Cindy Shewmake from the Kay County DHS office was selected as the 2016 Gaines Stout Member of the Year award and was presented with the award at this year’s annual convention in August. She has been a dedicated state employee since August 2005 as a social service specialist. She has also been a proud OPEA member since then when she signed up during her new worker academy.
Cindy has held the office of president in her local DHS chapter for years and prior to that was an active member of the joint Kay/Noble County OPEA chapter. She regularly attends OPEA Day at the Capital and consistently responds to OPEA’s calls to action by contacting her representatives both at the capitol and in her district. She also uses social media to educate her friends and colleagues and encourages them to contact their legislators on important issues.
Cindy Shewmake and her daughter and Jess Callahan, OPEA President
Cindy attends OPEA quarterly board meetings and has acted as a proxy for her regional director on several occasions. She has been involved in her region’s platform process and has also represented OPEA at a neighboring office OPEA/ERC function when the regional director was called away due to a work meeting. In 2016, Cindy organized her OPEA chapter going to Santa’s cause to wrap presents as a community service. Cindy introduces every employee to OPEA and has recruited several in the past few months.
Cindy represents the dedication and leadership one would expect from a state employee and an OPEA member. Her dedication and loyalty during these difficult times is admired by her co-workers and family and I would like to honor her with this nomination.
The award is named after one of OPEA’s founding members Gaines Stout, who helped start OPEA with a select group of state employees in 1975,
