Dinners With Love wouldn't exist without the efforts of hospice agencies and their dedicated volunteers. To honor their effort, we are proud to offer two annual awards: The Jeanne Finnerty Outstanding Volunteer Award and The Sunflower Award.
The Jeanne Finnerty Outstanding Volunteer Award is presented annually to a Dinners With Love volunteer who goes the extra mile to bring food and comfort to hospice patients and their families. It is named for Jeanne Finnerty, who received meals donated by Chef Sheri Sullivan at the end of her life in 2009. Sheri would go on to found Dinners With Love, while Jeanne's husband Frank became a Dinners With Love founding board member and long-time volunteer. He continues to serve on the board and deliver meals to families in Addison County every week. This award is given in memory of Jeanne and in recognition of Frank's dedicated service.
The Sunflower Award is presented annually to a hospice staff member at one of our hospice agency partners who has provided outstanding care that enhances the lives of people with life-limiting illness and their families. The work of Dinners With Love is made possible by the countless hospice staff members who provide around-the-clock comfort and compassion to individuals and families. Dinners With Love is but one star in a constellation of hospice care, and this award is given in that spirit. Sunflowers are a symbol in hospice: sunflowers turn toward the light, showing strength and character during challenging times.
Nominations for 2020 are now open. If you wish to nominate a volunteer or hospice staff member for one of our awards, you can do so using this form.
The Jeanne Finnerty Outstanding Volunteer Award is presented annually to a Dinners With Love volunteer who goes the extra mile to bring food and comfort to hospice patients and their families. It is named for Jeanne Finnerty, who received meals donated by Chef Sheri Sullivan at the end of her life in 2009. Sheri would go on to found Dinners With Love, while Jeanne's husband Frank became a Dinners With Love founding board member and long-time volunteer. He continues to serve on the board and deliver meals to families in Addison County every week. This award is given in memory of Jeanne and in recognition of Frank's dedicated service.
- 2019: The very first recipients of The Jeanne Finnerty award are Salissa Wahlers, Jill Abilock, and SueRae Glinka. This trio of volunteers comprises the Dinners With Love Leadership Team at the University of Vermont Health Network Home Health & Hospice. They were nominated by Volunteer Services Manager Charley MacMartin. Charley tells us: "Quite simply, UVM Home Health wouldn’t have a Dinners With Love program without these three volunteers! Salissa, Jill, and SueRae have accomplished so much during our program’s first 18 months. Their leadership has been indispensable. There are countless moments when one of them steps beyond her weekly tasks to make the program shine. This leadership team has made weekly meals a celebrated part of our hospice program."
The Sunflower Award is presented annually to a hospice staff member at one of our hospice agency partners who has provided outstanding care that enhances the lives of people with life-limiting illness and their families. The work of Dinners With Love is made possible by the countless hospice staff members who provide around-the-clock comfort and compassion to individuals and families. Dinners With Love is but one star in a constellation of hospice care, and this award is given in that spirit. Sunflowers are a symbol in hospice: sunflowers turn toward the light, showing strength and character during challenging times.
- 2019: The first recipient of The Sunflower Award is Laura Dame, RN. Laura is a hospice nurse at Addison County Home Health & Hospice. She was nominated by her colleague Maureen Conrad, who is the Development Director at Home Health. Maureen tells us: "Laura is the wonderful combination of excellent technical knowledge, spot-on assessment skills, and a huge heart. She meets people ‘where they are’ without judgment and treats all she meets like long-lost friends. She came to this profession after marrying and starting her family. Her mother developed cancer after her son was born and she passed away three years later in hospice care. Laura promised her mom, who so happens to have been one of the first recipients of Dinners With Love, that she would go back to school to become a nurse. Laura fulfilled that promise, and with great success. Her creative solutions in the field using whatever resources and tools are available are legendary and there is nothing she will not do to make a patient’s last days more comfortable and happy."
Nominations for 2020 are now open. If you wish to nominate a volunteer or hospice staff member for one of our awards, you can do so using this form.