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Honors
John Normington of the Beagary Charitable Trust with Particle Accelerator co-founders Sandy and Eric Gould and United Services President/CEO Diane Manning.


DAYVILLE — United Services, Inc., Connecticut’s largest private, nonprofit behavioral health center celebrated its 53rd Anniversary recently.
United Services President/CEO Diane L. Manning reflected on United Services eventful past year, which included starting construction on the long-awaited expanded Windham Regional Health and Wellness Center. Located on public transportation routes in Mansfield just over the Windham town line, the new center will offer expanded behavioral health, autism and related wellness services for adults, children and families. The new center is projected to open in early 2019.
“Our Annual Dinner celebrations offer an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come and reflect on how much farther we have to go,” said Manning.  “As we work to expand and enhance services for the thousands of Northeast Connecticut residents who visit our centers each year, the support of our board members, community, and hard-working staff is more important than ever.”
United Services outpatient mental health caseload is now 253 percent of what it was 10 years ago, yet the agency continues to face funding and program cuts, Manning said.
United Services elected new board leadership for the 2017-18 year as well as five new members Thursday.
United Services’ new Board leadership includes chairman John Deary of Pomfret; and vice chairman Terri Pearsall of Putnam.
Newly elected to the United Services Board of Directors were Carol Kent of Canterbury; Kevin Donohue of Windham; Valentine Iamartino of Thompson; Cheryl Muñoz of Columbia; and Diane Sauer of Storrs.
Returning Board members include secretary Romeo Blackmar of Pomfret; treasurer Anne Konczakowski of Windham; Mary Bromm of Ashford; Dr. John Duers of Chaplin; Michael Turano of Canterbury; Todd Pearsall of Woodstock; Idun and Preston Green of Windham; and John Fournier of Willimantic.
United Services also honored retiring board members Robert Leonard of Dayville, who served nine years on the board and three years as treasurer; Cheryl Lewis of Putnam, who served five years on the board; Maximo Garcia of Windham, who served three years on the board; and Jeffrey Kramer of Storrs, who served nine years on the board and three as chairman.
In addition to the new and returning Board membersManning recognized two community partners whose support over the previous year made a particularly large impact in the programs United Services provides to northeastern Connecticut.
Among those honored were:
* The Quinebaug Valley Young Marines. United Services is grateful for the partnership with the Young Marines, who have helped at the agency’s Super Hero Fun Day and Color Run. Accepting the award was Unit Commander Joe Couture.
* The Beagary Charitable Trust, which has been a strong partner of the annual free music festival Particle Accelerator, which raises awareness for suicide and depression and funds for United Services, for many years. John Normington, who has provided lighting, talent booking and other help to the festival, accepted the award.
United Services staff were honored for their long-standing service to the organization and the residents of Connecticut’s “Quiet Corner.”  Celebrating 40 years was Senior Secretary Jan Hendrickson. Renee Grabert, housing services program manager, marked 35 years with the agency. Celebrating 30 years with the agency were Social Rehabilitation Program Manager Janet Pusczynski and Lori Behling, division director of community support programs. The agency also honored nine employees who have been with the agency for 15, 10 and five years.