October 24, 2007 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) Center for Aging will present three community awards for contributions to improving the health and well-being of older adults at its sixth annual “Celebration of Life” reception on Sunday, Oct. 28. The reception will start at 2 p.m. at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, 2612 Lane Park Rd.

The reception and awards recognize the tremendous contributions of older adults to society as a whole and serves to thank those who have helped support research, education and service programs of the Center for Aging.

The 2007 McCallum Award will be presented to Robert G. Sherrill, Jr., M.D. Sherrill was medical director of the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation (AQAF) for 18 years and at times served as CEO. Sherrill was one of the founders of AQAF in the early 1980s and medical director for Cooper Green Hospital for 11 years. In April 2007, AQAF initiated the Robert G. Sherrill, M.D., Award for Quality, recognizing an individual or entity as statewide champion for quality healthcare.

The McCallum Award, named for former UAB president and current mayor of Vestavia Hills, Charles A. (Scotty) McCallum, Jr., D.M.D, M.D., recognizes an individual or organization that has demonstrated outstanding leadership and service on behalf of the Center for Aging and its mission.

The Robert P. Bynum award for 2007 goes to Hyman (Herc) M. Levine, Jr., who has promoted physical fitness for older adults for decades. He is a member of the Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame, founder of the Birmingham Track Club and a member of the Alabama Governor’s Commission on Physical Fitness. In 1996, he carried the Olympic torch up Shades Mountain as it passed through Birmingham to the Atlanta games.

The Bynum Award honors an adult 75 years or older who continues to work to improve the health and well-being of older adults in the community. The award, established in 2005, recognizes Robert Bynum’s many years of service to older adults as Deputy Administrator of Social Security, as a member of the Alabama Commission on Aging, and as an employee and consultant for the Center for Aging.

The JOY Club (Jewish Older Years) is the 2007 winner of the New Horizon Award. The JOY Club, housed at the Levite Jewish Community Center, is now 21 years old and was developed to enhance seniors’ quality of life through educational programs, exercise, social gatherings, meals and fellowship. The JOY Club, open to all seniors in the community, offers lectures and social activities for mature adults.

The New Horizon Award recognizes not-for-profit organizations that have worked to enhance the health and well-being of older adults in the community. The award is named for New Horizons at UAB, a self-governing organization of older adults who design a curriculum to meet the diverse interests of its members.