Each year, prior to enjoying the firm’s Thanksgiving lunch, the attorneys and staff at Christian & Small take a few moments to recognize and honor that year’s recipient of the firm’s Terri Lowrey Spirit Award.
and 2018 Terri Lowrey Spirit Award
recipient Sally Gonder
In 2011, Christian & Small lost a beloved family member and long-term employee – Terri Lynn Lowrey – after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. To honor Terri’s life and the impact she made on those around her, the firm created the Terri Lowrey Spirit Award, which is given annually to an individual who embodies the spirit and qualities that we all admired in Terri – honesty, a giving nature, compassion, grace, determination, cheerfulness, perkiness, faithfulness, fun, loyalty, intelligence and selflessness. The firm solicits nominations from attorneys and staff, and a committee determines the winner each year based on these nominations.
The first Terri Lowrey Spirit Award was presented to Lois Medders at the 2012 Thanksgiving luncheon, with Terri’s best friend Jane Edgerton receiving the award in 2013. Dana Lindsey was our 2014 recipient, and Jenny Stone received the award in 2015. In 2016 we recognized our late Partner Richard Ogle with our first posthumous award, and Partner Duncan Manley was designated the 2017 recipient last year.
In the last few weeks we received several worthy nominations for the Terri Lowrey Spirit Award – but with three nominations, one in particular stood out to the selection committee this year. We are proud to announce that IT Manager Sally Gonder is the 2018 recipient of the Terri Lowrey Spirit Award!
Here are just a few of the compliments Sally received from her various nominations:
- Christian & Small is extremely lucky and blessed to have someone who has a lot of Terri’s characteristics and qualities (fun, perky, honest, giving, compassionate, graceful, determined, cheerful, faithful, loyal, smart and selfless). Sally is totally dedicated to the firm’s success and always gives 110% or more to benefit the firm.
- Sally is one of the most dedicated employees I have ever seen – always ready and willing to do whatever needs to be done, 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week, 365-days-a-year. She is like the Energizer Bunny – who keeps going and doing no matter how many problems get piled on her plate. And she does it with a smile and a great attitude. I don’t know what we’d do without her!
- Sally is very deserving of the Terri Lowrey Spirit Award. When I came to Christian & Small not too long ago, it became readily apparent to me that the firm would not be where it is without her. Even though her job keeps her extremely busy, Sally never fails to take time to offer uplifting, kind words and a smile.
- Sally provides the best service, ideas, advice, and works literally day and night to accomplish this. She goes out of her way to help anyone that she can – even though her workload always keeps her extremely busy. I know Terri and Sally would be great friends if Terri was here with us today.
- Sally is always eager to help and never gets impatient with those of us who are far from being technologically savvy. In one short year, she has not only taught me more about technology that I have ever known, but she has also shown me the unparalleled value of demonstrating an enthusiastic spirit – for that I will be forever grateful.
In the years that we have mourned Terri’s death, the following quote has been a comfort and guiding light to our firm:
“While it is true that most people never see or understand the difference they make, or sometimes only imagine their actions having a tiny effect, every single action a person takes has far-reaching consequences.” – Andy Andrews, The Noticer.
We congratulate Sally again on this well-deserved honor and thank her for her commitment and service to this firm, our clients, and to all of our attorneys and staff. She is truly a nonstop advocate for our clients, our community, and Christian & Small.