
		SUMMER / FALL 2011
	The Grapevine		Your Employee Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE
Employee Spotlight: Dan O'Flaherty .......................................pg 1 Accolades: Employees of the Month, New Employees, Promotions/ New Positions, Births, Weddings.....pg 2 Accolades (cont): Campus Picnic, Golf Tournament, "Harvest Moon" Dance, and other notable Thank Yous ............................pg 3 Program News and Upcoming Events: ....................pg 4 Employee Anniversaries: ..................................pg 5 Employee Spotlight (cont): Dan O'Flaherty ......................................pg 6 Photo Gallery: ...................................pg 7 Going the Extra Mile: Sandy McDonald "Her Decision to Walk Creates the Path Ahead" ...........................................pg 8 Special: Letter from Pat Johnson in Regards to Storms Irene and Alfred .....................pg 8 Employee Newsletter Committee: Karin Agritelly, NEAT Center and Eleanor A. Brooks Blindness Related Supports Center John Anyzeski, MIS Jennifer Baker, NEAT Center Kim Blondin, Business Office Marie Davis, Oak Hill School Marie De La Cruz, Development & Communcations Jaci Fricks, CRSE Leigh-Ann Hammond, Operations Trish Hesslein, Development & Communications Rozz Mitchell, Professional Development (Training) Sue Oster, Professional Development (Training) Net Robbins, Residential and Day Programs Donna Walters, Residential and Day Programs	Employee Spotlight: Dan O'Flaherty Dan O’Flaherty has been employed at Oak Hill for 16 years and serves as a Database Analyst for Human Resources and works in Russell Hall located on our main campus. Something you may not have known about Dan, he was recently appointed to the Governor’s Horse Guards. This past August, Dan and five others became the newest troopers to the First Company Governor’s Horse Guards. During their exercises, each trooper candidate spends 16 weeks of intense training. Each candidate is evaluated on mounted proficiency and critical coursework. The training takes place at their headquarters in Avon, Connecticut. This volunteer position is highly specialized. I wanted to know what prompted him to try out. TH: Are you an accomplished equestrian? DO: “Not at all. Riding and horsemanship are all very new for me.” TH: Tell me about the First Company? DO: “First chartered in 1788 as the Governor’s Independent Volunteer Troop of Horse Guards, the unit was composed of prominent Hartford men. Many were veterans of the War of Independence, who banded together to form a mounted honor guard for the Governor, and ceremonial escort to prominent visitors to Connecticut’s capital city. Through much of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the Horse Guard provided a colorful and dignified escort to Governors, Presidents, military heroes and other dignitaries including George Washington, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Commodore Thomas McDonough, and Lafayette. The unit came to be better known as the First Company Governor’s Horse Guard and they regularly escorted the State’s chief executive to his inaugural ceremony and parade. Early commandants included prominent businessman John Caldwell and Thomas Y. Seymour, a hero of the Revolution. Today, the troop is part of the Organized Militia of the State. Operating from its facility in Avon, the traditions of Connecticut’s cavalry are demonstrably alive and kicking. Men and women serve equally, drilling every Thursday evening in formation riding, search and rescue and crowd control techniques. The Troop also participates in civic projects, youth drug prevention programs, parades and other ceremonial events. Such as: Horses to Homecoming: The First Company Governor’s Horse Guards, in coordination with the Connecticut National Guard, has launched a monthly equestrian program for children of deployed soldiers. Each month, children of Connecticut soldiers serving overseas will learn how to ride and care for horses. When parents return from deployment, the children will have an opportunity to share their experience with their mother, father or other family member. Say “Nay” to Drugs: The “Say Nay” program was developed years ago, modeled after the nationwide D.A.R.E program, but with an important extra component: the relationship to a horse. The program brings horses to schools, directly involving the students with the horses. For many, this is their first exposure to such an animal. Operation Military Kids: Twice a year, once in October and once in April the Governor’s Horse Guards is proud hosts of a program for Operation Military Kids. The program brings together children of deployed Connecticut armed forces members who are fighting for our freedom abroad. During these events, the children get to meet and groom the Guard’s horses and get an opportunity to ride the horses as well. Operation Tribute: Last year, The First Company Governor’s Horse Guards collected more than 600 toys, as well as more than $800 in cash donations, at a toy drive for children of deployed soldiers the toys and cash donations were collected as part of Operation Tribute, a non-profit program serving military families in New England. Operation Tribute will provide the gifts to military families. Boy Scouts & Girl Scouts Horsemanship: Every year the First Company Governor’s Horse Guards presents a five-week program where Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts attend every weekend to earn their Horsemanship badges. Capitol Region Medical Reserve Corps: Horse Guard Troopers are trained as part of the area’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), including participating with CREPC (Capitol Region Emergency Planning Committee) and the MRC (Medical Reserve Corps). MRC units are comprised of local, citizen volunteers who are trained to respond to health and medical situations in support of established, local public health and emergency medical response systems.” click here to cont. on page 6 click for page 2
	120 Holcomb Street Hartford, CT 06112-1589 T 860.242.2274 F 860.242.3103 E info@ciboakhill.org www.ciboakhill.org