Bob Smiddie Healthcare Justice Award 

William Robert (Bob) Smiddie was loved and admired by all who knew him. A vibrant healthcare advocate, Bob was known for his folk pottery adorned with flowers, his plays that combined imaginative humor with strong social justice messages, and his tireless political activism on behalf of those without. He was a Democratic precinct committeeman who worked well with local Republicans and never turned down a chance to have civil discourse with others on his causes for social justice.  Because he believed that healthcare is a human right and should not be run for profit he had been a leading light in the Ohio Single Payer Action Network for over ten years.  No matter how difficult the odds were against his convictions, he lived with the philosophy, “Never give up.” Shortly before his death, the SPAN State Council presented Bob with the award shown above. It reads, “In grateful recognition of your advocacy and leadership for health care justice.”