Allison Walker, Generation to Generation
 

A Winter Park nonprofit organization is trying to find two caregivers out there who deserve to become "Caregivers of the Year."

The competition is tough, since the National Family Caregivers Association said only three other states have more caregivers than Florida does, and about one-third of the caregivers caring for seniors are, themselves, at least 65.

You can nominate a caregiver for the award, so if you know someone who rarely has a break, because he or she is helping another person live more comfortably, write an essay about the caregiver, no more than 500 words.

Send your essay to:

Florida Respite Coalition
2699 Lee Road, Suite 230
Winter Park, FL 32879

Or e-mail your essay to terryr@FloridaRespite.org

The Florida Respite Coalition, which is sponsoring the award, will select a woman on Mother's Day and a man on Father's Day.

The recipients will get a two-day stay at a Central Florida hotel, meals, gift certificates, even haircuts, manicures and pedicures.

The deadline to nominate the female caregivers is May 7, and for the men, June 11.

The prize is a Respite vacation for a good reason.

A study shows about one in five caregivers provides at least 40 hours of care a week. That is in addition to their regular job, which most caregivers have done while helping a person in need.

For more information on the contest, visit FloridaRespite.org, or call Terry Roen, communications director, at (407) 740-8909 ext. 103.

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