SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Anyone who knows Ann Stevenson is used to seeing her with a chaplain’s shirt and badge—accompanied by her trauma-trained dog, Steele—as she visits with victims of disaster. Or maybe they’ve seen her provide key leadership in MODR childcare. However, Stevenson recently took versatility to another level when she coordinated two disaster relief responses in Pulaski County, where she lives, within seven months of each other.
That’s just one of the reasons she was recognized with a Distinguished Service Award for exceptional service at the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) Roundtable, held this past January in San Antonio, Texas.
“The Distinguished Service Award is like an All-Star award for a specific performance during a disaster and is based on the most recent year of responses,” MODR Director Gaylon Moss explained. “Individuals nominated are selected for having gone above and beyond the call of duty and having distinguished themselves during an actual response or series of responses during the most recent year.
“On April 1, 2024, an F-1 tornado tore through Waynesville, Mo., leaving 8,000+ customers without power,” he continued. “Ann, while not trained as a White Hat (incident commander), took up the role readily and did an excellent job coordinating with local officials, volunteers and homeowners. Seven months later, significant rain caused river flooding in the Waynesville, Mo., area. Once again, Ann stepped up again to provide help, hope and healing to people in need.”
“When Gaylon called me to tell me I was being given the award, I was taken completely by surprise,” Stevenson recalled. “I had no idea and felt so unworthy compared to others. I am truly humbled by the honor,” she added. “My only desire in life is to serve God in whatever aspect He calls me to do. At the bottom of the award is written, ‘Well done thy good and faithful servant’. Those are the words I hope to hear from Jesus one day.”
Others in attendance at the annual Roundtable beside Stevenson and Moss were Eric Barb, Gary Pool, Toby Tucker, Aaron Werner and Ann’s husband, Jerry Stevenson.