The Westerly Hospital recently donated $3,600 to local charities from monies raised through donations from Hospital employees and volunteers at fundraising events held throughout the year. Each year, the Hospital’s “Helping Hands Committee” comprised of Hospital employees, solicits input from employees and volunteers and selects local charities to receive funds raised throughout the year through events like “Dress Down” Fridays, raffles, sports events, and others. This year’s funds were donated to Westerly Adult Day Services, Frank Olean Center, South County Domestic Violence Resource Center, the Bradford Jonnycake Center, and the Wounded Warrior Project. In addition to monetary donations, employees collected and donated  items of food to the Jonnycake Center and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center.  
 
Sue Partelo, Food and Nutrition Secretary for The Westerly Hospital and former Frank Olean Center Board member, presents a check for $750 to Tony Vellucci, Executive Director of the Frank Olean Center in Westerly, during the recent “Under the Tent” annual fundraising event. Sue’s daughter Kristen attended the Center from 1993 until 2007 and now attends the Adeline LaPlante Memorial Center in Wakefield. 

The charities selected to receive the coming year’s donations are: South Shore Mental Health, South County Community Action, the Ocean Community YMCA's “Reach Out to Youth Campaign,” the Adeline LaPlante Memorial Center, and the Disabled Veterans of America. In addition, employees plan to collect household and personal care items that cannot be purchased with food stamps, and donate them to the Christ Church Living Supply Closet in Westerly and the St. James Chapel pantry in Charlestown.  

Said Jodie Tate, Director of Human Resources for The Westerly Hospital, “We are proud to have such a generous team of employees and volunteers at this Hospital, who are willing to assist our community, particularly during these difficult economic times.”

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