PATRIOTS HONOR COMMUNITY MVPS AT GILLETTE STADIUM
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots Charitable Foundation honored more than 20 "Community MVPs" for their commitments to improving their communities through volunteerism on Thursday. At a ceremony in the Fidelity Investments Clubhouse at Gillette Stadium, Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft made awards totaling $50,000 to benefit the respective charities of this year's honorees.
"This is an opportunity for us to honor those who give of their time and themselves in the spirit of helping others," said Rena Clark, New England Patriots Vice President of Community Affairs and Corporate Philanthropy. "The Patriots are thrilled to honor such a deserving group of recipients this year and to help fund the important work they do with their charitable organizations."
This year's overall winner is Dr. Paul Klainer from Owls Head, Maine. Dr. Klainer is being honored for his dedication and service to the Mid Coast Health Net in Rockland, Maine, which provides health care services to low-income, uninsured residents in the Mid-Coast Maine community. The organization will receive a grant of $10,000 from the Patriots in Klainer's name.
In addition to Klainer, twenty other runners-up and finalists will be honored and presented with grants of either $3,500 or $1,500 for their non-profit organizations. The honorees represent charities in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont.
A complete list of the 2006 Community MVPs follows:
Massachusetts Honorees
Mr. Oswald Mondejar of Brookline, Finalist, Partners for Youth with Disabilities.
Ms. JoAnn Rothschild of Boston, Finalist, Pine Street Inn.
Dr. Alexander Rosin of Brighton, Finalist, The Commonwealth Tenants Association.
Ms. Karin Thibaudeau of Fitchburg, Finalist. ARC Community Services.
Ms. Nelson Arroyo of Jamaica Plain, Finalist, The Hyde Square Task Force.
Mr. Max Harrington of Westford, Finalist, Lowell Transitional Living Center.
Mr. Rene Michaud of Nahant, Finalist, My Brother's Table.
Mr. Donat "Dan" LeBlanc of East Freetown, Finalist, SE Mass. Veterans Housing Program.
Ms. Rowena Fuller of Pittsfield, Finalist, HospiceCare in the Berkshires.
Mr. Richard Fucillo of Winthrop, Finalist, The Viking Pride Foundation.
Rhode Island Honorees
Dr. Jay Schachne of Barrington, R.I., Runner-Up, Katie Brown Educational Program
Ms. Rachel Betesh of Providence, R.I., Runner-Up, AIDS Care Ocean State
Mr. Ernie Marot of Pawtucket, R.I., Finalist, Pawtucket Soup Kitchen
Mr. Simon Martines of Providence, R.I., Finalist, Tides Family Services, Inc.
New Hampshire Honorees
Ms. Amy Nichols of Epsom, N.H., Runner-Up, New Hampshire Association for the Blind
Ms. Kathy Wagner of Londonderry, N.H., Finalist, Londonderry Comforts
Mr. Donald Winn of Nashua, N.H., Finalist, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua
Vermont Honorees
Mr. Ted Beaudoin of Milton, Vt., Runner-Up, Champlain Valley Agency on Aging
Maine HonoreesMs. Faye O'Leary Hafford, of Allagash, Maine, Finalist, Allagash Library
Connecticut HonoreesMs. Jean Smith of Unionville, Conn., Runner-Up, LifeChoice Donor Services, Inc.
