Established to honor the memory of an exceptional respite care provider, the “Tony” Award was dedicated on January 26, 2013.
In December 2011, one of the very talented respite care providers at Family Support Services, Tony Foss, passed away. Shortly thereafter, we received a letter from a family with whom he worked, whose lives he touched with his enthusiasm and the loving care he brought to his work. The following is an excerpt:
“We want to share with you that Tony was the best respite care worker we ever had for our son, Caleb. He was kind, loving, positive, and responsible. He always walked in the door with a big smile and said, “What’s up, Bud?”
Tony worked with Caleb for two years, during which he took Caleb to Special Olympics practices and other community outings. With Tony’s support, Caleb made history as a high school student with special needs on two very special occasions:
It was Tony who accompanied Caleb to participate in a Regional Jujitsu Tournament. Caleb’s instructor and the Regional judges were very impressed as it was the first time in the regional schools that an individual with a developmental disability participated in this type of tournament.
It was also Tony who took Caleb to an audition for a school-wide talent show. As a result, Caleb was selected to perform a solo dance in the high-school-wide talent show. It was a rare occasion that a student with a significant disability appeared on stage to perform for the entire school!
Our boys loved to go out with Tony. We miss him so much!
Tony Foss understood the importance of respite care in the lives of the families we support, and took to heart his role in making life more fulfilling for the people with whom he worked.
To honor Tony Foss’s memory, Family Support Services has established The “Tony” Award to honor a respite care provider each year who demonstrates the kind of excellence that Tony brought to his work every day.
On January 26, 2013, The “Tony” Award was dedicated to Tony Foss, and received by his mother during a daylong celebration and training event hosted by the Family Support Services Respite Program.
Special thanks to Esther Chow and the entire Chow family for proposing the establishment of The “Tony” Award, and for the generous contribution that helped to make it possible.
Every year at the Respite Conference, the Tony Award is given to an exemplary respite provider. This award, in honor of Tony Foss, a much loved respite provider who passed away in 2011, is awarded to a provider who goes above and beyond, just like Tony did.