When Texas College of Chiropractic (TCC) President Dr. Shelby M. Elliott arrived for dinner with his wife, Connie, to quietly celebrate his retirement, he quickly discovered that a nice "little" dinner was actually a gathering of nearly 400 of Dr. Elliott's friends and family. The surprise dinner, held Oct. 17 at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas, during the TCC Board of Regents annual retreat, celebrated his 13 years as president of the college and a lifetime of service to the chiropractic profession.
At the commencement of the program, TCC Prsident-elect Dr. Richard G. Brassard, who is scheduled to take office on Jan. 1, 2004, welcomed guests that included Mr. Robert Moody, Sen. Mike Jackson, and Reps. Suzanna Gratia-Hupp and Robert Talon. Following the dinner, friends and colleagues took the stage to supply a good-natured "roast" and reminisce about Dr. Elliott's years in the profession. The ceremony also included a video presentation that highlighted Dr. Elliott's life and career as a doctor of chiropractic, strong advocate of the profession, and president of TCC.
The board of regents commissioned Houston sculptor Edward Hanke to create a bronze bust of Dr. and Mrs. Elliott, which was also unveiled at the ceremony. The sculpture will be placed at the entrance of the Shelby M. and Connie Elliott Auditorium in TCC's new faculty office building, currently in the planning stages.
Dr. Elliott, who will become president emeritus of TCC at the end of the year, expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support, adding that he would remember the evening for the rest of his life. Dr. and Mrs. Elliott plan on continuing to play active roles in the community and the chiropractic profession.
Logan College Appoints New Director to Research Program Logan College recently announced the appointment of Douglas Dean, PhD, as the director of the college's research division. The former professor, associate professor and assistant professor in the cell biology department at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Dr. Dean will design and oversee studies, and teach physics in Logan's accelerated science program.
Dr. Dean received his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and biology from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Ark., and his doctorate degree in biochemistry from the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He has also taken postdoctoral courses in medical research at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. Dean has conducted previous research in cell biology at the molecular level and is interested in the role of adhesion molecules during cellular development; retinblastoma protein (Rb) and its role in the cell cycle; and ZEB, a tumor repressor that binds to muscle genes and regulates the timing of skeletal muscle differentiation in vertebrates.
Parker Celebrates Kids Day America/International More than 3,000 families attended Parker College of Chiropractic's celebration of Kids Day America/International, a worldwide event dedicated to children's health, safety and environmental awareness. The Parker event featured free spinal and dental screenings, identification kits, safety tips from Dallas' fire and police departments, face painting, clowns, a magician, and an appearance by McGruff, the renowned canine that urges folks to "take a bite out of crime." Event attendees also received a voucher redeemable for a $15 pediatric examination or a $30 first visit for adults.
Parker President Dr. Fabrizio Mancini conducted the opening ceremony, which included an awards presentation. The Dallas Police Department and Steve Mace, with the Association of Radio Managers, received Children's Empowerment Awards in recognition of their efforts in reuniting abducted children with their families through the Amber Alert plan, a national effort credited with assisting the recovery of 100 children.
"We really use the Kids Day event at Parker as a model to our other doctors to show them how they can reach their full potential and to expand every year to reach even more children," commented Kids Day America/International co-founder Dr. Theresa Warner. "The Kids Day celebration this year exceeded our expectations. It was just fabulous!"
Northwestern Issues S.O.S., Helps Local Elementary School Northwestern Health Sciences University responded to a call for action this summer after learning that Phalen Lake Elementary School in St. Paul, Minn., was in desperate need for school supplies. The Community Service Committee at the university started the "Save Our Schools" (S.O.S.) campaign and began soliciting school supply and monetary donations on behalf of Phalen Lake.
"With 86 percent of our students on the reduced lunch program, it makes it extremely difficult for them to buy needed supplies for the school year," said Jan Hopke-Almer, principal of Phalen Lake. "The donations from Northwestern [made] each child feel more equal."
Ultimately, Northwestern raised $520 and 1,832 school supplies for the students of Phalen Lake.
"The entire university helped to make this event a success, and gave many children a chance to start a fresh new year," remarked Debbie Miller, chair of the Community Service Committee. "It is amazing how much good can happen with a few people joining together."
Have a Heart on Valentine's Day The annual Have-a-Heart fundraiser will be held again during the week of Valentine's Day, Feb. 9-14, 2004. Proceeds from the fundraiser benefit the Oklahaven Children's Chiropractic Center, an internationally recognized nonprofit center that has been restoring health to developmentally challenged children for the past 41 years.
This year, doctors of chiropractic, chiropractic colleges, students and patients from the U.S., Canada and United Kingdom are being asked to participate in this worthwhile campaign by showing an Oklahaven informational video in patient waiting areas, displaying a heart for each gift received with the donor's name, and sending all donations and a final report to Oklahaven at the conclusion of the campaign. For more information, visit the Oklahaven Web site: www.chiropractic4kids.com.
Activator Methods International Promotes Dr. Lois Ward Activator Methods International (AMI) recently announced the promotion of Dr. Lois Ward to its international instructors program. Dr. Ward, who has been an AMI instructor for over 25 years, has taught over 200 national and international seminars, and received the first- ever AMI President's Award in July. Additionally, Dr. Ward is the first woman to serve on the Activator Methods Clinical Advisory Board and the National Institute of Chiropractic Research.
A Logan College graduate and former member of its board of trustees, Dr. Ward has been in private practice for almost 40 years. Currently, Dr. Ward shares a practice with her husband, Dr. Gary Ward, in Farmington, Mo.
