TRAVERSE CITY -- An active Traverse City senior has a new title to celebrate after being named the 2011 Distinguished Senior for the National Cherry Festival.

Registered nurse and Parkinsonian advocate Hettie Molvang of Traverse City received the award Tuesday, during the senior breakfast held at the Elk's Lodge.

Molvang is currently actively involved with the Grand Traverse Area Parkinson's Support Groups. She serves on the board of directors and works to support, educate, and research resources for those individuals and families who navigate the ever-changing path of Parkinson's Disease.

She is also the state coordinator for the Parkinson's Action Network, which lobbies Washington, D.C, for coverage of our veterans and returning servicemen exposed to neurotoxins. Her late husband, Erick, had Parkinson's Disease.

Holding a master of arts degree and a master of science degree, Molvang has facilitated Parkinson's informational booths at the senior expos in Traverse City and Leelanau. Assists with educational programs presented by the Grand Traverse Area Parkinson's Support Group, Michigan Parkinson's Foundation, and other national Parkinson's groups.

The mother of six children, Molvang teaches "Personal Action Toward Health" at the Traverse City Senior Center, Stanford University, and Michigan State University. This is a course to assist people with chronic conditions to set goals to promote their individual health improvement

She is involved with local long-term care facilities and home health care groups. Her role is to educate care givers in the care and understanding of the Parkinsonian.

Molvang says she started volunteering with St. Anne's Catholic in Cadillac., where meatloaf dinners were staple for fund raising. With a large family, she has always been active in the schools, an avid PTA member. Now that she has nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, she continues to be involved at Eastern Elementary School, where she reads to the children.