Posted: Aug 4, 2009 10:29 AM
United Way of Northwest Louisiana held its 2008 annual meeting/campaign celebration on Thursday, January 22, 2009 at The Robinson Film Center. Becky Cooksey, 2008 United Way Board Chair, presided over the meeting.
Each year United Way presents the Clyde Fant Memorial Award for Outstanding Community Service to an individual who has shown a long-term record of service to communities in northwest Louisiana. Last year’s recipient, former Bossier City Mayor, Don Jones presented the award to this year’s honoree, Maxine Sarpy. Born in Houston, Texas, Mrs. Sarpy spent her early years in El Paso, Texas. In 1963, she moved with her husband, the late Dr. Joseph Sarpy to Shreveport. Maxine is the mother of two children. Mrs. Sarpy has always been involved in her community for as long as she can remember. She is very passionate about helping others and has made it her life’s work. She was recognized by The Shreveport Times as one of the most influential people in Shreveport this century.
Mrs. Sarpy was the first woman to serve on the Shreveport City Council. She also served on many boards such as Barnwell Art & Garden, Mental Health Association of Northwest Louisiana, Caddo Council on Aging, Volunteers of America--Ministry Adoption Board, Adolescent and Family Board, National Conference of Christians and Jews, SWEPCO Board of Directors, Caddo-Bossier Port Commission, Southern University System Board and the Southern Foundation, Shreveport Campus. Mrs. Sarpy attended the University of Texas Medical Branch, School of Nursing where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She is a registered Nurse licensed to practice in Texas and Louisiana. In the past she has been employed with Christus-Schumpert, where she was the Head Nurse over Psychiatric Division, Community Action Agency as the Director of Health & Education and Louisiana Family Planning Program as the Area Director of eight parishes.
She credited her parents for inspiring her and has lived her life by the words of her father: “To whom much is given, much is required. God has given time, talent, and treasures to all of us!” She has truly embodied this quote as shown in her dedication to making northwest Louisiana a better community for all of us.
Campaign Chair, John Hubbard, reported that over $2.9 million was raised in the 2008 United Way Community Campaign. As part of the community effort, Col. Robert Wheeler, 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, served as the 2008 Combined Federal Campaign chair. He reported that the Combined Federal Campaign (the only authorized solicitation of employees in the federal workplace on behalf of charitable organizations) yielded $434,800 in its community campaign. United Way of Northwest Louisiana is a local, volunteer-driven, nonprofit agency that provides funding for 36 local nonprofit agencies with 57 affiliated programs.
