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Donations
bankHometown donated $25,000 from 2018 Neighbors Helping Neighbors Campaign to numerous organizations throughout its coverage area. Courtesy photo.
Matthew S. Sosik, president and CEO of bankHometown, announced that its 2018 Neighbors Helping Neighbors Campaign donations totaled $25,000. This is the 15th year that bankHometown has invited local residents and businesses to help support local food pantries as a way for the bank and its customers to reduce food insecurity in their communities.
Customers of the bank and community members were invited to be a “Hometown Hero” for a $1 donation or a “Hometown Superhero” for a $5 donation. In addition to the in-branch fund drive, bankHometown also invited business customers to support the campaign. bankHometown matched all of the donations dollar for dollar and split the funds among food pantries that serve the areas surrounding each of its 13 offices in central Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut.
“Over the past 15 years, this campaign has evolved into a successful and collaborative effort from customers, community members and our employees, to support local food pantries that need help with inventory during the holidays. We are proud to be an example of Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” said Sosik.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors donations benefit, in Connecticut: Daily Bread in Putnam, Friends of Assisi in Killingly and Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group (TEEG) in Thompson. In Massachusetts donations benefitted: Auburn Youth and Family Services, Inc. Food Pantry (Auburn), CARE Food Pantry (Clinton), Food Share (Southbridge, Charlton and Sturbridge), Ginny’s Helping Hand, Inc. (Leominster), Oxford Ecumenical Food Shelf (Oxford), Salvation Army (Athol), St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry (Webster).
To date, more than $167,500 has been distributed through this program.
Local businesses contributing to the 2017 Neighbors Helping Neighbors campaign include: All Phase Dental Lab Service Inc.
Arland Tool & Mfg.
B D & D Enterprises, LLC
Bay Tact Corporation
Breezy Corner, LLC
Central Mass Builders, Inc.
DJD Realty, LLC
EPV Plastics Corporation
Floor Source Inc.
Griffin & Company, PC
Harrisville Golf Course
Holland Mail & Graphics, LLC
Jezierski Plumbing & Heating, Inc.
JSK Financial Services, Inc.
KAD Hotels, LLC
Kitchen Options, Inc.
Knapik Builders, Inc.
Kristin Shanley Interior Design
Laframboise Sand & Stone, Inc.
MASS TEN Enterprises, LLC
Metalogic Industries, LLC
Napa Auto Parts/Vandi Auto
Supply
Nichols Enterprises, Inc.
Nordic Shield Plastics Corporation
Paradis-Givner Funeral Home, Inc.
Paul Rents Inc.
Precision Auto Rebuilders, Inc.
Premier Listings Inc.,
d/b/a Century21 Lake Realty
Pro Automotive, LLC
Quaddick Camping Area, Inc.
Ricks Painting Service
Robert A. Dediego, Jr.,
d/b/a Walnut Hill Carpentry
S & N Excavators
Sam S. Pappas, CPA
Sixty-Five West, LLC
Standard Source Inc.
Tyler Latour, d/b/a Island Storage
West Dudley Hydro LLC
Why US Enterprises, Inc.
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The Board of Directors of Northeast Communities Against Substance Abuse (NECASA) established an endowed fund at the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut to continue its mission of supporting prevention services in northeastern Connecticut.
NECASA closed in June following state funding cuts.
For more than 28 years, NECASA provided a local response to the need for information and training about substance abuse, mental health and suicide prevention for residents in northeastern Connecticut.
Over the years NECASA raised funds throughout the community to support the agency’s efforts and supplement grant funding. The grant funding has now been shifted to a new regional entity, and the Board has voted to transfer the remaining assets, raised in northeastern Connecticut, to a Field of Interest Fund called the NECASA Fund within the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut.
The Community Foundation will manage the endowment and a grant-making process to distribute funding. Donations to the NECASA Fund are tax deductible and will expand the reach of prevention services in the Northeast.
A NECASA Legacy Celebration will be at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at Grill 37 in Pomfret. During the event the Fund will be formally transferred to the Foundation.
Tickets are $35 per person for a buffet dinner and all proceeds will benefit the NECASA Fund. For tickets or more information on the event or supporting the NECASA Fund, please contact Lydia Basnight at United Services at 860-457-4656 or
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PUTNAM — Michelle Gardner, Intake and Outreach coordinator for Day Kimball HomeMakers, a division of Day Kimball Healthcare at Home, has been named employee of the month for October by Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH).
After nine years of employment at CVS, and following her mother’s cancer diagnosis Gardner chose to pursue a new career path as a Certified Nursing Assistant through the Community College of Rhode Island. With a true passion for homecare Gardner joined the Day Kimball Healthcare at Home team as a full-time home health and hospice aide in August 2002. She accepted her new position at Day Kimball HomeMakers in December 2017.
In her current role as Intake and Outreach Coordinator, Gardner is responsible for processing new client referrals ensuring the initial plan of care meets each client’s individual needs. Additional responsibilities include performing home visits to existing clients to ensure that changes in status and client needs are reflected in the plan of care, and to evaluate the quality of care provided by HomeMakers’ staff. She also works per diem as a home health and hospice aide for Day Kimball Healthcare at Home.
Gardner was born and raised in Woonsocket, R.I., with her five siblings. She now lives in Tolland with her husband, Steve and their 16-year-old cat, River. When not at work, Gardner can be found running a 5k or spending time with her friends. She is also a member of the Tolland Chapter’s “Buy Nothing Project.”
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Winter Skies
After the frenzy of the holidays, nothing says peaceful like the amazing colors in a winter sky. More photos on page 6. Linda Lemmon photo.
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