On October 24, more than 350 members of the extended Vinfen community came together for Vinfen’s 17th Annual Family Celebration. The event’s theme was “The Power of Partnerships,” and the special evening recognized the achievements of exceptional Vinfen staff, the creative talents of a number of persons we support, and the important role families play in Vinfen’s delivery of top-quality, impactful services.

Those who joined us at the Four Points Sheraton in Norwood were welcomed by Vinfen President & CEO Jean Yang, and our host for the evening, WCVB NewsCenter 5’s anchor and medical reporter Jessica Brown. Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner and were entered into raffles for a number of special door prizes. Other highlights of the evening included the presentation of the Public Official of the Year Award to Dr. Kiame Mahaniah, Undersecretary for Health at the Executive Office of Health and Human Services; and an inspiring address by our fantastic keynote speakers, Mark X. and John Cronin, the father-and-son entrepreneurs behind the tremendously successful clothing company John’s Crazy Socks.

At the event, we were also delighted to announce the winners of our 5th Annual Literary & Artistic Contest, which celebrated amazing works of art and creative writing by individuals served by Vinfen programs, with Professional and Amateur categories for both. This year’s winners were:

Professional Artistic: Chuck Johnson, Matthew Treggiari, Don Falletti

Amateur Artistic: Joseph Pessa, Scott Ayles, Robert Prout

Professional Literary: Michael Natale, Geno Doe

Amateur Literary: Robert Richardson, Alana Haun, Jerome Mason

The evening’s centerpiece was the presentation of staff and family awards to individuals nominated for their outstanding contributions to the Vinfen community. This year’s Staff Merit Awards went to: Joseph Ashley, Henry Barkarr, Mikaela Belmont, Sharon Burke-Prescott, Paul Campbell, The Community Support Services Day Habilitation (CSSDH) Team, Donia Derisme, Amy Downing, Jacey Furtado, Jamie Jackson, Jeremiah Kargbo, Charlotte Lakes, Patricia Lewis, Patricia Middelmann, Constance Osahon, Michael Placido, Kerry Sullivan, Obed Swaray, Nichole Taylor, and Terry Thuo.

A pair of special honors were also honored to Vinfen individuals: Jonathan “Jonny” Walker received the Helen Fantasia-Arraj Staff Recognition Award, while the Craig Smith Self-Advocate Award went to Barbara Brown, a longtime artist with Gateway Arts in Brookline and a founding member of Vinfen’s Metro Boston Self Advocacy group.

Finally, we were proud to present a number of Family Recognition Awards to families whose exceptional spirit of collaboration and support with Vinfen staff has enriched the lives of their loved ones and other individuals served by our programs. Our gratitude and congratulations to Family Recognition Award winners Diane Lawson; Troylene Ali; April, Audrey, and Lindsay Tessman; Sara and Gulrez Arshad; The DeVico Family; and The O’Mally Family.

The Family Celebration was a tremendous success, and a wonderful testament to the amazing work that can be done when families and staff work in partnership to help individuals live their best lives. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!