GREENVILLE — Wednesday was proclaimed Kathy “Kat” Weaver Day at Oakley Place, and a community cookout was held in her honor at the facility, where she is a Resident Care Partner.

Weaver, who was honored locally, went on to Chicago at the end of January for the regionals, where she represented Enlivant with 5,000 other employees, and then went to nationals last month in Denver, Colorado, competing with 14 others and winning. There, she was honored by Argentum for her exceptional dedication to serving seniors with its 2016 Hero Award.

“I was very excited,” Weaver said at the reception honoring her. “There were tears of joy, I am very blessed to be recognized for what I do. It took me awhile [to realize she had won]. I was in shock.”

Weaver was given the day off Wednesday, but did come in for the cookout, of course.

Greenville Mayor Mike Bowers was in attendance and presented her with a proclamation for her achievement.

“Kathy has a perfect attendance record over her 18 years here,” he said. “She attributes that to her mother [the late Annola Allread]. Kathy approaches work with pride, empathy and passion every day.”

Accompanying Weaver to Chicago was Rhonda Heiber, regional director of operations, and daughter Weaver’s Beth accompanied her to the nationals.

Chosen from tens of thousands of senior living community professionals, Weaver is one of just five Heroes recognized by Argentum for exceptional excellence, caring and dedication to serving seniors. This is the second consecutive year Enlivant has had an employee recognized with this prestigious national honor.

“It’s very easy to understand why Argentum selected Kathy as one of only five national award winners”, said Enlivant Chief Executive Officer Jack R. Callison, Jr. “Kathy is truly an extraordinary human being who exemplifies what servant leadership is all about. She derives immense personal satisfaction from simply caring for others and treats each resident as an extension of her own immediate family.”

Through her work as a Resident Care Partner, Weaver is known as a champion and role model to new staff, residents and their families. Weaver embodies Enlivant’s core values of compassion, humility, integrity, excellence and fun not only at Oakley Place, but also in her local community. Weaver is also an active volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association of Darke County and the Alzheimer’s Walk for Awareness.

Weaver, the former Kathy Allread, married and the mother of four and grandmother to nine, is a lifelong resident of the Greenville area.