FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Event celebrated program successes, provided updates on the agency’s strategic plan and centers of excellence, and distributed three awards
Manchester, NH, November 7, 2024– More than 300 community leaders, business professionals, donors, volunteers, partners, and supporters of Easterseals NH & VT gathered with agency staff, clients, and their families at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown hotel today for its 2024 Annual Celebration.
“I eagerly anticipate this event each year,” said Maureen Beauregard, President & CEO of Easterseals NH & VT. “It offers a wonderful opportunity to express our deep gratitude to all who have supported us in our journey to deliver the best-in-class care to those we serve.”
The breakfast event featured remarks from agency leadership, Congressman Chris Pappas, and Manchester, NH Mayor Jay Ruais, and showcased uplifting success stories from the Easterseals NH & VT community, focusing on a central theme of “elevating all abilities.” Information regarding the advancement of Easterseals NH & VT’s strategic plan and centers of excellence was also presented. This included updates on the agency’s forthcoming Military & Veterans Campus in Franklin, NH, as well as the New Gammon Academy School and the Early Childhood Centers of Excellence in Manchester.
“The impact that Easterseals’ programs have on children, adults, seniors, and veterans who need special services is like ripples in a pond. Your work continues to expand,” Ruais told the crowd during his remarks. “You anticipate the needs of the community in New Hampshire and Vermont. You see the curve that’s coming and you get ahead of it. That’s what makes Easterseals so exceptional, and why we are so privileged to work with you. Please keep up your outstanding work.”
Two longstanding agency board members and one staff member also received formal recognition for their contributions during the event. Matthew Boucher, a member of the board since 2012 who also served as Chairman from 2018 to 2020, received the Eugene Van Loan III Leadership Award. Named in honor of former Easterseals NH & VT Board Chairman Eugene Van Loan III, this award is presented biennially to an individual who exemplifies a deep commitment to the values the agency upholds.
Richard “Dick” Rawlings, a United States Army veteran who has served on the board since 1999 and was pivotal in establishing Easterseals NH & VT’s Veterans Count program in 2007, was recognized as the Volunteer and Champion of the Year. Throughout the last 17 years, Veterans Count has delivered clinical services and emergency financial support to more than 9,500 service members, veterans, and their families in New Hampshire.
Leanna Aldrich, a family engagement assistant from Easterseals VT’s Williston office, received the President’s Meritorious Award. Honorees are nominated by fellow Easterseals NH & VT colleagues to receive this award for their dedication to exemplifying the agency’s mission and values.
Easterseals NH & VT appreciates the support of its title sponsor, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, as well as its other event sponsors: AmeriHealth Caritas New Hampshire, Bartley Financial, Bellwether Community Credit Union, Brandit Marketing Solutions, Brown & Brown, Catholic Medical Center, CGI Business Solutions, EVR Advertising, Granite Group Benefits, Market Square Architects, NH Healthy Families, North Branch Construction & JSA Architects, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, Richard C. Peck Consulting, Sheehan Phinney, Sigmund Software, Sullivan Construction, USI Insurance Services, and WellSense.
Proceeds from Annual Celebration ticket sales benefit programs of Easterseals NH & VT, a leading social services agency committed to elevating all abilities and providing the best-in-class services to thousands of children, families, adults, seniors, and veterans annually.
About Easterseals NH & VT
Established in 1936, Easterseals NH & VT provides exceptional services to ensure that all people of all abilities and their families have equal opportunities to live, learn, work, and play in their communities. Throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, the organization serves the diverse needs of about 18,000 children, adults, seniors, military personnel, and veterans with a wide range of abilities and needs each year. The organization does this through comprehensive, outcome-driven services and programs covering early intervention, autism, intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral health, family and physical disability services, substance use treatment, and care coordination.
For more information, visit eastersealsnh.org or follow us @EastersealsNH on Facebook.
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