American Cancer Society Honors Edina’s Betty Couch with Lifetime Achievement Award
American Cancer Society Honors Edina’s Betty Couch with Lifetime Achievement Award
Edina resident Betty Couch was honored with an American Cancer Society Lifetime Achievement award today for her 35 years of dedicated volunteer service. Couch received the recognition at a surprise presentation at her work at Don F. Harrison Agency in Edina. Eastern Missouri Regional Vice President Craig Boring, and local Community Manager Brenda Carlin were on hand to present the award.
Lifetime Achievement awards recognize volunteers in the Society’s High Plains Division for their longstanding leadership and commitment to the fight against cancer. Presented annually, six volunteers from the Division, serving a multi-state area that includes Kansas, Hawaii, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, received honors this year from the Board of Directors. Volunteers qualify for this recognition having served in three or more leadership positions with the Society and having volunteered for 15 years or longer. In addition, awardees consistently demonstrate dedication to the Society’s mission.
Couch was volunteering long before her husband was diagnosed and succumbed to cancer. She has served as the chairman for the largest fundraiser, Relay For Life®, seven out of eight years. Her motto is, “Fundraising isn’t all we do, but all we do does depend on it.” She works tirelessly in her community to make sure everyone is aware of the education programs and services of the Society. And, after all these years of volunteering, nothing seems to be stopping her from finding a cure.
“I really admire Betty,” said Carlin. “She’s a volunteer that thinks outside the box; whether it’s finding new volunteers or coming up with new fundraising ideas. She never stops. She just goes and goes and always has great ideas to help further our mission.”
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service.