Aroostook County Action Program celebrates employee milestones

ACAP recognized longevity milestones for these employees during a Dec. 22 luncheon at the Edmunds Conference Center at Northern Maine Community College. Front row, from left: Mike Jordan of Presque Isle, family coach, 30 years; Kathy Williams of Woodland, project director, Women in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO), 25 years; and Pete Delano of Presque Isle, weatherization foreman, retiring after 34 years of service. Back row: Cathy Bohls of Fort Fairfield, program coordinator for Preschool Education and Disabilities, 20 years; Dave Nadeau of Caribou, network administrator, 20 years; Jackie Putnam of Mapleton, co-teacher for Early Head Start at Gouldville Early Care and Education Center, 20 years; Susan Roy of Fort Kent, staff aide and bus monitor, 20 years; Phyllis Howe of Presque Isle, bus monitor for Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms, 10 years; and John Cross of Limestone, bus driver for Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms at the Caribou Center, five years. Missing from photo are: Penny Horne of Presque Isle, teacher aide at Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center, 30 years; Rachelle Roy of Mapleton, coordinator of nutrition programs, 20 years; Lucy Morin of Fort Kent, oral health education consultant and ACAP dental hygienist, 15 years; Dawn Roberts of Presque Isle, community educator -- tobacco, 10 years; and Petrina Clough of Fort Fairfield, teacher at PIRTC/Head Start Partnership, 10 years. (Courtesy of Aroostook County Action Program)

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — On Friday, Dec. 22, Aroostook County Action Program recognized the milestone anniversaries of 13 employees who have been working with the agency between five and 30 years at a luncheon in their honor held at Northern Maine Community College.

The Presque Isle event celebrated the longevity of employment with food, gifts and words of praise from supervisors and managers who acknowledge the commitment and dedication long term employees contribute to the ACAP mission of making life better in Aroostook County.

“I can say, without hesitation, that our people are most certainly our best asset,” said ACAP Executive Director/CEO Jason Parent. “Without these valuable employees and the nearly 160 other members of our team across Aroostook County, so many of our friends and neighbors would have nowhere to turn when they most need help.”

Celebrating 30 years with the agency are Penny Horne and Mike Jordan. Horne works at the Presque Isle Regional Career and Technical Center as a teacher aide, and over her time with ACAP has worked with children in multiple locations around central Aroostook as ACAP childcare has evolved to the program it is today. Jordan began with ACAP as an intake specialist and is now a Family Coach helping customers reach their goals by navigating them through the services and programs ACAP and its community partners offer.

Kathy Williams has been with ACAP for 25 years, helping customers with their career and education goals, and recently stepped into the role of program director for a new ACAP program, Women in Apprenticeship and Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO).

Celebrating 20 years at the agency are Cathy Bohls, program coordinator for preschool education and disabilities; Dave Nadeau, network administrator; Rachelle Roy, coordinator of nutrition programs; Jackie Putnam, co-teacher at Gouldville Early Care and Education Center; and Susan Roy, staff aide and bus monitor.

Lucy Morin works as an oral health education consultant and ACAP dental hygienist and has been with the agency for 15 years.

Marking their 10-year anniversaries are Dawn Roberts, who has worked in multiple departments over her years with ACAP and now serves the community as a community educator – tobacco; Phyllis Howe, bus monitor for Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms; and Petrina Clough, teacher at PIRCTC/Head Start partnership.

John Cross is a bus driver for Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms in the Caribou Center and is celebrating five years with ACAP.

ACAP employs approximately 160 individuals in a variety of roles that require a caring spirit and a commitment to service in the community.