Associations serving society.

Nine organizations--recipients of ASAE's Summit Award are doing their part.

From community service to codes of ethics, associations have long made their mark on society. And for the past four years, through the Associations Advance America Awards, ASAE has recognized associations for their outstanding efforts to make America and, in some cases, other countries better places to live. This year, in addition to recognizing associations, ASAE has honored one supplier company for its outstanding work in the area of community service. Join ASAE in congratulating the nine recipients of the Summit Award, the highest level of recognition in the Associations Advance America Awards program.

Nice neighbors

In 1991 Loews Hotels, New York City, launched its "Good Neighbor Policy." By focusing on several areas of social concern, ranging from protecting the environment to aiding homeless people, Loews lends support to the communities in which the company owns and manages hotels. Through the program, each hotel is required to fulfill several activities, such as recycling and donating excess food to area food banks and shelters. One activity of the program is a series of "Loews Monopoly Power Breakfasts." Each breakfast brings together celebrities, television personalities, athletes, and government and civic leaders to raise funds for a local charity. Held across the country, the breakfasts have helped raise more then $365,000 for charity since 1988.

Assistance with HIV and AIDS

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that within the next few years India will surpass all countries as the one with the greatest number of HIV-infected people. Knowing that, the Association of State and Territorial Public Health Laboratory Directors (ASTPHLD), Washington, D.C., initiated "Improving the Quality of HIV Testing in India" to help build India's capacity to assess its HIV-AIDS epidemic.

The association worked with WHO, the World AIDS Foundation, and India's National AIDS Control Organization (NACO), to develop and implement appropriate laboratory test procedures that are reasonable for the environment in which Indian laboratory scientists work. To accomplish this, the program provided intensive U.S.-based HIV diagnostic training to a group of selected laboratory scientists using WHO and NACO-approved testing materials and procedures; developed a customized HIV testing training manual; and coordinated India-based "train-the-trainer" laboratory courses in four regional, high-prevalence locations. One hundred seventeen trainees representing India's 62 HIV serosurveillance centers, 11 reference testing centers, major blood banks, and nongovernment institutions completed the six-day training.

Promoting safety

In 1986 a 13-year-old boy was electrocuted while watching a regional Little League game when he touched a metal fence and the conduit on a wooden light pole at the same time. The accident did not result from carelessness or lack of concern. The lighting equipment had been recently checked. However, the park staff had only a limited knowledge of outdoor lighting equipment and how it worked.

The accident prompted the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association (IPRA), Winfield, to set up a task force to conduct research on outdoor lighting safety and to develop an easy method to check the safety of outdoor lighted fields. What resulted is the 36-page manual Sports-Field, Lighting: Electrical Systems Guidelines and Safety Considerations. The manual covers topics such as safety, electrical and lighting systems, wiring inspections, testing, maintenance, consultant selection, and field design bids. It contains a safety check-list for outdoor lighted fields. More than 950 manuals have been distributed to communities not only in Illinois but throughout the country.

Flood relief

In July 1993 flood waters engulfed much of Des Moines, Iowa, and the city was without tap water for two weeks. When the Iowa Bankers Association, Des Moines, began getting information from member banks about the special flood relief programs, including lowered loan rates and deferred payments, that many banks were offering, the association decided that it needed to play the role of information conduit.

To that end, IBA established an 800-number hot line to let consumers know what services were available to them. In addition, the IBA executive vice president served on the governor's flood recovery coordination team and helped funnel information back to banks about Federal Emergency Management Agency services and other government services that were available. The bankers helped streamline paperwork federal agencies required to process disaster recovery loans. A committee of bankers helped the chamber of commerce identify local businesses in danger of closing because of damage or loss of business. The committee assigned a banker to work on each case to ensure that all viable businesses returned to normal operations. Not one business fell through the cracks, and Iowa can boast one of the lowest business-failure rates in the nation, thanks in part to IBA's work.

Help for abuse victims

The Minneapolis-based Minnesota Medical Association's "Stop the Violence" campaign began in 1993 to educate physicians and the public that physicians have a unique role to play in patient intervention. MMA recruited a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team to produce a public service announcement for radio and posters for clinics and hospitals.

