The Visiting Nurse Association of Chittenden and Grand Isle Counties (VNA) celebrated longtime staff and volunteers on November 3 at its Annual Staff and Volunteer Recognition Dinner at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Burlington. During his Year in Review, VNA President and CEO Church Hindes announced that he is stepping down from his leadership of Vermont’s largest and oldest non-profit home health and hospice agency, a post that he has held for over 12 years. Hindes plans to leave the agency in summer 2012. A search committee, led by Board chair James Madison, has been formed and has begun its work to identify the next leader of the VNA’s nearly 700 staff and 700 volunteers.
“At the VNA my role has been more the conductor of a talented orchestra than a traditional CEO. Directing the VNA for twelve years has been beyond my dreams. My plans are to seek out one more opportunity before I hang up my baton – to apply what the VNA has taught me and to make a difference – in a different way,” said Hindes.
To mark his final annual event, Hindes chose to award the 2011 Richard H. Wadhams Award to VNA staff and volunteers. The VNA’s highest honor, the Wadhams Award is given in recognition of individuals who generously provide outstanding support to VNA programs and participate in efforts to increase public awareness of home health care and related services. “The VNA resides in the hearts and hands of our staff and volunteers,” said Hindes. “We are not a big building or an accumulation of fancy equipment. We do our work in patients’ homes across our community. Our staff mends people, we remedy troubles – we contribute a foundation of wellness on which the entire community can rest. Our staff and our volunteers are who we are, they are how our mission is fulfilled,” he added. Past Wadhams Award recipients include, Holly Miller, Lois McClure, Arnold Golodetz, Betsy Davis, and Michael Breen.
In his Board chair remarks, Madison announced that the annual Community Service Award would be renamed the J. Churchill Hindes Community Service Award, “to honor a man who so exemplifies the notion of community service and support of the VNA that this award represents. I can think of no one more deserving - and nothing more fitting - than to link Church’s name with VNA and Community Service.” The 2011 award was presented to YMCA Camp Abnaki director Jon Kuypers and his staff. Camp Abnaki hosts the VNA’s annual family bereavement camp, Camp Knock Knock, each June. Camp Knock Knock is the only program of its kind in Vermont.
Andrea Kenney and Holly Miller were recognized for their respective 30 and 25 years as VNA Hospice volunteers. Denise McLaughlin, RN was inducted into the Quarter Century Club for her 25 years of service to the VNA and Pat Wright, RN was honored as the VNA’s longest tenured staffer in history with 45 years of service.