DUNEDIN - Dr. William Hale will receive Governor Jeb Bush's Point of Light Award for the week of May 15, 2006 at the Dunedin City Commission meeting on May 18. He was nominated for the award by Rep. Tom Anderson (R-Dunedin) for his great contributions to the community.
Governor Bush's Points of Light Program was established in February 2000 recognizing Florida residents and organizations that demonstrate exemplar volunteer services in their community. Dr. Hale will also be honored in the fall at a reception at the Governor's Mansion hosted by the Governor and Mrs. Bush.
After retiring as a medical doctor, Dr. Hale has constantly worked as a volunteer in organizations that he has presided over, he has organized, or he has served as a board member. He has served as president of many organizations including the United Way of Pinellas, The Pinellas County Medical Society, Florida Blood Services, Suncoast Family YMCA, the Pinellas Suncoast Chamber of Commerce, the Dunedin Council of Organizations and Senior Citizens Services among others. A long time activist in community affairs, Dr. Hale founded the Upper Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens (UPARC) Foundation, which has given UPARC the funding support needed to operate a large agency dedicated to working with the developmentally disabled. He also was the past Chairman of the Committee on Aging for the City of Dunedin.
Dr. Hale founded the Florida Geriatric Research Program, now in its 30th year of a longitudinal study on the health factors related to aging. Renamed in Dr. Hale's honor in the fall of 2002, the program has enrolled more than 7,800 persons and performed over 49,000 evaluations.
Dr. Hale was also instrumental in the successful passage of Rep. Anderson's bill during the 2004 Legislative Session, which has provided automatic external defibrillators to senior centers throughout the entire state of Florida. Dr. William E. Hale's selfless approach in his devotion to serving Florida's seniors has been a shining example to all. Florida has been fortunate to benefit from Dr. Hale's commitment to promoting a healthy, vital lifestyle for today's seniors.