Therese Davis
Director of Residential Services, Wingspan Life Resources :: July 2003
You have been selected to receive a Sullivan Ballou award because of the
enormous contributions of time, energy, talent, and love you have made so selflessly to the
hundreds of developmentally disabled adults who have been under your care in your 26
years as a care counselor, Program Developer, and Director of Residential Services at
Wingspan. Individualized support services can help adults challenged by age, ability, or
health to realize their own unique gifts, talents and dreams. Under your leadership,
Wingspan fulfills its mission to provide this support because, as Hennepin County learned
in a recent quality review, you have been able to inspire the direct care staff to express in
their work the same values and vision that you do. No one could quantify the
independence and human dignity that have been made possible because ofthis hard work
by you and your colleagues.
Residents and those who work with you know that your contributions come
straight from the heart. They told us things like this:
"Therese combines the unusual qualities of a warrior and a healer. Shee shows up fully spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. She is also able to pay attention to what has heart and meaning to people. This is an exceptional combination of qualities in one person that makes for outstanding contribution to Wingspan. "
"It is not uncommon for Directors of programs like Wingspan to become disconnected from the consumers ... It is, however, very unlikely for one to attend a consumer picnic, birthday party, dance or get together and not see that Therese is there, visiting with all and responding to countless shouts of her name by others, 'Therese, Hi,' Oh, there's Therese.' ... I am proud to say that in my position and my work I strive to be as much like her as I can."
"She gives 100% at Wingspan and then goes over to St. Stephens Shelter for an overnight with homeless men ... I am privileged to work with her."
"Therese's passion for her job is felt by everyone she comes in contact with, and her commitment to the consumers of Wingspan is unquestionable."
"Therese often takes people out, attends their birthday parties (with presents in tow), makes personal phone call to them, as well as spending many late nights in a hospital room with someone who had no one else. To the people who live here Therese is not the Director ofResidential Services, she is their friend."
"I'm going to miss her house. She's one of my good friends."
Congratulations!
Elissa and Bruce Peterson, Founding Members