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Rev. Denise Wooten-Troutman
spends a significant portion of her Thanksgivings and Christmases
feeding homeless men, women and children. She collects food and
clothing for families of the incarcerated. And before she was
hired by the New Jersey Department of Corrections' Office of Chaplaincy
Services in April 2005, she spent more than two decades volunteering
her time on behalf of the offender population in NJDOC facilities.
Rev.
Denise Wooten-Troutman proudly displays her Camden County
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Medal.
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Throughout her
adult life, she has lent a helping hand to all people --
particularly those most in need of support and assistance
-- regardless of race, creed, age or gender. In many ways,
it would seem, Wooten-Troutman has embodied the philosophy
of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Among those
who took notice was Rev. Dr. Marguerite Davis, a member
of the clergy in Camden County. It was Davis who nominated
Wooten-Troutman for the Camden County Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Freedom Medal. The nomination was accepted, and
on the evening of January 31, 2006, during a ceremony at
CCU Missionary Baptist Church in Sicklerville, Wooden-Troutman
was among the recipients of the prestigious award.
"On a personal
level, this is an incredible honor," said the reverend,
who worked as an educator for 24 years. "I certainly
don't do what I do for the recognition. Helping people to
become productive, and perhaps one day become volunteers
themselves, is sufficient reward. However, it's gratifying
to realize that your labor is not in vain. I'm truly thankful
to have been given an award in Dr. King's name."
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It was tragically ironic that the morning of the ceremony, Coretta
Scott King, whom Rev. Wooten-Troutman had the honor of meeting,
passed away at age 78.
"Back in 1999, I had a group of children who presented her
with flowers during an event in Camden. It was a memorable event,"
Wooten-Troutman recalled. "Then, to have received this honor
on the day Coretta Scott King passed, it made the award even more
significant."
The morning after the award ceremony, a spiritually energized
eagerly Wooten-Troutman returned to the workplace and what she
calls "the perfect job."
"My position with the Office of Chaplaincy involves identifying
"worker bees" who are committed to finding men and women
of all faiths to help those leaving Department of Corrections
so that they don't recidivate," she explained. "We're
all working toward a common goal: to educate the inmate on how
to become a viable male or female, a viable member of his or her
family and a viable member of society. Our approach is proactive.
"Some people never get an opportunity to work at something
they love and get remunerated for it," Wooten-Troutman continued.
"That's why I feel blessed to have a job I love."
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