Valley United Way recognizes volunteers

Charles H. Flynn Humanitarian Award winner Joseph Andreana, third from left, pictured with, from left, Valley United Way board chairman Fred Ortoli, his son Michael Andreana, and his daughter, Melissa O'Donnell. / Contributed photo

DERBY - More than 200 community leaders gathered at Grassy Hill Lodge Tuesday to celebrate Valley United Way’s 46th Annual Meeting and Recognition Dinner.  
With the help of sponsors, Basement Systems, Inc., Better Packages, and Ion Bank, guests enjoyed a networking reception and dinner before the official business portion and award ceremony began.

Board Chair Fred Ortoli kicked off the meeting by announcing our newest Board Members, Ruth Parkins of Iroquois Pipeline Operating Co. and Deborah McGuigan of Prudential Annuities. 

Valley United Way would not be able to do the work that we do and support our partner agencies without the help of our donors, corporate partners and volunteers, to whom we thanked and awarded at Tuesday’s event. 
 Our guest of honor, Joe Andreana received the first award of the night, as we honored him with the 44th Charles H. Flynn Humanitarian Award, for his countless hours of service to our community with Griffin Health Services, United Methodist Frontier Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, Katharine Matthies Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater New Haven, Town of Oxford, and Valley United Way. 

Another special award winner of the night was Energizer Personal Care which took home the #1 Overall Campaign Award for their hard work raising more than $170,000 for Valley United Way this year!  
To see all of the other award winners, visit www.valleyunitedway.org. 

Valley United Way gave a farewell to current Board Chair Fred Ortoli, as he passed the baton on to Janice Sheehy of Webster Bank who will lead the Valley United Way Board of Directors.   

Sheehy, along with returning Campaign Chair Tom Steeves of American IT Solutions, Inc. said they were excited to move into the 2014-2015 campaign year and eager to help those people in need in our Valley community. 
Ortoli was thanked for his dedication and years of service.

This post is taken from a press release from Valley United Way, the leading philanthropic resource for the Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton.