KVHC awards state legislative award to Rep. Anne Perry

    MILLINOCKET – Officials with Katahdin Valley Health Center (KVHC) recently honored Rep. Anne C. Perry as the recipient of KVHC’s State Legislative Award at its Board of Directors meeting held Aug. 27 at the Young House in Millinocket.
Contributed photo/ Gaile Nicholson, KVHC communications director
HEALTH CENTER HONORS — Katahdin Valley Health Center (KVHC) recently honored Rep. Anne C. Perry as the recipient of the 2008 State Legislative Award. Taking part in the special ceremony were, from left, front row: Linda Goodall, KVHC board chair; Rep. Perry; and Holly Gartmayer, KVHC clinical Director. Middle row:  Durward Humphrey, KVHC CEO; John Doe, board member and superintendent of Schools SAD 25; Christine Nickerson, board member representing Bangor Savings Bank; and Mary Hall, KVHC executive secretary. Back row: Lori Donley, KVHC COO; and Janet Kelley, board member representing Granville Management, Inc.
    Annually, during National Community Health Center Week, KVHC recognizes a lawmaker for their exceptional legislative contributions and publicly presents the KVHC State Legislative Award to a member of the Maine State Legislature in recognition and appreciation of outstanding efforts as an advocate for health centers.
    Rep. Anne Perry of Calais represents District 31 in the Maine Legislature which includes Calais, Baileyville, Baring, Charlotte, Passamaquoddy Indian Township, Passamaquoddy Pleasant Point, Perry and Robbinston plus part of the unorganized territory of northern Washington County.
    KVHC Chief Executive Officer Durward Humphrey presented this year’s award to Rep. Perry stating, “Each year KVHC recognizes a state legislator for outstanding contributions and advocacy for health centers. This year we recognize someone who is passionate about health care and plays a critical role in public health care at the state and local levels.
    “Rep. Perry has supported and co-sponsored a variety of proposals in the Maine Legislature that are important to improving health care for people throughout the Katahdin Area and across the state of Maine. She is passionate, and tireless, in her efforts to increase access to health care and support community health centers,
    “Specifically, she sponsored Legislative Document 1484, An Act To Fund Community Health Centers during the most recent legislative session. Rep. Perry remains determined in her support and commitment to the people of her district. Her sponsorship of Legislative Document 1484 clearly demonstrates her recognition of the value of health centers throughout the state of Maine.
    “Today, we honor Representative Perry with KVHC’s State Legislative Award for her advocacy at the state and local levels in support of health care. On behalf of KVHC, and all of our patients, we thank Anne for her unwavering and continued support of health centers and her outstanding representation of the people of our communities,” said Humphrey.
    Graciously accepting the award, Rep. Perry said, “I am very appreciative of this honor you have bestowed upon me. Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are so important in the benefits they provide for access to health care, preventative health care, affordability, education and outreach. It is a seriously continuing struggle to get providers at our rural health centers and I commend what you do throughout northern Penobscot and southern Aroostook Counties. Services like your patient assistance program, where you help people gain the access they need, for example, to heating assistance, transportation arrangements to access the healthcare people need, sliding fee programs for medical care, prescription programs and other important aspects of one’s life all contribute to providing quality health care. KVHC is a vital part of this community to get people to where they need to be for access to health care. Be proud of your work. I am truly honored to receive this award.”
    Rep. Perry is a Family Nurse Practitioner, affiliated with Calais Regional Medical Services (CRMS), an operating department of Calais Regional Hospital.