Mark, Jocelyn, Sarah and the Director of the Central Western MA Veterans Medical Center in Leeds, John Collins
As you may know, we have our 30 Minute Mozzarella Kit assembled by the veterans who work with the Compensated Work Therapy Workshop at the VA Central Western MA Healthcare Center in Leeds. (They also cut our wax, bottle our rennet and package our disposable cheesecloth.)
The veterans in this program have done a wonderful job for us and we are extremely grateful that they are members of our team. We have known some of them for many years now and we think of them as old friends. (For previous articles about out holiday parties with the vets – click here)
Jim Pruner, Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist. Jim has been the “life of the party” at many of our celebrations to honor the vets who work with us.
Beth Graziadei, Program Manager with her beautiful smile
Jim Pruner and Victor Rivera, another of our “life of the party” friends. That’s Ed O’Brien chatting with Mark at the far left. He transports our products back and forth between our shop in South Deerfield and the VA in Leeds.
Last month, the director of the VA in Leeds, John Collins hosted a 2 day conference for all the directors and top administrators of the VA medical centers in New England. As a gracious host, he wanted to leave them all at the end of the conference with a meaningful memento. After much deliberation, he and his staff decided to ask us if they could give everyone a 30 Minute Mozzarella Kit!
Sarah and Mark were honored to have been chosen and they contributed 50 of our kits to the cause. (The work program did not charge us for assembling those kits as their part of their own contribution.) From what we have heard, the participants in the conference were delighted with their gifts (and the rumor is they looked very cute exiting the hall with their boxes in hand!).
Mr. Collins wanted to thank us for our contribution with a Certificate of Appreciation which he presented to Mark and Sarah at a ceremony in their honor. He thanked us for the work we have given the veterans and Sarah thanked him for the work they have done for us. It was an enjoyable experience for our company and we are looking forward to working with the veterans in the years to come.
Mr. Collins reading the certificate he presented to Mark, Jocelyn and Sarah
The director spoke a few words about the program.
If you think your business might benefit from having veterans on your team, contact your nearest VA center to ask if they have a Compensated Work Therapy Program. We know you won’t regret it!
VA Central Western MA Healthcare Center
