June 16, 2007

 

Friendship Trays co-founder Ann Elliot has been honored by the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance and Endowment in recognition of her work to promote good health in Charlotte.

 

Elliot received the group's James Gray Cannon award at its  annual awards luncheon at Quail Hollow Country Club.  At the luncheon, MMAE awarded $70,000 in grants to 10 area health and community organizations.

Click the picture for a PDF version of MMAE's June Prognewsis newsletter. An article on page 5 of the newsletter lists some of Elliot's accomplishments. The article about Elliot reads:

"In 1976, Ann Elliot learned that some elderly people near her church, lived at home, but were unable to fix their daily meals. To meet this need, she co-founded what would become Friendship Trays, Charlotte- Mecklenburg's nonprofit meals-on-wheels program. In recognition of her vision and volunteer commitment, Elliot has been selected to receive the 2007 Cannon Award by the Mecklenburg Medical Alliance & Endowment.

"The award, named in honor of its first recipient, has been given annually since 1984 to an individual in Charlotte-Mecklenburg who has demonstrated exceptional leadership on a voluntary basis toward the advancement of medical care and good health in the Charlotte Community.

"Ann Elliot's 30 plus years of commitment began with the belief that seniors will live longer, and stay healthier, if somebody just looks in on them everyday and makes sure they are eating well. Elliot was ahead of her time. She and her co-founders have made an immense contribution by stablishing for Charlotte the meals-on-wheels service that allows older Americans to age in their homes. As a volunteer and first executive director and later as a board member, she has helped Friendship Trays grow from serving six recipients daily to nearly 800 daily.

"Today, in her 80s, Elliot remains devoted to the task. She drives a route twice a month. Recently she created a team of Sharon Towers neighbors who together spend an afternoon a week at Friendship Trays sorting bags and labeling meal trays for the following day.

"While Ann Elliot has volunteered countless hours to Friendship Trays, she has also taken on leadership roles at her church and her alma mater. In the 1960's, she was the first woman elected to the local ruling body of her church, St. Martin's Episcopal, and later served two terms as senior warden, or top lay leader. In the 1970s, she served as president of the Queens College Alumnae Association.

"Her other volunteer interests have included Crisis Assistance Ministry Board of Directors; Hornets' Nest Girl Scout Council Camp Chairman; Mecklenburg County Council on Aging; Queens College Alumni Association President, Friends of the Library; Thompson Children's Home Executive Committee; and YMCA Board of Directors."