Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin attended KidSafe Collaborative’s AnnualOutstanding Service Awards and congratulated the honorees for their effortsto improve child safety and wellbeing, at a luncheon held April 16 at theSheraton Burlington.
The 2015 Awards were presented to:
Outstanding Professional: Steve McLaughlin, Social Worker, Vermont Department
for Children and Families, Family Services Division – Burlington Office.
Outstanding Promising Professional:Ashley Sargent, Wendy’s Wonderful Kids
Recruiter, Lund – Family Adoptions Unit.
Gregory Packan Esq. Award for Outstanding Children’s Advocacy:Melissa
McConnell, School Social Worker, Howard Center/Orchard Elementary School
Outstanding Volunteers: Youth Councilors and Participants, Diversity Rocks!
International Youth Group.
Outstanding Collaboration: VT Child Health Improvement Program, University
of Vermont Children’s Hospital.
Lifetime Achievement: Cpl. Jeffrey Fontaine, DARE Officer, Student Resource
Officer, Colchester Middle School, Colchester Police Department.
In addition, Brenda Trackim was recognized posthumously for her work with the
Tutoring Program at COTS.
From left:Ashley Sargent;Judith Shaw of VCHIP; Diversity Rocks!Youth Group, award accepted by Jeetan Khadka (4th from rt.); MelissaMcConnell; Steve McLaughlin; Cpl. Jeffrey Fontaine.CREDIT:Duback Photography
The event host, KidSafe Collaborative, is a Chittenden County non-profit thatworks with dozens of partner agencies, individuals and organizations toimprove our community’s response to child abuse and neglect. The Awardsevent coincides with national Prevent Child Abuse month each April. While theevent is a fundraiser for KidSafe, its priority is honoring the Awardrecipients. Janet Stambolian, actor and co-founder of Girls Nite OutProductions, served as event MC. Information:www.kidsafevt.orgor (802)863-9626.
Event supporters included sponsors: North Stars Masonry; PC Construction;Burlington Labs; Dinse, Knapp & McAndrew, PC; Merchants Bank, UVMChildren’s Hospital; JMM & Associates; Patterson Fuels; Primmer, Piper,Eggleston & Cramer, PC; Ready Funeral; Tech Group and Tech Vault; TrustCompany of VT; Channel 17 Town Meeting Television; Concentra; Kirkpatrick &Goldsborough; Physician’s Computer Company; Peds One; Red SapphireConsulting; Sheraton Burlington; PSAV; BlueCross BlueShield of VT; Strategiesfor College; and nearly 100 individuals and businesses who contributedauction items.
BURLINGTON, VT –May 4, 2015 KidSafeVT