PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Seventeen individuals at Northern Light AR Gould Hospital were welcomed into a “Veterans-In-Partnership” or VIP group at the hospital. While all employees are considered very important at the organization, this impressive group is the hospital’s most tenured, all having achieved the status of 20 years or more of service.
“Your care, compassion, and commitment are what allows us to do what we do every single day,” said Dr. Jay Reynolds, hospital president, to the 50 or so VIPs gathered for the breakfast as he recognized their service. Reynolds himself is a VIP with more than 30 years of service at AR Gould.
The number of VIPs fluctuates as employees retire and others are welcomed into the ranks. Currently, there are 164 team members considered VIPs. This includes staff who work for AR Gould as well as staff based at AR Gould, including those now employed by other organizations but still doing work that supports the hospital.
New “veterans” welcomed into this elite club for 2025 from Presque Isle were: Chuck Ames, Claudette Bell, Amanda Bonville, Deborah Bouchard, Betsy Carson, Tamra Ford and Gina Ritchie.
Also reaching this milestone were Jeri Ball, Tracy Jones, and Jill Thibeau of Fort Fairfield; Jennifer Chasse and Amber Philbrick of Westfield; Jill Elsworth and Pam Morin of Caribou; Deborah Crandall of Mapleton; Amy Durland-Faulkner of Mars Hill; and Tina Melvin of Washburn.
In addition to these 17 new members who have reached the 20-year milestone, the other VIPS in this group range in years of service from 21 to, amazingly, 52! Cumulatively, they represent more than 4,500 years of service to the hospital and the community.