The posters and the public service announcement urged victims of abuse to talk to their physicians. MMA developed a list of diagnostic and treatment guidelines on domestic violence and mailed it statewide to all physicians, clinics, and hospitals. In addition, MMA and a local hospital worked with the Minnesota State Supreme Court in a training workshop for judges and community leaders. This process will be the beginning of regional coordinating councils focusing on issues of family violence and abuse. Billboard and bumper stickers across the state contain the message "Doctors Can't Cure Family Violence. But They Can Help!"

Manual on milk

The National Milk Producers Federation, Arlington, Virginia, developed the "Milk and Dairy Beef Quality Assurance Program" to provide a safety net for preventing animal drug residues from entering the milk and dairy beef supply. Working in cooperation with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), Schaumburg, Illinois, NMPF developed a 10-point management plan and manual that provides guidance to the producer and veterinarian in minimizing potential contamination. The manual was referenced as part of the Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance by the Food and Drug Administration--that was the first time an educational program had been made mandatory for completion by any producer found to have contaminated a load of milk. Dairy producers must complete the 10-point drug protocol or be restricted from marketing Grade "A" milk. The thrust of the program is keeping cows healthy and reducing the need for medication. The initiative has been endorsed by the FDA and the Department of Agriculture.

Protecting children

Child welfare was on the minds of seven members of the Oklahoma Public Employees Association, Oklahoma City, when they made a presentation to representatives of the Commission on Children and Youth, a state agency. After hearing the association members describe a backlog of 4,000 cases and an increase in child abuse referrals, the commission asked OPEA to coordinate a series of statewide hearings to educate communities about the broad issues and resources available to protect the children and to solicit community input concerning local child welfare issues.

More than 1,250 citizens across the state attended six hearings and presented their perspectives to panels of local leaders, including judges, mayors, school officials, police, doctors, and members of the commission. As a result, close to 100 new child welfare positions have been added to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, and other social workers were paid overtime to make all cases current. By summer, the backlog of cases was reduced by 50 percent.

Report cards for ADA 

The United Cerebral Palsy Associations (UCPA), Washington, D.C., played a key role in persuading Congress to pass the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990. However, no federal agency is charged with monitoring implementation of its four titles, each of which has taken effect on a different date.

One month prior to the first implementation date, UCPA developed its first ADA Report Cards on America to gather baseline data and monitor America's progress in implementing each of the ADA titles. Selected UCPA affiliates across the country send teams of people with and without disabilities into their communities to take a snapshot of how American business is implementing the ADA. Four years after passage of the law, UCPA reportedly is still the only national organization that is tracking progress toward and raising public awareness about implementation of the ADA.

Providing homes and jobs

Members of the Wisconsin Manufactured Housing Association (WMHA), Madison, had a problem disposing of old mobile homes. The Wisconsin prison system needed job training for inmates, and rural social service agencies needed homes for low-income families. "Project OurHome" was born.

Through the program, members of WMHA donate old mobile homes and transfer them to one of two prisons in the state. Inmates then rehabilitate the homes with both purchased and donated materials. Next, the homes are given and/or sold to low-income families identified by local social service agencies.

Begun in late 1993, the program is funded by a grant from the federal Office of Community Services. By the end of 1994, 52 families with incomes as low as $4,000 will have received homes and nearly 50 inmates will have participated in job training.

The Sponsors

ASAE and the ASAE Foundation gratefully acknowledge the following Associations Advance America sponsors:

American Airlines Hyatt Hotels and Resorts Hilton Hotels Corporation ITT Sheraton Loews Hotels MBNA America Bank, N.A. J.W. Marriott Foundation United Airlines

Entering Is Easy--And It's Free

Does your association

* offer education programs;

* set or enforce standards;

* conduct research or gather statistics;

* engage in political activity;

* have a community service program;

* develop codes of ethics; or

* initiate international activities?

Of course it does. And your association can be recognized just as the associations highlighted on these pages were. Entering the Associations Advance America Awards program is easy. Simply write a one-page description of your program explaining why it was started, what the goals were, and how the goals were reached. Also describe the measurable success of the program. Fax your entry to AAA Awards, [phone], with your name, your association name, ad address. Or call [phone] for an official awards entry form or for answers to questions you may have. We look forward to receiving your entry.

Lorri Lee, ASAE's director of public relations, is accredited in public relations.