Celebration & Recreation committee, she led or coordinated activities at Pumpkinfest and Recovery Walk, annual events held to raise the public’s awareness of the possibility of recovery.
The Tom Nelson Award is named in honor of a founding member of PRO-ACT who died of cancer in 2002. Before his passing, he helped establish this annual award for outstanding volunteers who exemplify his spirit and achievement.
“Tom Nelson worked tirelessly to further the recovery movement and create opportunities for others to experience the miracle of recovery,” said Haberle. “He is dearly missed and fondly remembered by many, many people for his tremendous vision, leadership and kindness to others.”
