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fc > f INTELLIGENCER PHOTO BY TYLER ANDERSON Georgina Thompson holds the 21 st Harry Jerome Award for Black Business and Professional Association for her work at All-Care Health Services. By Jack Evans SPECIAL TO THE INTELLIGENCER "I never thought I would get this award." Bel levi l le bus inesswoman Georgina Thompson repeats the statement several times. She was referring to her receiv- ing the Harry Jerome Award this week from the Black Busi- ness and Profes- sional Associa- t i o n f o r a c h i e v e m e n t and excellence in business in the Black com- munity. The presenta- tion took place a t the M e t r o Toronto Coven- tion Centre with guests including Premier Ernie Eves and other political leaders and hundreds of nominees and their supporters. "I have known about the Harry Jerome awards for some years," said Thompson. Her own nomina- tion came a few weeks ago from Loyalist College, for which she had served several years as a director on the board. "When they asked me if I would accept a nomination, I told them to go ahead, but I didn't expect to win." She was among 120 nomi- nees for the award. "I've been walking on cloud nine ever since I learned I would get the award," she said. She traced the award to black athlete and activist Harry Jerome, who was the first black person to win the 100-yard Olympics dash. The Vancouver native died at the "I'VE BEEN WALKING ON CLOUD NINE EVER SINCE I LEARNED I WOULD GET THE AWARD." -- HARRY JEROME AWARD WINNER GEORGINA THOMPSON age of 42. The a w a r d s p r o g r a m in Jerome's name started in 1983 with awards in several categories, including academics, athletics, community service, and excellence in the arts. Thompson started All-Care Health Services in 1981. The busi- ness has expanded dramatically. She now has abo\it 550 full and part time e m p l o y e e s , o f f i c e s in B e l l e v i l l e , Kings ton and B a n c r o f t a n d several key con- t r a c t s . T h e y include nursing services in five or six f ede ra l prisons in East- ern Ontario, act- ing nurse practi- t ioner for the Plainfield Chil- d ren ' s Home, and a contract for Haliburton. To help her celebrate her award, Thompson was accompanied by about 30 friends, family and associates tak- ing up three complete tables in the Metro Convention Centre..."the largest single contingent there," she laughed. The award puts Thompson in company with such notables as former lieutenant governor Lincoln Alexander and musician Oscar Peterson. Her next career move is to obtain a master's degree as a nurse practitioner with an online course from Athabasca University, in Alberta. "This was a hard program to enter and I was happy to be accepted. This degree will allow me to expand my qualifications and activities," she said til cr n en Hero I o p O tJ