2022 Jeri Hamilton Extraordinary Service Award Winners Announced!
Saturday, July 16th was a great day for a picnic and an even better day to honor two special groups for their extraordinary dedication to Serendipity Center.
Congratulations to our 2022 Jeri Hamilton Award* Winners,
Erik Mudd and Kendra Smith
And
Doug Pitassi and Pacific Office Automation!
Erik Mudd is a recent former employee, having worked at Serendipity since 2010 in various roles. In 2017 he was voted Teacher-Counselor of the Year– our staff’s highest honor. He met his wife Kendra Smith at Serendipity in 2015. In August of 2021, Erik and Kendra made a transformational gift to Serendipity from their Donor Advised fund. This gift went a long way towards ensuring that key mental health supports were funded as enrollment and overall revenue dropped. They supported our amazing art therapist, Tier III Behavioral Specialist, and team of clinical case managers so that every student received the wrap-around care they deserved. Thank you, Erik and Kendra for your transformational service and support!
Doug Pitassi and Pacific Office Automation (POA) have been loyal donors since 2009. Over the years, they have been nimble in responding to our changing needs. When we were forced to close the school (quickly and unexpectedly) due to COVID in March 2020, we did not have the technology or the software platforms to accomplish virtual instruction. We were mailing home packets, art supplies, school supplies, workbooks, activities, etc. We reached out to Ethan, our wonderful sales rep, who arranged for two additional color copiers to be delivered at no charge, so that teachers could create packets at the rate we were needing to mail them out.
POA has helped us purchase laptops for students when we needed more in 2018. They bought tables at our events. They included us in their 2016 company golf tournament. They are partners who have remained active with us as we faced new challenges and growth. THANK YOU, Doug and Pacific Office Automation for your leadership, loyalty, and most of all for believing in our people and mission to provide the best education for our students.
* Each year, Serendipity honors those individuals and corporations whose efforts have enhanced Serendipity’s capacity to educate and nurture our children. Jeri Hamilton was presented with the first award in 2008. It has become tradition to honor new extraordinary volunteers with an award presented in Jeri’s name.
