The Al Berger Community Service in Aging Award remembers a former President of the Board of Directors of the Society. Al Berger was a past president of The Society who volunteered many hours to lead the long term care insurance initiative to protect individuals who were placed in long term care facilities as well as quality of life efforts following the passage of OBRA in 1987.
The Society remembers his efforts by recognizing individuals who have made significant community service efforts for Colorado seniors. Each year the Board of Directors bestows the Al Berger Community Service in Aging Award.
The Society is pleased to present the 2025 Al Berger Community Service in Aging Award jointly to:
Marilyn Berry Carol Wier Roberta DeYoung Carol Gaylord Tim Mueller
Meet the 2025 Al Berger Award Recipients:
Marilyn Berry
Marilyn BerryLittleton, CO
Marilyn served as the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing for Holly Creek Retirement Community from 2005 to 2024 when she retired. Holly Creek is owned by Christian Living Communities.
Marilyn served on the Board of Directors of The Society for a number of years. During that time, she hosted a number of events sponsored by the Society including our 25th celebration, multiple Medicare Monday educational programs, and collecting food and volunteers for the Holiday Basket project.
She has supported the Holiday Baskets project for many years.
Today she is retired. Writing on her LinkedIn profile, Marilyn says that she is “Enjoying full-time living.”
Carol Wier
Carol WierWestminster, CO
Carol retired after more than 33 years a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, also known as an Advanced Practice nurse.
She was a pioneer in providing geriatric-focused care across multiple settings, including long term care, rehabilitation and educational settings, primary care clinics, insurance, and palliative care.
She served on a number of community boards, including Senior Answers and Services from 1994-2009 and then continued to serve on The Society board.
Carol has supported the Holiday Baskets program for years through her work with older adults. She commented, “I have been aware of so many who needed a little extra help and joy at this time of year.” She notes that it is not only the material gift of the food, but the personal contact and good will shared during the delivery that continues to be so important to older adults.
Roberta DeYoung and Carol Gaylord
Roberta DeYoung and Carol GaylordAurora, CO
Both Carol and Roberta are nurses who have spent their careers dealing with older adults. Carol worked for a number of home care agencies and eventually was an Assisted Living administrator. Roberta has worked at Argus Home Health for years in the Medicare unit.
Both Carol and Roberta have a long history of involvement with the Holiday Baskets distributed to low income older adults each year.
As a member of The Society’s Board of Directors, Carol was responsible for starting the tradition of including paper towels and toilet paper in the CGS holiday baskets, additions warmly welcomed by recipients of the baskets. Each year they helped fill and deliver Holiday Baskets until the baskets became a little too heavy for them to handle. They still are active supporters of the program but now support the program monetarily rather than physically.
Tim Mueller
Tim MuellerErie, CO
Tim retired from IBM in 2014, where he worked as an IT Services Project Manager.
He started a small consulting business, Compassionate Planning Services, to provide planning and advisory services to older adults and family caregivers. He gravitated to serving low-income individuals requiring assistance with basic needs.
Tim began volunteering with CGS in 2015, providing ‘boots on ground’ assistance to a wide variety of CGS clients.
He volunteers in the food pantry at Sister Carmen’s Community Center in Lafayette. He also serves on the Board of Rocky Mountain Refuge for End-of-Life Care, a non-profit offering a comfortable place for unhoused neighbors with terminal illness to receive hospice and basic care services.
“My greatest satisfaction as a volunteer has been the personal connections I have made with individuals needing assistance, and amazing people involved serving our aging and low income neighbors. Working with Eileen and Pat at CGS has been very rewarding. This organization makes a difference,” he said.
Past recipients have included:
2013: Gene Bloom, Cody Dental Group; Tammie Rigby, Life Care Centers of America
2014: Josh Freiberg, Red Rocks Family Dentistry
2015: Hearing Rehab Center; Mike and Ann Drake, community volunteers
2016: Elaine Allemang, Karey Bradley
2017: Forney Museum of Transportation, and United HealthCare Volunteers
2018: Nicholas C. Peterson, Matthew Carlston, DDS; Jeanette Hensley
2019: Reynaldo Mireles, Steven J. Zapien, DDS, Janet Weipert, Bernard Buckley
2020: Julie Raney
2021: Venita Vinson, Jeri Priest, Jeanette Mayes Parker, Axel Treutler, Melanie Leaverton
2022: Doug Hodous, Lois Darnell, Arvella Lucas, Linnea Couture
2023: Jennifer Braun, Warren Kolber, Ginger Okada, and Keira Rawlings
2024: Erin Berge, David Appel, Janet Flax and Sandra Taylor Day