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(l-r) Shirley Roberts, RN, receives her President’s Award from Bree Vopelak, former President of the GRACE Board of Directors.
Shirley Roberts claimed the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce 2018 Ambassador of the Year award on January 24th at the Annual Awards held at DFW HIlton Lakes Executive Conference Center. This is following her GRACE President’s Award distinction at the August meeting of our Board of Directors, and leading up to her February 20th awarding as the Fort Worth Business Press 2019 Health Care Hero. This annual award recognizes excellence among health care professionals, administrators and volunteers in our community.
Her title is Nurse Manager of the GRACE Community Clinic, but that is only the beginning of her story and her work for GRACE. As manager of the GRACE Community Clinic, she oversees all of the staff and volunteer activities—duties that include nearly 4,000 patient visits every year and more than 650 clinic sessions.
Shirley holds a bachelor’s degree in healthcare management from Dallas Baptist University, and received her licensure in nursing from El Centro College. She has been a registered nurse since 1981, and has held various positions in healthcare organizations, including several management roles.
A vibrant GRACE ambassador, Shirley is a lead recruiter for the Clinic’s medical professionals, seeking and on-boarding volunteer physicians, nurses and other health providers. Her volunteers serve nearly 3,500 hours every year. She also assumes the role of head caregiver for GRACE staff, providing OSHA-required training and regularly lecturing on safe office practices.
With all of these accomplishments, it would seem she would be a shoe-in for the President’s Award, an honor for the GRACE employee of the year, and the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce 2018 Ambassador of the Year award, and the 2019 Health Care Hero. Yet, 2018 threw one huge challenge in Shirley’s direction—in April the GRACE Clinic experienced a catastrophic fire. Shirley rushed to the site as soon as she learned about the fire and stayed until she secured a new space for a temporary clinic to take place the following morning.
I am so blessed to serve at GRACE Community Clinic and in our community with the Grapevine Chamber of Commerce! I am so honored to receive the Ambassador of the Year Award! So proud to be a part of our awesome city! It doesn’t get any better than this!
-Shirley Roberts
Through the move to the temporary location, and to the current location at the former Police and Municipal Courts Building in Grapevine, Shirley directed volunteers in the set-up of equipment, replacement supplies, donated materials, and the medical volunteers in order to maintain operational capacity.
“Shirley has always been one to go ‘over and above’,” said Bree Vopelak, president of the GRACE Board of Directors. “This year in particular she rose to the occasion and clearly exhibited our core values.”
In addition to her many GRACE responsibilities, Shirley is active in the Grapevine Chamber and a member of last year’s Leadership Grapevine program. She leads a happy life with a devoted husband, three grown children, many grandchildren, a church family and a rewarding career. Shirley Roberts is a true advocate for the people GRACE serves, and is a valued leader among the GRACE staff. Click here for more information about the GRACE Community Clinic, or to congratulate her for her President’s Award.
