Heywood Healthcare Honors Area Health Advocates at Annual Celebration

By: Heywood Healthcare
 
GARDNER, Mass. - Feb. 15, 2017 - PRLog -- Heywood Healthcare celebrated community, health and collaboration at 'A Winter Affair' on Friday, February 10th at The Colonial Hotel in Gardner.

The annual event offered attendees and honored guests a chance to look back at the accomplishments of Athol and Heywood Hospitals, as well as highlight Heywood Healthcare's youth initiatives, including the School Based Care Coordination Program, Youth Suicide Prevention and the Weekend Backpack Food Programs.

At the event, Heywood Healthcare honored James and Asta Kraskouskas, owners of Anthony's Liquor Mart in Gardner, with the Heywood Healthcare Community Health Hero Award, which recognizes an individual or individuals who significantly impact the health and well-being of the North Central and North Quabbin Communities.

Well-known for their energy and commitment to improving the social fabric of services for our communities' most vulnerable residents, James and Asta's constant support of Heywood initiatives, most notably, the Weekend Backpack Food Program, has profoundly aided the initiative's growth, which now serves 250 third and fourth grade students in the Gardner and Athol-Royalston School Districts.

The Kraskouskas' take pride in supporting the community, often organizing charity events like the Jack Daniel's Tasting Event and an annual visit from the New England Patriots Cheerleaders.  The Patriot's Cheerleader event not only raises funds for the Heywood Weekend Backpack Food Program, but also serves as a source of inspiration for young girls at Elm Street School in Gardner. Roughly 200 female students packed the auditorium to hear an inspirational message of empowerment from the Cheerleaders.

The Kraskouskas' engagement in supporting efforts extends beyond our youth, as James has taken a leadership role on the Heywood Hospital Surgical Pavilion Capital Project – part of Heywood Healthcare's three-pronged Fulfilling Our Promise Capital Campaign – to ensure access to the highest quality health services in our communities.

Heywood Healthcare also honored Clinical & Support Options, Inc. with its Collaborator's Award.

Clinical and Support Options, Inc. (CSO) makes a simple pledge on its website – "Enhancing Lives. Strengthening Communities." – and that's exactly what its staff does. A strong partner of Athol Hospital for the past several years, CSO's providers are responsive, always demonstrate the highest regard for patient care and are dedicated to a team approach. In addition, the CSO staff serves as an integral piece of the Athol Hospital Emergency Department care team, often responding as a crisis care partner in a matter of minutes.

Under the leadership of CEO Karin Jeffers, Clinical and Support Options, Inc. continues to be a highly respected partner of multiple programs and services, including Athol Hospital's Community Hospital Acceleration, Revitalization & Transformation (CHART) program. Under the CHART model, CSO provides four clinicians to work directly within the Athol-Royalston Regional School District. CSO is also a key partner in the work to further develop and implement tele-mental health services to expand the breadth and depth of the availability of mental health services in the region.

Heywood Healthcare looks forward to the development of the new Medical Office Building at Athol Hospital, where CSO will occupy the entire 2nd floor, bringing much needed services right onto the Hospital campuses, making it even easier for those in need to access resources and improve the level of care coordination. CSO also recently expanded its partnership to include the City of Gardner, Gardner Public Schools and the Heywood Hospital Campus, providing even greater access to resources for the North Central and North Quabbin communities.

'A Winter Affair' also featured a live auction, led by celebrity auctioneer and Mayor of Gardner, Mark Hawke and live musical entertainment.

###

About Athol Hospital
A member of the Heywood Healthcare system, Athol Hospital is a 25-bed non-profit, acute care and outpatient facility serving the communities of the North Quabbin region of Massachusetts. Athol Hospital's services include 24/7 Emergency Care, Oncology, Radiology and Laboratory, Diabetes Center and Center for Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation. It is designated as a Critical Access Hospital and Primary Stroke Center, licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and accredited by the Joint Commission.

About Heywood Hospital
A member of the Heywood Healthcare system, Heywood Hospital is a 134-bed acute care hospital in Gardner, MA, which provides a broad range of high quality medical, surgical, obstetrical, pediatric and behavioral health services on an inpatient and outpatient basis. The hospital's Centers of Excellence include the Watkins Center for Emergency and Acute Care; the LaChance Maternity Center; the Diabetes Center; and the Heywood Heart and Vascular Center, an affiliate of the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence at UMass Memorial Health Care.

About Heywood Healthcare
Heywood Healthcare is an independent, community-owned healthcare system serving north central Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. It is comprised of Heywood Hospital, a non-profit, 134-bed acute-care hospital in Gardner, MA; Athol Hospital, a 25-bed not-for-profit, Critical Access Hospital in Athol, MA; the Quabbin Retreat in Petersham, MA; Heywood Medical Group with primary care physicians and specialists located throughout the region. The organization includes six satellite facilities in MA; Heywood Rehabilitation Center and Heywood Urgent Care in Gardner; West River Health Center in Orange; Winchendon Health Center and Murdock School-based Health Center in Winchendon and The Quabbin Retreat in Petersham; Heywood Charitable Foundation; and the North Quabbin Community Coalition, an affiliate organization.

Contact
Heywood Healthcare
***@heywood.org
End
Source:Heywood Healthcare
Email:***@heywood.org Email Verified
Tags:Heywood Healthcare, A Winter Affair, Gardner
Industry:Health
Location:Gardner - Massachusetts - United States
Subject:Events
Account Email Address Verified     Account Phone Number Verified     Disclaimer     Report Abuse
AJM Communications PRs
Trending News
Most Viewed
Top Daily News



Like PRLog?
9K2K1K
Click to Share