Spirit of Achievement Award Dinner Raises Nearly $80,000 to Benefit National Jewish Health

On May 8, 2019, National Jewish Health, the nation’s leading respiratory hospital, honored six New Mexicans – Ambassador Ed L. Romero and The Cinco Amigos: Jason Harrington, William Lang, Steve Maestas, Jerry Roehl and Kevin Yearout for their dedication and service to the New Mexico community. The Spirit of Achievement Award Dinner is an annual event held in New Mexico to benefit National Jewish Health and this year raised nearly $80,000.

More than 240 people attended the event at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, to learn more about the patient care and research being done at National Jewish Health and to recognize the honorees.

“These six award recipients have built a legacy of contributing their time, talent and treasure in all areas of life – personal, business and civic,” said Sherman McCorkle, chair of the 2019 Dinner. “They are now part of a prestigious group of citizens in and around Albuquerque that have earned the National Jewish Health Spirit of Achievement Award.”

Since its inception in 1980, the Spirit of Achievement has raised more than $1 million. The funds raised at the event benefit patients in New Mexico and around the country who receive care from National Jewish Health for respiratory, cardiac, immune and related diseases.

Barry J. Make, MD, co-director of the COPD Program, director of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Respiratory Care, professor, Department of Medicine, spoke to the attendees about what makes National Jewish Health so unique. Dr. Make reinforced that the time doctors spend with patients enables them to conduct a thorough health investigation and make a diagnosis in order to best treat every patients’ medical condition.

Past honoree Pat Vincent-Collawn was the master of ceremonies. The event committee included: Harold Albert, Dale Dekker, Joe DiGregorio, Bob Feinberg, Joanne Fine, Harris Hartz, Terry Huertaz, Debbie Johnson, Tom Jones, Lori Lambelet, Georgie Ortiz and Jim Rogers Jr.

Lead sponsors for the event included Patron of Research Sponsor the Cinco Amigos; Society of Fellows Sponsor Collier’s International: Bob Feinberg and Tom Jones; and Inner Circle Sponsors Clifton Larson Allen LLP and Georgie Ortiz.