Valley Council for Health & Human Services 

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2009 Valley Council Awards

Valley Council Chair Joyce Barcley is pictured with Carol Kirby, Fred Ortoli, Beth Comerforrd and Mary Nescott, recipients of the Valley Council's 2009 awards.

The Valley Council for Health & Human Services presented its annual awards at its annual meeting held on December 1, 2009 at Grassy Hill Lodge in Derby.

Lewis Savitsky Staff Excellence Award 

The Lewis Savitsky Staff Excellence Award is given to an individual for extraordinary service as an employee in the non-profit community who has made a positive impact on the quality of life of residents in the lower Naugatuck Valley. This year, the award goes to two individuals: Beth Patton Comerford and Mary S. Nescott.  The award recognizes both their individual professional contributions to the missions of their agencies and their joint work as Co-Chairs of the Valley CARES Initiative.  Although staff excellence awards often highlight organizational management or direct service delivery positions, this year’s awardees also demonstrate the positive impact that research, information, and analysis skills have on non-profit organizations and the communities they serve.

Beth Comerford, who holds a Masters in Science in Psychology from the University of Bridgeport, began working for Griffin Hospital in 1988 in their Human Resources Department.  For the past 10 years, she has worked with the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, serving as its Deputy Director for most of the past decade.  She has been a key participant in the applications for the Center’s renewal including the most recent 5-year award from the Centers for Disease Control. 

In her role managing and overseeing the PRC’s programs, Beth has been integrally involved in fulfilling the Center’s mission of conducting disease prevention research that is responsive to community priorities and disseminated effectively to the community.  This year, for example, the PRC expanded on its long-standing commitment to provide critical health data to the Valley community through a Community Health Profile, by developing a searchable online database for community utilization.

Beth’s passion for preventive health work also continues to extend to her role with the employees of Griffin Hospital, where she has been a primary driver of Griffin’s worksite wellness programming and its annual farmers’ market.

Mary Nescott, who holds a Masters in Public Health from Southern Connecticut State University, is affectionately known among her co-workers at Birmingham Group Health Services as a “data junkie.”  After serving as Director of Administration at the APT Foundation and Executive Director of the Housatonic Valley Coalition Against Substance Abuse, Mary joined the staff of Birmingham in 2002.  As their Director of Quality Management, she is integrally involved in helping a staff of over 170 people to set goals, gather information about outcomes, and develop evidence-based treatment and prevention protocols in order to better meet the needs of the more than 1,200 clients served by Birmingham’s mental health, substance abuse, domestic violence and other programs.  Mary’s community service extends to her role in several state-wide organizations, including as a Board Member of the Connecticut Public Health Association, Council Member of the Council on the Workforce for Adults, and as President of the Board of Directors of the nonprofit agency, Soul Friends.

Both Mary and Beth have applied their expertise in data and research on community and behavioral health to their roles as Co-Chairs of the Valley CARES Taskforce.  Building on the foundational work of their predecessors, their commitment of time and energy has been critical to moving the design and implementation of the project forward over the past year and to submitting successful grant applications for its Community Dissemination and Engagement goals.  Their effort to make data accessible and useful to Valley residents and community members will not only assist non-profit organizations trying to improve Valley quality of life; it will also engage the broader Valley community in participating in efforts for community improvement. 
 

Agency/Program of the Year

The Program/Agency of the Year award goes to a nonprofit agency or a program within a nonprofit agency whose staff and volunteers exemplify excellence in the community and whose services have made a significant and lasting contribution to the health and well being of the residents of the lower Naugatuck Valley.  This year’s Agency of the Year award goes to the Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross. 

The Valley Chapter, one of three independent chapters of the Red Cross in the state, is now in its 92^nd year of service to the towns of Shelton, Derby, Ansonia, Seymour and Oxford.  This local chapter has long been known for its effectiveness and incredible responsiveness to local needs. 

The Chapter currently has 3 paid staff members: Chapter Manager Carol Kirby, Office Manager Barbara Borrowman, and Health and Safety Director, Yvette Thompson.  These women do a remarkable job coordinating a myriad of volunteers from the region to successfully delivery critical community services. 

The Red Cross Chapter responds to all area fires and natural disasters in which residents are displaced or have personal property losses, providing assistance such as emergency housing, clothing, food vouchers and referral assistance.  This year to date the Chapter has responded to nine fires with loss of property and or residence. It also assisted the victims of a tornado in Shelton, and worked with local communities to improve communication and preparation protocols for future storm or disaster response.

The Valley Red Cross Chapter arranges sites and provides volunteer assistance for all blood drives in the area, provides emergency communication services for families with members serving in the military, and offers health and safety training for the local community.  In the past year, the Valley Chapter also received a grant to distribute “Vials of Life” (personal and medical information cards kept in the refrigerator in case of emergency) to low income individuals in the Valley.  The Chapter has also played an important role in the local response to the novel H1N1 flu, receiving a grant to support the distribution of information on the prevention of flu and other communicable diseases.

The Chapter continues to go above and beyond its core mission by providing medically needed transportation for people needing to get to appointments outside of the Valley Transit district’s operational area, providing a small food bank for people looking for immediate assistance and providing free space for the Valley representative for the Soldiers and Sailors fund. 

In these many, many ways, the Valley Red Cross plays a profound role in improving the health and quality of life of Valley residents. 

Richard O. Belden Community Service Award

The Richard O. Belden Community Service Award goes to an individual or organization outside the non-profit sector whose efforts have made a significant contribution to improving the quality of life of residents in the lower Naugatuck Valley.  Bertha Belden presented this award established last year by the Council to commemorate the profound legacy of community service of her late husband, Richard Belden. 

This year’s Richard O. Belden Community Service award goes to Fred Ortoli, owner of Fred Ortoli Photography in Oxford, CT.  Fred started his own photography business in 1969, transforming it over time not only into a full-time occupation but a form of community engagement. 

Fred has spent decades capturing the beauty, diversity, businesses and community activities of the Valley.  He has also devoted countless of hours volunteering his professional services to enable Valley nonprofit organizations to have professional photographs for their brochures, reports, and websites. 

Following the example of community service set by his parents, Fred has served on numerous local non-profit boards and civic organizations.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Birmingham Foundation, the Valley United Way, and the Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross.  He is member and former president of the Ansonia Rotary Club, member of the Derby Historical Society, Member of the Knights of Columbus of Seymour, and Member of the Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council, Member of the United Way Campaign Cabinet, and its 2009 Campaign Chair.   

Fred’s extensive community service and leadership have been recognized with the 2003 Valley Chamber of Commerce Gold Seal Award and the 2009 Valley United Way Charles H. Flynn Humanitarian Award. 

As his nomination states, “Fred is always there to roll up his sleeves if there is a need—without being asked.  He’s one guy anyone and everyone in the community can count on.”  As such, he exemplifies the Belden Award’s spirit of dedication and commitment to community well being. 

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