Women Aware of Siouxland unveil three winners before Friday event

The two recipients of the Marilyn Murphy Lifetime Achievement Award are Mari Kaptain-Dahlen and Patricia Trudell Gordon.

Dahlen was selected in part for her "collaborative work in a variety of capacities across the community to improve healthcare access and equity for people that have been marginalized and experienced the greatest social burdens and disparities," according to a release from Women Aware of Siouxland. As for Gordon, Women Aware of Siouxland said she has done "lifelong work in the community, including but not limited to: her work with Native American youth, history of service, being the founder of Indian Youth of America and the Native American Childcare Center." The award is named for Marilyn Murphy, the first president of the Woodbury County Community Action Agency and former chair of Sioux City Human Rights Commission.

This year's 2024 "Men of Excellence Award" winner is David Bernstein, the owner of State Steel and cofounder of Sioux City’s long-running summertime music festival "Saturday in the Park." 

"Mr. Bernstein with the support of his family has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to supporting the work of various nonprofits in the community whom serve families," Siouxland Aware said in a release. "Through his work improving the quality of life in Siouxland in a variety of capacities, agencies and nonprofits have benefited greatly from the generosity of the Bernstein family, and the coordination across sectors to make projects happen."

The remaining award categories for the event, which is slated to begin at 6 p.m., Friday at the Marriott Riverfront Hotel in South Sioux City are: "Young Women of Excellence," "Women Helping Women," "Women Developing the Community," "Women Striving to Improve the Quality of Life," "Women Taking Risks," "Women of Promise," and the "Barb Wingert Social Justice HERO" award. Those winners will be announced during the ceremony. 

Tickets for the event run $75 per individual or $550 for a table of eight people and can be found through the Women Aware of Siouxland Facebook page.