Home Health Celebrates Community Spirit

Franklin County Home Health Agency
celebrated its 38th Annual Meeting on September 19, 2007 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in St. Albans.  Each year,
the Agency presents a community service
award to recognize an individual or an organization in our community who
exemplifies the spirit of Home Health, going above and beyond to serve others, giving gifts from the heart, and to whom the community
is more than just a place to live and work.

This year, the award was presented to Jean Gilmond, a resident of Georgia and employee of Northwest Counseling and Support Services.  Janet McCarthy, Executive Director at FCHHA, presented the award to Jean, saying, “She listens carefully to the needs of the people she works with and never shies away from the opportunity to take action.  She recently turned her family Camp Rainbow for children with special needs, rallying volunteers and families to make sure the kids had some good old fashioned Vermont summertime fun.  Jean’s smile is effusive and her compassion is unsurpassed.  In our opinion, our community is a better place because Jean has gone above and beyond to serve others.”

In addition to the Community Service Award, the Agency also recognized the contributions of employees through the Patricia A. Dean Make a Difference Award.  Employees nominate their coworkers who they feel excels in customer orientation, a willingness to go the extra mile, have an infectious attitude, infuse enthusiasm into his or her work, represents a positive image of the Agency and have strong community involvement.  The award was named after Patricia A Dean, a former board member who exemplified these characteristics.

This year, Lori Wright, Bereavement & Hospice Volunteer, was awarded the 2007 Patricia A. Dean Make a Difference Award.  Janet McCarthy shared, “Lori is noted for her caring, compassion, thoughtfulness and doing extra special things for the members of the home health family.  She’s a gifted artist, a tremendous listener and makes you feel like you want to be involved.  She’s been very involved with the Alzheimer’s Association and has a passion for Hospice.” 

The meeting also included recognition for thirty

three employees for achieving milestone years

of service with the Agency.  The Board of

Directors elected the following individuals to

serve as directors of the corporation:

Andy Bachand, Vanessa Madden, Pauline

Rainville, Patrick Calecas, and Charlotte Bill. 

The following were named to serve as officers of

the corporation:  Patrick Calecas, Chairperson;

Charlotte Bill, Vice Chairperson; Deanna

Edwards, Secretary; and Edward Eaton,

Treasurer.