Press Release

Masonicare Hospice Volunteer Lisa Velazquez of Hamden Receives D.O.V.E. Award - 5/11/2009

Wallingford, CT, May 11, 2009........In celebration of National Volunteer Week, Masonicare Home Health & Hospice honored more than 300 community volunteers who cumulatively contributed thousands of volunteer hours to the hospice program during the past year.  Awards were presented at special recognition events held at several offices throughout Connecticut. 

 At a special award event held to recognize the extraordinary volunteers assigned through the program's Wallingford office, every honoree achieving 1, 5, 10, 15 or 20 years of service was recognized for his or her years of service and was presented with a gift of appreciation from Masonicare.  In addition, D.O.V.E. award recipients received a uniquely designed D.O.V.E. award pin and a certificate of appreciation.

Ms. Lisa Velazquez of Hamden received the highly regarded Dedicated to Outstanding Volunteer Excellence (D.O.V.E.) award.  The Wallingford office gives the D.O.V.E. award yearly to one volunteer who exhibits exceptional dedication to the program and exemplifies the true spirit of hospice care.  Deborah Richards, Director of Volunteers for Masonicare's Home Health & Hospice, and Jolan Szollosi, volunteer coordinator for the Wallingford hospice team, praised Ms. Velazquez for her compassion and dedication to the hospice program. 

 "Lisa has been a volunteer with our hospice program since 2007.  She's such an outstanding volunteer that some nurses ask specifically that Lisa visit with their patients.  Lisa brings a special peacefulness and joy, especially to patients with dementia.  No matter what kind of day they might be having, Lisa is the rainbow following their storm.  We thank her for lightening the burden for patients and their families."

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice is an affiliate of Masonicare, the state's leading not-for-profit provider of senior healthcare and retirement living.  For information on Masonicare's hospice program or to learn how you can become a volunteer, call 1-888-482-8862.

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Penny O'Neill
Public Relations Manager
Masonicare
203-679-5041
poneill@masonicare.org
www.masonicare.org

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