CADA dinner featured awards, member recognition | Community Spirit

The Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse of Northwest Louisiana (CADA) hosted its Annual Dinner and Meeting on Monday, Oct. 22.

Held at Broadmoor United Methodist Church, event highlights included the ratification of the Board of Directors, presentations of the Wayne Drewry Award, Jack Elbert Employee of the Year Award and Volunteer of the Year Award, and a moving speech from guest speaker, Michael Williams.

Executive Director Bill Rose spoke about CADA’s changes in preparation for national accreditation, new initiatives, and the vision for the future of the organization.

Officers of the Board of Directors who were re-elected for another one-year term include Judy Williams, President; Bonnie Bolton, Vice President of Operations; Al Childs, Vice President of Development; Jim Van Hook, Secretary; and Jim McClelland, Treasurer.

Current Board Members who were re-elected to one and three-year terms, as well as those Board Members whose terms have expired, were also recognized.

Caddo Parish District Attorney Charles Scott was presented with this year’s Wayne Drewry Award, an award given to an individual or organization who has made outstanding and distinguished contributions in the field of alcoholism and drug abuse.

The Jack Elbert Employee of the Year Award went to Jeff Leach, a Direct Care Technician at the Buckhalter Recovery Center. The award is presented to an employee of CADA who has gone above and beyond in their work to treat those who suffer from the disease of addiction.

Peggy Heacock received the first Volunteer of the Year Award for her time and dedication to CADA. Heacock is a retired teacher who now volunteers her time teaching adolescents in the Cavanaugh Adolescent Program, one of CADA’s 15 programs.

Former Executive Director Bill Handorf was recognized for his dedication and commitment to CADA. Handorf helped start many of CADA’s programs, and was the Executive Director for CADA from 2004 until May of 2011.

Featured guest speaker Michael Williams closed the banquet with a story about his recovery from addiction and how it helped him recovery from a terrible accident in 2009. Williams, who is locally and nationally known as the “steeple man,” shared video and audio from his accident when an eight-ton steeple fell off of the First United Methodist Church in Shreveport and crushed his car.