Community Corner

Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut Honors Its 'Backbone'

It was all about the volunteers at the 41st annual meeting of the agency in New London Tuesday. Oh, and the governor gave the keynote!

Information from the Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut:

The Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut today honored its volunteers at its 41st Annual Meeting Tuesday in New London.  

The award ceremony, held at the B.P. Learned Mission, recognized individuals who have donated their time and talents to support the work of the Agency — promoting the well-being and development of all children and their families. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy delivered the keynote address before a packed room of Child and Family Agency staff, Board of Directors and volunteers.
 
“Connecticut values the volunteers that partner with nonprofits to help children,” Gov. Malloy said. “We appreciate the importance of local support for community organizations that take care of children.  Child and Family Agency of Southeastern CT does this well through its school-based health centers, its mental health services and childcare programs.  Easy access and the availability of these services helps ensure that children in Connecticut will have a brighter future.”
 
Child and Family Agency honored volunteers in three award categories: the Child and Family Agency Volunteer of the Year Award, the Lillian Erb Award, and the 2013 Auxiliary Volunteers of the Year Awards.  Staff members were also recognized for their years of service to the Agency.
 
“The backbone of Child and Family Agency is the 600-plus auxiliary volunteers who believe that children’s health and well-being are of paramount importance to our communities,” said Thomas P. Gullotta, Chief Executive Office, Child and Family Agency. “It is an honor to work with such a generous, talented group of people.”
 
Husband and wife, Gail and Ed Ettinger, received the Child and Family Agency Volunteer of the Year for their service to the Agency that spans more than a decade. Ed, a retired Naval Academy graduate, is currently serving on the Board of Directors and has been Treasurer of the Board and Chairman of the Finance Committee for the past two years. Gail has been an auxiliary member of the Mystic/Noank/Stonington auxiliary for over 10 years.
 
Chris Jacobson, a first-class lead petty officer serving aboard the USS Pittsburgh SSN 720, was awarded the Lillian Erb Award. Jacobson has been volunteering for Child and Family Agency for over 6 years, especially during the Annual Sale. His wife Nicole, their three children, Adam, Mariah and Michaela, and his father Michael accepted the award on his behalf.
 
2013 Auxiliary Volunteers of the Year Awards were presented to Lois Thomsen, Diane Brown, Ellen Cole, Carol Di Maggio, Linda Burrows, Ruth Hammell and the Charity Book Shop volunteers for their service with the Essex River Valley, Lyme-Old Lyme, New London-Waterford, Mystic-Noank-Stonington, East Lyme and Groton Auxiliaries.
 
The Board of Directors of Child and Family Agency thanked outgoing Chair Alva Greenberg for all her service and welcomed Sally Crawford as their new Board Chair.
 
About Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut

Child & Family’s mission is to promote the well-being and development of all children and their families, focusing in particular on the unmet needs of children lacking physical, emotional and intellectual care and nurturing. Programs deal with children’s mental health, child abuse prevention, the treatment of family violence, teen pregnancy, children’s health care, childcare, and parent education. Last year families were served in 79 towns in New Haven, Middlesex and New London Counties, the Child & Family Agency service region. Visit our website to learn more, volunteer, or donate: www.childandfamilyagency.org


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