Vermont Business Magazine Friends and partners of Green Mountain United Way celebrated at the Barre Opera House in person for the first time in three years on October 6. Led by Executive Director, Tawnya Kristen, on the Opera House stage, nine awards were given to community members to honor their contribution to Green Mountain United Way and the communities they serve.
Django Soulo opened the event with fantastic music, and Michelle Kennedy talked about her book, “Without a Net: Middle Class and Homeless (With Kids) in America,” focusing on the shame surrounding being impoverished - and just how exhausting it can be.
“I think it costs more money, sometimes, to be poor than it does to not be,” she said. “When I lived in my car, with my three small children, I couldn’t buy foods to make a meal from scratch because I had no refrigerator, no stove. You have to buy the cheap convenience foods, just to get through a day. And everyday can seem harder than the last. It’s exhausting.”
Awards:
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Vermont received the top award: The 5 Star Partner Award
BCBSVT is a Top 3 Workplace Campaign for GMUW, as well as a Working Bridges worksite. Their HR Director Margaret Pinello-White is GMUW’s board chair and Ruth Greene is a member of both the board and the development committee. BCBSVT’s commitment to helping and leading in the community has been inspirational.
Other awards include:
Working Bridges Golden Bridge Award - Northeastern Vermont Regional Hospital’s Human Resource Team
The Maple Syrup Award - Joan Kahn, Farmers To You
The Coffee Bean Award - Liz Scharf, Capstone Community Action
Community Volunteer Champion - Joan Verchereau, First Congregational Church of Berlin
Workplace Campaign Award - Northfield Savings Bank and Hickok & Boardman
The Wanda Baril Award - Carol Ellison, long time GMUW board member and volunteer
Collaborative Innovation Award - NorthCountry Federal Credit Union and the Washington County Youth Service Bureau
Working Communities Champion for Change - Central Vermont Medical Center
“All of these businesses, people, and organizations have worked tirelessly with us at Green Mountain United Way and throughout the community to find ways to lift those of us who are less fortunate,” said Tawnya Kristen, Green Mountain United Way Executive Director. “Creating a safety net of services and help for our community begins with partnerships and we are surrounded by amazing people in this community doing wonderful things. We are so grateful to them and we are eager to keep working towards our mission to fight for the health, education, and financial stability of everyone in the five Vermont counties we serve.”
Barre, VT - Green Mountain United Way
