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(203) 735-9331Cormack, Schuster &TEAM, Inc. Named Council Award WinnersThe Valley Council of Health & Human Services will be presenting TEAM, Inc. with its "Agency of the Year Award" and Marilyn Cormack and Carolyn Schuster with the "Lewis Savitsky Staff Excellence Award" at its Fourth Annual Staff Conference to be held on Thursday, May 6. The "Agency of the Year" Award is presented annually by the Council to "a nonprofit agency whose employees and volunteers exemplify excellence in the community and whose programs and services made a significant and lasting contribution to the health and well being of the residents of the Lower Naugatuck Valley." Read this page and then check out the photo album.
Few agencies in the Valley do as much for the needy as TEAM, Inc. Their efforts to provide individuals and families with the means to self-sufficiency have been remarkable as their programs include everything from rental assistance, to job training to meal programs. They work with all age groups and go way beyond the call of duty as you can see from their extra effort in such endeavors as Toys for Tots. When there is a need in the Valley, someone from TEAM is almost always there to collaborate and help. The Savitsky Staff Award is presented for "life-time achievement as an employee in the nonprofit community in going above and beyond his/her daily job duties to positively impact the quality of life in the Lower Naugatuck Valley in multiple ways." The award is named in honor of Lewis Savitsky, a long time employee of Valley United Way who was active not only with Valley United Way, but also with multiple groups in the community.
Marilyn Cormack has played a key role in the development of the Valley Council as its first chairperson in 1993-95. She led the organization through a period of formation and growth. She accomplished this with a sense of purpose, vision and responsibility. She had other work to do, but she nevertheless gave her time to a collaborative effort. As a result of her vision, integrity and skill, the legitimacy and importance of the Valley Council in Valley affairs grew. By loaning her credibility and organizational talent to the Council, it benefited in innumerable ways. AS CEO of the Birmingham Group, Marilyn has had a major impact on the provision of mental health services throughout the Valley.
Carolyn Schuster of the Parish Nurse Program is one of the original seven parish nurses (1989). She is a single mom and has worked three jobs in order to raise her children. She is a full-time nurse, part-time parish and works part time for Head Start. She always goes above and beyond the call of duty, getting 30 hours out of 24. She is actively involved in the health and welfare of her congregation, and has recently gone through training to become a eucharistic minister for her parish. She is involved in health issues at Spooner House, doing monthly blood pressures and office hours for those who need her. She is a "regular" at the Derby Green concerts, where she can be seen doing blood pressures. She has met with the Mayor to see what can be done for the children of the community. And through all of this she finds time to volunteer for community committees, community events and health fairs. She is always available to help a member of the congregation, people in the neighborhood or a fellow parish nurse. Carolyn is a person whose lifelong dedication to her congregation, neighbors and jobs goes almost unnoticed because she makes it seem so effortless.
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