To the OHF Community,
As I leave the Ottauquechee Health Foundation to join the Vermont Community Foundation as philanthropic advisor for the Upper Valley, I am filled with thanks.
I am thankful for the opportunity to work in such a great set of towns, with a wonderful group of volunteers and donors who support a great cause—addressing the health care needs of our communities. In the eight and a half years that I’ve worked for the foundation, we’ve been able to make many grants to organizations as well as directly help hundreds of people who couldn’t afford their health care costs.
I am thankful too for the great staff I have had a chance to work with at the foundation. For the past five years, Judith Smith has served as an indispensible administrative assistant before she and her family left for California. Now Milena Zuccotti brings her energy and savvy to the position. Elaine Geyer Redden has ably served as our bookkeeper, Quickbooks expert, and tech support for nearly eight years, all in three hours a week as she contracts to help many other non-profits and small businesses in the Upper Valley.
I am thankful for the hard work and dedication of our board members who put in many hours to support the organization and lend their many talents—in real estate, finance, fundraising, law, healthcare, business, and so many more—to keep the organization flourishing. And thanks to Deb Heimann for stepping off the board to serve as interim director of the foundation.
Finally, I am thankful to still be working in the area, so we can still be working together to improve the lives of Vermonters!
Tom