PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 1, 2014

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ashley Brenon Jowett

abrenon@equinoxvillage.com

802-362-4061 ext. 212

Nominations Open for Third-Annual Exceptional Retiree

Awards Local Businesses and Organizations Sponsor Recognition for Older Adults

Do you know a retired person who inspires you to live well at every age, someone

who is using their retirement to serve others, pursue a unique interest, make art or

keep healthy? Why not nominate them for an Exceptional Retiree Award?

Equinox Village—together with At Home Senior Care, Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong

Learning, and Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center, A Tempo Senior Move and

Cornerstone Fitness & Prospect Rehabilitation—are pleased to open nominations for the Second-

Annual Exceptional Retiree Awards on February 14, 2014.

The ERAs honor Bennington and Windham County retirees who are using their retirement in

exemplary ways: to expand relationships, to learn new things, to serve others… Through this

program Equinox Village and its community partners would like to identify examples of

individuals that can be followed into vibrant older age and to generate excitement for what can

be the richest time in one’s life.

“Equinox Village, with the other co-sponsors of this program, has had a wonderful time

recognizing extraordinary retired people the last two years,” said Kirt Sampson, executive

director and managing partner of Equinox Village. “The accomplishments of past nominees and

winners have inspired us, and we look forward to recognizing four more outstanding people in

2014.”

The awards are open to residents of Bennington and Windham Counties who are retired and over

the age of 55. Categories include Excellence in the Arts, Excellence in Continued Scholarship,

Excellence in Health & Wellness and Excellence in Service & Community Leadership.

Each nomination is read and rated by three judges. Judges look for an individual’s capacity to

inspire others toward vibrant and productive older age. The nominee with the highest rating

receives the acknowledgement. In the coming weeks, three community leaders will be chosen to

judge.

Nominations open officially on Friday, February 14, 2014. Nomination forms are available

from Equinox Village by calling (802) 362-4061, by emailing abrenon@equinoxvillage.com or

by visiting http://www.equinoxvillage.com/the-exceptional-retiree-awards.html Nomination

forms are also available by visiting or contacting any one of the sponsor organizations. The

nomination deadline is Friday, March 28, 2014.

The top three nominees and nominators in each category will be invited to attend the

presentation dinner in May, where the recipients will be announced. The winners will receive an

engraved acknowledgement on the evening of the event.

“We are eager, once again, to bring attention to people who are using their wisdom, experience,

humor, and vigor to take on challenges and opportunities in ways that they may not have been

able to when they were younger,” said Sampson. ---

Equinox Village is a vibrant independent living community situated on eleven pristine acres in the heart of the

Southern Vermont’s rich cultural and recreational opportunities. Residents enjoy private, spacious apartments with

exquisite views and fine dining in the community’s full-service white-tablecloth restaurant. Well-appointed common

areas provide ideal places to meet family and friends and to participate in cultural events, health and wellness

programs, and educational opportunities. Equinox Village was founded in 2006 by brothers Dr. Jim Russell and

John Russell.

At Home Senior Care assists seniors in Bennington, Rutland and Addison counties. Its mission is to provide

dependable, responsive non-medical care while ensuring that seniors maintain their quality of life, with dignity and

independence, while aging at home. Founder Mary Lou Morrissette has many years of experience serving seniors

and understands the needs of seniors who are trying to maintain their quality of life.

Green Mountain RSVP & Volunteer Center serves Bennington, Windham, and Windsor Counties. This non-profit

organization matches volunteers, age 55 and over, with meaningful work at other non-profits, schools, libraries,

hospitals and towns. Both the community and the volunteers are enriched by the experience. The organization

presently manages 1,059 volunteers at 234 worksites in the three Southern-Vermont counties it serves.

Green Mountain Academy for Lifelong Learning is a non-profit organization in Manchester, Vermont whose

mission is to enrich the intellectual and cultural life of the community by providing accessible, diversified, and high

quality educational programs to the public. Serving all adults in the Northshire, GMALL offers courses in academic

subjects with intellectual rigor as well as courses for people who simply want to develop their abilities and skills, for

professional or personal reasons, for a reasonable investment of time and money in a friendly and relaxed

atmosphere.

A Tempo Senior Move is dedicated to providing comprehensive and quality life transitions for elders and their

families throughout New England and beyond. A Tempo Senior Move provides planning and organizing for moves,

downsizing / right-sizing belongings, overseeing moves and packing, unpacking, floor plan creation for a new space

or changing lifestyle. The company is a member of the National Association of Senior Move Managers.

Prospect Rehabilitation and Cornerstone Fitness Clinic were founded by John M. DiBlasio, DPT, CSCS, and doctor

of physical therapy, in 2000. Since then, he has led a team of caring professionals to provide premier fitness and

rehabilitation consultations to residents of Manchester, Vermont and the surrounding areas.