The Northcentral Arkansas Development Council (NADC) recently honored Izard County coordinator Sherry Vest with the JoAnn Lowrie Above & Beyond annual award at NADC’s recent August board meeting.
JoAnn Lowrie retired in 2017 after beginning her career with NADC beginning as a Head Start classroom aide in 1993. She was promoted to a classroom teacher in 1994, and in 1998, she resigned to open a daycare operation. Lowrie was also instrumental in making it possible for NADC to purchase the current NADC Fulton County facility which houses both the Head Start Program and Community Outreach Program. In 2000, NADC rehired her as the Fulton County coordinator, and she served in that position until 2017. Lowrie continues to serve as a Head Start sub and has helped in the Outreach program when asked since her retirement.
Charlie Morris, NADC executive director, announced last year he would annually honor Lowrie’s service with an award to a current NADC outreach employee who goes “above and beyond by exemplifying her passion, caring, and helpful attitude in helping others maintain a better quality of life,” according to a press release. At this month’s board meeting, Morris invited Lowrie invited back to help honor Vest.
“Sherry is the type of individual who is always willing to do whatever it takes to help a client or help with a special project with always a smile on her face and a super attitude,” said Morris. “She has a passion to help people less fortunate, and we have started new operational changes within the agency, and she has been a tremendous resource in helping us improve our programs to help clients. I can’t say enough great things about Sherry. NADC is fortunate to have her.”
Vest began working with NADC in November 2012 as a health and safety classroom aide at the Brockwell Head Start Center after previously serving as a Head Start volunteer. She became lead teacher there in 2015. In June 2017, Vest became the Izard County outreach coordinator, overseeing the various NADC’s programs in the Melbourne office. She lives in Melbourne with her husband, Danny. They have two daughters, Hannah, 18 and Ella, 14.
NADC is one of 15 community action agencies in the state created by the Johnson administration in 1965, and the only congressional mandated agency formed to fight poverty in our country. NADC serves Fulton, Independence, Izard, Sharp and Stone counties with programs such as Head Start, Early Head Start, energy assistance programs, commodities, and other emergency type programs and services.
