The Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc. has recently announced KTEN News has been selected to receive the 2015 Frank M. Adams Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in the Media category. The award will be presented to KTEN News at the 30th Annual Community Centers Staff and Trustee Training Conference to be held June 17-19 at the Westin Galleria in Houston. KTEN News was submitted as a candidate for this award by Texoma Community Center.
Frank M. Adams was a founding member of the Texas Council and a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the Southeast Texas MHMR Center (now named Spindletop Center) serving Chambers, Hardin, Jefferson, and Orange counties. During his lifetime Mr. Adams distinguished himself as a Board member, as an advocate, and as an individual who loved, cared and showed compassion for persons with mental illness, intellectual and developmental delays, and/or a chemical dependency. During his 14-year tenure with the Texas Council, his concentrated efforts advanced the status of community centers in the Texas health and social services delivery system.
“KTEN News, has been an active supporter with a long-term commitment to Texoma Community Center. For all these years, KTEN has worked tirelessly with the Center to help educate its viewers about mental disabilities and services offered through our community center. KTEN is genuinely interested in promoting dignity for the people we serve. We know the public is receiving valuable information about individuals with mental disabilities. KTEN has been diligent in discussing independence, stigma, and dignity through stories during Destination Dignity month, Mental Health month, and Intellectual and Developmental Delays month. KTEN has impacted its viewers with education that can reduce stigma. Reducing stigma will enhance and enriched the quality of people’s lives with mental disabilities. We are happy that KTEN is being recognized for its work,” says Daniel Thompson, Texoma Community Center’s Executive Director.
Through the years, several other area media organizations have won this prestigious award including: the Denison Herald, the Herald Democrat, KXII Television, the Bonham Daily Favorite, the Gainesville Daily Favorite, the Trenton Tribune, the Van Alstyne Leader, North Texas e-News, and Joe Pollaro. Two area volunteer groups have won the Frank M. Adams Volunteer Group Award including Denison High School’s United Service Club and the Sherman Church of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.