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Local Man Who’s Blind Earns State Achievement Award

12/17/2018

For Immediate Release

December 14, 2018    

 

Media Contact: Marci Manley

DHS Deputy Chief of Communications and Community Engagement

(501) 350-5380

[email protected]

 

Duncan is honored by the Department of Human Services (DHS): Adren Duncan (middle) received the DHS Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) Statewide Consumer of the Year award Friday during the 2018 DSB State Meeting awards reception. Duncan is joined by a DSB staff member (left) and a representative from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (right).
Duncan is honored by the Department of Human Services (DHS): Adren Duncan (middle) received the DHS Division of Services for the Blind (DSB) Statewide Consumer of the Year award Friday during the 2018 DSB State Meeting awards reception. Duncan is joined by a DSB staff member (left) and a representative from the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services (right).  

Local Man Who’s Blind Earns State Achievement Award    

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –  Adren Duncan of Little Rock, who has been totally blind since birth, has been named the state’s outstanding Consumer of the Year by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Services for the Blind (DSB).

Duncan, age 77, was selected for the achievement award because of his determination to overcome adversity, serve the community, and succeed at work.

He has been a Community and Social Services Specialist with the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services for nine years. Prior to this, he had been a Social Worker since 1972.

Duncan has been active in the Lions Club service organization for 40 years and is a Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest level of educational achievement in Toastmasters. He and his wife Barbara have been married 40 years.

The award presentation was made December 14, after the DSB Board meeting at a reception honoring the nominees and their employers. Duncan’s employer, Arkansas Department of Workforce Services, was recognized by DSB as the state’s outstanding business partner for its commitment to promoting the employment of persons with vision impairment.

Prior to his selection for the state award, Duncan was one of the recipients of area COY awards. Other area COY’s (with their employers who were named outstanding business partners) are: Lisa Towns of Fort Smith, Certified Nursing Assistant with PRN Medical Services; Lisa Earls of Batesville, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services; Sandra Dal Santo of New Edinburg, self-employed small business owner of Sew Peaceful Quilts; Blake Walker of Jonesboro, Certified Rehabilitation Counselor for Arkansas State University Disability Services; Maja Sevo of Fayetteville, Certified Music Teacher with the Springdale Public School System; Bich Nguyen of Conway, manicurist at City Nails; Sheree Fagan of Little Rock, Education and Instruction Analyst for the DHS Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education; Jammy Vest of Weiner, Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver with Sanders, Inc.

The rest of the area COY’s and employers are: Aaron Alford of Harrison, teacher at Omaha Elementary School; Macie Coopwood of West Memphis, supervisor for the DHS Division of County Operations; Billy Langwell of Green Forest, Walmart associate; Salena Pruitt of DeQueen, Realtor with Century 21 All Points Realty of Texarkana; Brenda Thomas of Monette, traveling nurse with RTG Medical of Nebraska; Leetell Jenkins of Fountain Hill, Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver with Jonesville Trucking; John Handley of Pine Bluff, Machine Operator and Training Coordinator at Evergreen Packaging; William Trotter of Harrison, self-employed small business owner of Ozark Bear Arms; James Lancaster of Royal, Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver with Tenenbaum Recycling Group; and NeKemia Burse of Little Rock, Assistant Manager at Next Day Telecommunications.

DSB provides vocational rehabilitation services to adults who are blind or severely visually impaired and whose goal is successful employment. The division also serves youth and older blind individuals. For information about DSB’s programs and services, visit the DSB website at https://humanservices.arkansas.gov/about-dhs/dsb, or call 1-800-960-9270, 501-682-5463, or deaf relay 711.

 

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