For more than half a century, VNA Hospice NWI has been assisting seniors in Northwest Indiana with hospice care and the Meals on Wheels program. The organization hosted its Annual Dinner and Awards banquet on Monday, March 3, at the Porter County Expo Center.
Maria Galka, director of development with VNA Hospice NWI, looks forward to this annual dinner and honoring new faces that support the organization.
“The big purpose of the annual dinner is to thank all the people who made last year possible,” Galka said. “It’s a great opportunity for us to show our appreciation for the staff, volunteers and our supporters. We present our annual report from the past fiscal year and look forward to what's coming in the new year.”
Bob Franko, president and CEO of VNA Hospice NWI, admires the commitment the organization’s staff and volunteers have made this past year.
“It all starts with our staff members,” Franko said. “Being able to celebrate the people who have made our organization better is the biggest thing. Our mission statement is making the best days possible. We have a team of people that live by that message and do an awesome job for us.”
This is always a night of celebration for the VNA Hospice NWI family. It’s a gratifying experience for Galka and her team to carry out this dinner tradition every year.
“We have two check presentations for this year‘s event,” Galka said. “We also have several awards to give out that are voted in by our staff members. We had 150 Meals on Wheels volunteers and more than 60 hospice volunteers. There’s so many people who make an impact on patients and families throughout the year.”
VNA Hospice NWI was presented with a check for $32,798 from Don Quijote Restaurante to support VNA Meals on Wheels. The Legion Riders Post #94 provided a check for $12,500 for the VNA Hospice NWI. The dinner presented plenty of awards and scholarships to recognize some of the attendees including:
Staff and Supporters Recognized:
VNA Caregiver of the Year — Jessica Rodrick, Hospice Aide
VNA “Making Best Days Possible” Employee of the Year — Amy Donaldson
Tricia’s “Good Nurse of the Year“ — Aimee Sheaks
VNA Nurse Practitioner of the Year — Alicia McDaniel
Angel Volunteer of the Year — Michelle Richardson, Volunteer
Hospice Volunteer of the Year — John Gorski, Volunteer
Art Tilton Meals on Wheels Volunteer of the Year — Tri Kappa Iota Chapter
Joyce Alexa Advocacy Award — Brenda Coleman
Five years of service:
Tabitha A. Adams
10 years of service:
Michele M. Krueger
30 years of service:
Ken Ashley
Tricia’s Scholarship Recipients:
Fana Abreha
Ava Aguire
Cassondra Brietzke
Carol Dattolico
Josephine Lemmons
Mackenzie Spratley
Franko considers this night to be one of his favorite events of the year that the VNA Hospice NWI puts together. He’s always excited to see friends and family come together to talk about hospice care and the people who are contributing to a positive community.
“In the 55 years of history for the VNA Hospice NWI, we’ve always adapted to the needs of the community,” Franko said. “This is a transformative time for us as we’re looking to get some new service lines and a few additional changes. I would anticipate that this time next year, the VNA Hospice NWI will look a little different than this year.”
There’s a lot to look forward to within the organization in the near future. Fitting the needs of the patients will always be the main objective for VNA Hospice NWI.
For more information on the VNA Hospice NWI, you can visit its website.