Costella Brower, left, Learen Blue and Shirley Hinton were honored at the Caregiver Awards ceremony held Oct. 1 at the FirstHealth Conference Center in Pinehurst. Hinton was named the 2010 Caregiver of the Year for her dedicated volunteer service with the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Post 7318, District 9 in Carthage.

Caregivers are the unsung heroes to those they care for. Over thirty caregivers were nominated for the 2010 Caregiver Awards held last Friday evening, Oct. 1 at the FirstHealth Conference Center in Pinehurst.

Shirley Hinton of Carthage, Learen Blue of Pine Bluff and Costella Brower of Eagle Springs were honored as finalists with Hinton announced at the Caregiver of the Year.

Nominations were accepted from the Moore County community through Sept. 15, and a selection committee of community peers reviewed the submissions to determine the two finalists and winner for 2010.

I’m really excited,” says Hinton of her award. “I was so surprised, and I am so very proud.”

Hinton received a $500 Visa gift card, and both Blue and Brower each received $250 Visa gift cards. Every nominee received a $25 Visa gift card and a gift bag thanks to generous donations from sponsors and local businesses including FirstHealth Home Care Services, Moore Registry, HomeChoice Network, Elmcroft, Penick Village, Fox Hollow Senior Living Community, Liberty HomeCare & Hospice Services, Peak Resources-Pinelake Nursing and Rehabilitation Care, Davis Video Productions, Mollie Tobias Photography, Hair Play and OutreachNC magazine.

“We had wonderful support from community sponsors and an amazing group of individuals nominated for the Caregiver Awards. It is an event we hope will continue to grow each year,” says Amy Natt, CEO of Aging Outreach Services, a geriatric care management firm in Southern Pines, who had the vision for establishing this recognition of caregivers and intends for the event to continue annually.

Hinton, Blue and Brower will be treated to a day of pampering this month and be featured in the November issue of OutreachNC magazine.

“It was an opportunity to show appreciation to the many caregivers in our community who give 110 percent everyday to make the lives of others better. These caregivers are amazing people who rarely take the time to care for themselves, and so it was an honor to highlight and thank them for the hard work they do,” says Natt.