Public Health Hero Award nominations open

The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment is taking nominations for the seventh Joseph Jabaily Public Health Hero Award. The award honors an individual or group who has contributed in an extraordinary way to public health or has made an outstanding contribution to public health over time.

Nominations must be submitted in writing, either online or on a PDF file from the award website no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 24.

The Jabaily award was created by the Larimer County Board of Health in honor of Joseph Jabaily, M.D., a Loveland neurologist, community activist and volunteer who died after an accident in a charity bicycle race in 2004. At the time of his death Jabaily was running on an unaffiliated ticket for the state legislature, hoping to improve public health, health care and education in Colorado.

Individual criteria for the Jabaily Public Health Hero Award:
• Nominees must either live or work in Larimer County.
• Nominee does not need to be a public health professional (could be a judge, a volunteer, a teacher etc).
• Nominations can be for an individual, team, or organizational effort.
• Nominee cannot be a current employee of the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment or a current Board of Health member.

Former recipients of the award are environmental scientist Frank Vertucci, Ph.D., 2006; local obstetrican/gynecologist Larry Kieft, M.D., 2007; Jane Higgins, M.D., physician at CSU’s Hartshorn Health Service, 2008; Lupe Harbison, local health educator, 2009; Carol Plock, director of the Health District of Northern Larimer County, 2010; and Ginny Riley, Larimer County Human Services Director.

“We still miss Joe’s presence and commitment to public health,” said Dr. Adrienne LeBailly, director of the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment. “This award helps honor that same selfless spirit in others.”

For more information, visit www.larimer.org or call 970-498-6700.