Lamaze International member, Vicki Honer, IBCLC, LCCE and Sam Davis, RN, were honored with the first Childbirth and Lactation Education Community Service Award for their work in starting grassroots childbirth education classes in Roanoke, VA.

The award was presented at the 2009 Birth Expo, an event sponsored by New Life Birth Center, La Leche League of Roanoke Valley and the International Cesarean Awareness Network of Southwestern Virginia.

Honer gets a deep sense of fulfillment from teaching. She tells every group of students, "Just as you have come here to learn more, every class gives me the gift of learning more."

Davis, along with local professionals, saw a need for childbirth education and first began grassroots classes in Roanoke. Davis trained many women who certified as childbirth educators, including Honer. At one time, a dozen educators were teaching at three different locations in the area.

Lamaze International salutes their efforts for making a commitment to reaching families in their community with high-quality childbirth education.