Family Centers recently announced the election of ten new board members onto its board of directors, which includes seven individuals from the Center for Hope, a Darien-based organization that merged with Family Centers on November 1st.  Center for Hope board members elected onto the Family Centers' board are William Ault of Stamford; Karen Casey of Rowayton; Jane Frank, Jeanne Matson and George Reilly of Darien; Ruth Gretz of South Salem, NY; and Allison Rubeli of New Canaan. Randi-Jean Hedin, Marion Schmeelk and William Meyers of Darien were named as senior advisors on the Family Centers' board. Family Centers also elected Leigh Carpenter and Laurie Host of Greenwich and Kathy Tropin of New Canaan onto its board of directors.

Over 130 Family Centers and Center for Hope employees, along with new and existing board members assembled for the annual potluck supper event at the Round Hill Community House in Greenwich. President Bob Arnold and board chairman Jan Dilenschneider of Darien recapped this year's highlights and called for a vote of the slate of officers and board members. The agency honored board secretary Marge Berkley of Greenwich with its Helen Gratz Rockefeller Outstanding Volunteerism Award for 12 years of hands-on committed service and her role as co-chair of Family Centers' early childhood education committee. 

Additionally, Family Centers presented Christ Church-Greenwich with its Family Champion Award for its long history of supporting affordable child care in Greenwich. Earlier this year, Christ Church sold the Gateway Preschool building to Family Centers well below market rate, an action which further symbolizes Christ Church's benevolent spirit and anchors affordable child care in Western Greenwich. This past year, Family Centers, with offices in Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan and Stamford, assisted nearly 22,000 people through a wide range of educational, vocational and mental health support programs. For additional information about Family Centers or a copy of its annual report, call 869-4848. 

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