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Employee of Year
Alyson Davis, left, was named the Putnam Bank’s Employee of the Year for 2017. She stands with bank President and CEO Thomas Borner at awards night. Courtesy photo.
PUTNAM — Putnam Bank recently held their annual Employee Awards Banquet to honor employees for their continued service to the bank, its customers, and the community.
Alyson Davis was named Putnam Bank’s Employee of the Year for 2017. Davis has been with the bank since October 2001, and is currently the CSR supervisor at the Main Office in Putnam.
She is an avid runner and active in the community having participated in the Walk & Run for NECT Cancer Fund, Northeast Opportunities for Wellness, Inc. 3.5ish Mile Road Race, and Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation Tackle the Trail. She lives in Putnam with her sons, Elijah and CJ.
“Aly is a highly competent, caring, and enthusiastic employee of Putnam Bank, and I’m not at all surprised that she received such glowing reviews from staff and customers alike. She excels in her position. She demonstrates excellent customer service and still finds the time to participate in community activities which is at the core of Putnam Bank’s mission.” Said Thomas Borner, Putnam Bank president and CEO.
Also that evening, the following individuals were recognized for their length of service to the bank:
5 Years of Service: Jessica Reed. 10 Years of Service: Lori Bannister, Tammy Chabot, Nancy Fuqua, Vinny Mazzarella, and Melissa Stedman. 15 Years of Service: Jennifer Hudock and Kenneth Vassar. 20 Years of Service: Vicki Kirkconnell and Sandra Lisee.
PUTNAM — Matthew Kenney, occupational therapist for Day Kimball Healthcare’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation office in Plainfield, has been named employee of the month for February by Day Kimball Healthcare (DKH).
Kenney has worked in a variety of specialty areas of Occupational Therapy for 22 years and began his tenure at DKH in 2016. As an occupational therapist, Kenney provides outpatient physical medicine to patients, and organizes and administers prescribed occupational therapy programs in an effort to reduce and/or prevent disability to help patients achieve their maximum functional potential.
Kenney grew up in southern Maine and lives in Ashford. Kenney earned his bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from University of New England in Biddeford, Maine, and his master’s degree in occupational therapy from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, Wisc. Kenney is also a certified lymphedema therapist, which is a gentle manual treatment improving the function of the lymphatic system throughout the body.
Then
This is the railroad station in downtown Putnam around 1900. Putnam Town Crier file photos.
& Now
This is the same station today.
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Champion
Lucas Young, part of four generations of farmers in Woodstock, was named a Soil Health Champion. Pictured: Dexter Young, Timothy Young, Lucas Young and Chase Young with his heifer Ivy. Photo courtesy of Cabot Creamery Co-operative.
Young
named
soil health
champion
WOODSTOCK — Four generations, all Young, are planning for and chasing the legacy of their soils.
The Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD) announced that Lucas Young of Valleyside Farm was named a Soil Health Champion by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD).
ECCD worked with NACD to nominate Young, based on his extraordinary work to promote soil health management practices on the family farm and advance the adoption of these practices within the larger farming community. ECCD supports the work of Lucas by helping to publicize field days and farm tours, and by providing resources for other soil health related promotional activities.
Soil Health Champions are raising awareness about the benefits of soil health practices from the local level to a national one. Champions share their personal experiences using best management practices through the national network on a peer-to-peer basis and through NACD-hosted national meetings and events.
The land that Lucas manages has been in his family for 11 generations. As dairy farmers, their cows, which consist of a 220 milking herd of Holsteins, are a treasured part of their farm. The quality milk they produce is shipped to make the Cabot dairy products.
The land the cows are raised on was originally part of a King’s grant, remaining in the family ever since it was deeded to his ancestors in the early 1700s. “We are blessed to be the caretakers and continue its long-standing legacy. As a multigenerational operation (four currently on the farm), our history drives our future and we are always looking for new technologies and ideas to keep our business sustainable and moving forward. This year we are building our own creamery where we will bring a touch of our past back by selling our dairy products directly to our neighbors in the surrounding community,” said Lucas.
Lucas’ grandfather, Dexter Young, said: “Lucas wakes up in the morning thinking and talking about the legacy of the family and the farm.” Lucas’ determination to shape the family legacy is apparent in all that he does, from hosting soil health workshops to participating in research to study the best methods to germinate and manage cover crops as well as traveling to various regions to explore and learn from other leaders in the field. Pursuing the family legacy has economic benefits, as well. According to Tim Young, Lucas’s father, the soil health practices they have adopted, “make the farm viable and sustainable for future generations.”
As field manager for the family farm, Lucas has been instrumental in converting Valleyside Farm’s practices to supporting soil health. Under Lucas’ leadership, Valleyside has implemented no-till farming and the use of diverse cover crops. Last year, with assistance from CT DEEP through Sec. 319 of EPA’s Clean Water Act, Valleyside purchased precision planting equipment to allow its cover crop to remain in the ground longer which helps to naturally feed the next crop.
“It is an honor to be chosen as a Soil Health Champion,” said Young. “Building soil health is essential if America is to meet the challenges of providing food, fuel, and fiber for a growing population here and abroad. I encourage my fellow farmers to research methods that can improve farming practices all while keeping economics and sustainability in mind. We are all unique due to the make-up of our lands but we can always learn from one another.”
“Lucas richly deserves this honor. He will be a stellar advocate in helping to increase adoption of soil health practices – his humility, when discussing soil, disarms the staunchest doubters,” said Dan Mullins, executive director of the District.
Lucas has also installed other conservation practices to help protect the environment. Last summer, Lucas and his 13 year-old son Chase installed a woodchip bioreactor to remove excess nitrogen from tile drain discharge. Chase looked confident and regal as he steered the front-end loader into position. Surely the King’s grant will be left in good hands as four generations of Youngs pursue the noble enterprise of dairy farming while implementing soil health practices that will improve the farm’s soil quality and protect local waterways.
To arrange a speaking engagement, interview, field tour, or other activity with Lucas Young or the NACD Soil Health Champions Network, contact NACD’s Beth Mason at