CityView Magazine

in the marketplace Divine Inspiration BY BRANDON PLOTNICK Dineen Morton is this year's Athena Leadership Award recipient "GOD CHOOSES WHAT WE GO THROUGH. We choose how we go through it." Prominent inspirational author John C. Maxwell's words roll off Dineen Morton's tongue with ease. There's no doubt- ing Morton when she speaks of the focus that led her to where she is today. Inspiration and guidance have not only been a key to who she is but, more importantly, to the women she's helped achieve their own success. Morton, the Regional Marketing Manager for Bayada Home Health Care, was an easy choice for this year's Athena Leadership Award. The award was presented by the Fayette- ville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce on Febru- ary 17 at the Annual Awards Dinner. While Morton's worldwide journey led her down a number of paths, it was two life-changing events that paved the one she is on now. "My mother was my mentor. My best friend. My inspira- tion for everything that I did," Morton said. "She had a very strong will and confidence about herself." Morton's mother Lily died in 2002. But it was her experi- ence in hospice care that really pushed Morton away from the retail path she was on at the time. "When she passed," Morton said, "I really wanted to do the same thing for other women that she had done for me. I didn't realize that with her experience, I was really being called to help others and educate other people about hospice." Morton spent a decade in the field, reaching out to others to share with them the message of hospice care and just how important it can be in helping families. And as Morton looked back on her own experiences, she realized there was more she could do. "I beat cancer," she said bluntly, with a nod of inspiration in her voice. "I know God had bigger plans for me." 18 | March/April • 2012 A series of coincidental events led to the detection of Mor- ton's cancer, which she said was likely to have gone undetect- ed otherwise. "God created some things to go on in my body that allowed it to be detected, and He's kept me here for a purpose," she said. "I know that it was Him. Through that I knew that I not only needed to live for Him, but also let his light shine as I give back to others." In 2007, Morton started From A Seed To A Lily, a personal growth consulting firm named in honor of her mother. Mor- ton's firm helps women in "reaching their full potential" in every aspect of life. From A Seed To A Lily allowed Morton to help women with everything from the basics of clothing, hair and makeup, and then helped them with finding employment, networking skills and other professional goals. She would give up board seats and commissions and mentor her clients into the roles. It was all part of Morton's goal to "help ladies bloom in their own garden." "I love our community and I believe in being a servant," Morton said. "Anybody can give money or material things. I want to leave a legacy. I want others to have been able to achieve because I've been able to live." Her rewarding work in both hospice and From A Seed To A Lily later led her into the home health care field. She served as director of the Fayetteville office of what is now Bayada Home Health Care, and was recently promoted to her current role as regional marketing manager for the area that includes the Fayetteville office. "There are a lot of similarities in the fields," she said. "What we do with Bayada is help promote a quality of life that might be otherwise unavailable. We want people to achieve in spite of any limitations that might be placed on them." Her contributions to the community read like a Who's Who book: Junior League of Fayetteville, Spring Lake Cham- ber of Commerce, NAACP, Cape Fear Valley Ribbon Walk and scores more. She served in chair roles on many of them as well. "I believe that if you want to be a leader in any community, you have to give back," she said. "I think volunteerism is the best way to do that. From that I like to be able to mentor peo- ple in that process." The Athena Award was "inspired by the goddess of Greek mythology known for her strength, courage, wisdom and en- lightenment," qualities that Morton shows in every aspect of her inspired life. It is "presented to a woman — or man — who is honored for professional excellence, community ser- vice and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills." Morton's life revolves around those very characteristics, and the Chamber of Commerce was honored to present her with the award this year. CV Brandon Plotnick is the Marketing & Communications Co- ordinator at the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at 910-433-6766 or bplotnick@ fayettevillencchamber.org.

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