- Connie Therrien, CIGNA Service Operations, named CIGNA Volunteer of the Year
- Award presented by CIGNA CEO David Cordani for volunteer’s work with Dade County (Ga.) Animal Resource Team (DART)
- Therrien will receive $2,500 from CIGNA; DART will receive a $2,500 grant from the CIGNA Foundation to further community efforts
BLOOMFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The CIGNA Foundation today will honor Connie Therrien as its Volunteer of the Year for her tireless efforts on behalf of the animal population and the community of Dade County, Ga. In this rural county, abandoned, unaltered and potentially rabid animals pose a health threat to the small, lower-economic community. DART, the organization for which Therrien performed her award-winning service, provides immunizations and spay/neuter resources for these animals and protects both animals and people from disease.
“I saw a tremendous community need for the activities of DART; both to help the animals and to protect the health of my neighbors,” said Therrien, a quality review associate with CIGNA Service Operations. “I am very passionate about the cause and am humbled that my efforts are being recognized with this Volunteer of the Year honor.”
Therrien is one of the original volunteers with DART, founded in 2006, and currently is an active volunteer and board member. As a result of Therrien’s and DART’s efforts, more than 3,000 animals have been altered and/or vaccinated at little or no cost to the citizens of Dade County. In addition, DART has successfully placed hundreds of animals in homes through its adoption process.
DART is a non-profit animal welfare organization comprised solely of volunteer advocates who:
- Reduce the county’s excessive animal overpopulation by spaying and neutering abandoned cats and dogs
- Protect against the spread of infectious disease by vaccinating feral animals
- Provide free transport to clinics and supplement the cost of services for the pets of the county’s disabled, low-income and elderly citizens
- Ensure the animals it services are treated humanely
“I’m inspired every day by the individuals at CIGNA who are dedicated and passionate about service – not only for our customers but also for our communities,” said CIGNA CEO David Cordani. “Connie’s tireless efforts with DART demonstrate her selfless willingness to contribute her time and energy to benefit the entire community.”
CIGNA's Volunteer of the Year is chosen annually with input from the Points of Light Institute, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to promoting and supporting volunteers and volunteerism in the United States. Through the CIGNA Foundation Community Caring Awards, an employee volunteer is recognized every month and the Volunteer of the Year is chosen from among these 12 finalists. Each CIGNA Volunteer of the Year receives $2,500 from the company, with their volunteer organization receiving a $2,500 grant from the CIGNA Foundation to pursue their charitable mission.
The CIGNA Foundation Community Caring Awards is one component of CIGNA's larger community service efforts. Beginning July 1, those efforts will be expanded through a new community service program which offers all employees up to eight hours of paid time off for volunteer activities per year creating the potential for an additional 200,000 hours of service in local communities across the country.
About CIGNA
CIGNA (NYSE:CI), a global health service company, is dedicated to helping people improve their health, well being and sense of security. CIGNA Corporation's operating subsidiaries provide an integrated suite of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits, as well as group life, accident and disability insurance, to approximately 46 million people throughout the United States and around the world. To learn more about CIGNA, visit www.cigna.com. To sign up for email alerts or an RSS feed of company news, log on to http://newsroom.cigna.com/rss/. Also, follow us on Twitter at @cigna, visit CIGNA’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/cignatv and listen to CIGNA's podcast series with healthy tips and information at http://www.cigna.com/podcasts or by searching "CIGNA" in iTunes.
CIGNA Foundation is a private foundation funded by contributions from CIGNA Corporation and its subsidiaries. The CIGNA Foundation supports organizations sharing its commitment to enhancing the health of individuals and families, and the well-being of their communities, with a special focus on those communities where CIGNA employees live and work.
CONTACT:
CIGNA
Kathleen Keenan, 215-761-4756
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America Connecticut Georgia
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Philanthropy Professional Services Insurance Other Philanthropy Veterinary General Health Managed Care
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