Royal Neighbors was chosen to receive one of ten national awards as part of the 2008 National Make A Difference Day Awards. With the prestigious award came a check for $10,000 from Paul Newman and Newman's Own Foundation, Inc.!

Royal Neighbors also was recognized in the Sunday, April 27 issue of USA WEEKEND magazine, along with the nine other winners.

On Make A Difference Day, October 27, 2007, more than 50 volunteers from the Royal Neighbors Home Office chapter and area chapters joined together to renovate the exterior of St. Joseph the Worker House in Rock Island, IL. It provides a home for women and children in life transitions. The Royal Neighbors volunteers painted the house, created an enclosed play area, and removed and replaced old landscaping with new plants and flowers. What a difference a day makes!

To announce the award for this hard work, a reception was held at the Royal Neighbors Home Office. Taaz Williams, USA WEEKEND magazine regional director, and Jerry Taylor, publisher of the Dispatch/Rock Island Argus newspapers, presented the award and the $10,000 check.

Ms. Williams said Mr. Newman was "impressed" with Royal Neighbors' efforts in repairing the structure. "You personally touched individual lives," said Ms. Williams.

After accepting the check, Cynthia Tidwell, Royal Neighbors President/CEO, and Judith Tshibangu, Marketing Executive, passed the check on to the chairman of the board of St. Joseph the Worker House, demonstrating Royal Neighbors' commitment to helping women.

"We can hardly put in words the gratitude we feel," said Sister Bobbi Bussan, St. Joseph's chairman of the board. "With the improvements, the children now have a safe place to play together and the families feel they are truly part of a neighborhood."

"We may not be able to change the world," said Mrs. Tidwell, "but we can change one corner at a time.".











To participate in Royal Neighbors of America activities near you, visit the Chapter Locator section or Contact Us at the Home Office for more information.

For more information, visit the Make A Difference Day Web site.