BELTON — Honoring inspiration was the focus of the night at the 25th annual Bell County Judge and Commissioners Committee on People with Disabilities Awards Banquet, which was held Tuesday at the Bell County Expo Center in Belton.

The Heart of Central Texas Independent Living Center presents the “Rusty” Awards, as they are known, each year. Heart of Central Texas is a community-based, nonprofit, non-residential service, advocacy and training organization operated for people with disabilities by people with disabilities. The organization celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2011.

The awards take their name from Anthony Russell “Rusty” Morales, who died in 2009 at the age of 48.

A motorcycle accident injured Morales as a teenager and he spent the majority of his life in a wheelchair. Despite the hardships he faced, Morales’ positivity and uplifting attitude were his calling cards.

Judy Morales, Rusty’s mother, said her son never thought of giving up and that his strength of spirit inspired others and led to the creation of awards that recognize “faith, courage and perseverance.”

The awards are open to people with both physical and mental disabilities and are a way to recognize involvement in the community, Peggy Cosner, Heart of Central Texas’ executive director, said in May.

The theme this year was “Crossing the Bridge to Opportunities,” and nine of the 11 potential awards were presented.

Bell County Judge Jon Burrows presented the John C. Garth Person of the Year Award to Nic Serna. To be eligible for the award a person must have a disability and live in Bell County. This person must have made a significant achievement in his or her life — social, economic, effort, inspirational, etc. — and contributes to the community.

Because Serna was unable to attend the ceremony due to personal reasons, Phyllis Wunsche, his sister, accepted the award on his behalf.

“I know that Nic will continue giving back to the community in this life and beyond,” Wunsche said. Mary Klinsman and Susie Marek presented the Shirley Biels Health Care Worker of the Year Award to John Thompson, a developmental-behavioral pediatrics specialist at Baylor Scott & White Health.

The Shirley Biels Health Care Worker of the Year Award is presented to individuals who have been in the health care or fitness related field in Bell County during the past 12 months and made a positive impact on a person or persons with disabilities.

Klinsman introduced Thompson with personal anecdotes about how his attention to detail and bedside manner are the standard to which she trains pediatric residents and his impact on her own family.

“Two of my children probably wouldn’t be alive today if it hadn’t been for Dr. Thompson,” she said.

Thompson thanked Klinsman and Marek for their involvement in his ongoing education.

“The challenges their children have had really forced me to dig into the science of medicine,” he said. “They were the provokers of me learning a lot.”

Nancy Etzel received the Laura “Pat” Taylor Advocate of the Year Award. The award is presented to a government, nonprofit employee or a volunteer or individual within Bell County who has made a positive impact on people with disabilities through their work or effort.

Peggy McIlvanie presented the award to Etzel in recognition of her involvement with multiple causes and groups.

“She’s always involved in something and she never quits,” McIlvanie said. Etzel told the crowd that, “if you see me out there I’ll be rolling from one place to another, so say ‘hi’ and ‘bye.’”

Hunter Holtsman, a senior at Holland High School, received the Jennifer Phillips Award for Courage, which recognizes courage and spirit in the face of disability.

As Nancy Riley introduced Holtsman, she commented that everyone who knows him is amazed “as we watch him go and do the things he does.”

Holtsman’s “I can and I will attitude have never faltered,” Nancy Cortese, who co-presented the award with Riley and nominated Holtsman, said.

In his acceptance speech, Holtsman thanked Riley and Cortese; as well as his parents and the Texas Workforce Commission who helped him secure a job working at a local veterinary clinic.

“I always tell myself I can do anything I set my mind to,” he said. As he left the stage, Holtsman received a standing ovation.

Susan Vahrenkamp received the Pat Elliott Inspirational Award. To be eligible for the Pat Elliott Inspirational Award a person must be a Bell County resident who is an inspiration to people with disabilities. This person does not have to have a disability.

Tonya Morgan-Evans, who presented the award, characterized Vahrenkamp’s struggles to achieve steady employment as an illustration of the evening’s theme.

“Susan has done an excellent job of crossing her bridge to opportunity,” Morgan-Evans said. Vahrenkamp said that she “looks forward to many more years of work.”

Damon Russell received the Bell County Judge’s Meritorious Service Award. The award is presented to Bell County residents or organizations that have made an impact on the life or lives of people with disabilities.

Pat Roy-Jolly, who presented the award, cited Russell’s long struggle to overcome schizoid-affective disorder and his involvement in peer-to-peer counseling as an inspiration. Russell began his acceptance speech by discussing the worst night of his life.

“Twenty-two years ago I had the worst psychotic break I’ve ever had,” he said. Russell told the crowd that his doctor at the time was more concerned with getting him access to benefits and getting him comfortable than treating him.

“The doctor said ‘This is the best you’re ever going to get,’” Russell said. “I’m glad he was wrong.”

Col. Tim Karcher of the U.S. Army’s Operational Test Command at Fort Hood received the Military Service of the Year Award. To be eligible an individual must have served on active duty in the Fort Hood/Bell County area during the preceding 12 months.

The award recognizes an individual service member whose efforts, actions, or contributions have significantly enhanced the quality of life for disabled people within the military or civilian community.

Karcher, who lost both of his legs above the knee in June 2009 in Sadr City, Iraq, when an explosively-formed projectile tore through his humvee, accepted the award on behalf of service members with behavioral health issues like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

“Every morning there’s some assembly required for me,” Karcher said, referring to his prosthetic legs. “Once I put myself together it’s a pretty normal day, but for people with behavioral health challenges it’s not that easy. And often when we talk about disabilities we don’t talk about these disabilities.”

McLane Company received the Employer of the Year Award, which is presented to any business, industry or organization that employs persons with disabilities in Bell County.

The award was given to the McLane Company in recognition of its on-going disability employment program, named the “SPARK Initiative.”

“The goal of the SPARK Initiative is to provide meaningful employment to workers with disabilities and also increase McLane Teammates’ outlook and understanding of people with disabilities,” Jennifer Rojas, manager of McLane Company’s disability inclusion program, wrote in a 2013 company newsletter.

As Rojas accepted the award, she said that a large portion of the initiative is “about disability awareness.”

Telegram Reporter Janice Gibbs received media person of the year. Sue Hamby, a community advocate, presented the award. Hamby praised Gibbs’ ability to address complex social and medical issues.

“Anyone can learn to write in columns but there are certain things that have to come from the inside,” Hamby said. Gibbs accepted the award by complementing the hard work and dedication exhibited by the other award recipients and the disabled community at large.

“It doesn’t matter how many people I interview no one works harder than people with disabilities,” she said.