​On Mary 14 th , at the 2026 Annual meeting, I was presented with the First Inaugural Founder’s
Award. I was very surprised because I was not paying attention (chatting with a colleague in
the back of the room who was interested in the Community Nurse concept). All of a sudden I
said to myself “OMG, they are talking about me.” I went up to the stage, stood there with
Kristin, and received my award and gift, but all I could say was how nice it was to see all of you,
and what a wonderful turnout there was at this event. Now I would like to say a bit more….
Among the 57 of you at this gathering, there were past and present community nurses and
community members who have been steeped in this initiative--some for 1 year and some for as
long as 14 years. Also attending were past and present board members, a former Medical
Director and CNC’s Technical Director. There were “Friends of CNC” and donors present as
well as people who were just coming to check out Community Nurse Connection and the
concept of Community Nursing.
Over the years, I had the pleasure of working with so many of you as we developed Community
Nurse programs around the Upper Valley. I was always impressed with the fierce
commitment you and your nurses have had to your communities.  I loved working with
you all.  Our communities were then and are now, way ahead of the health care system
in acknowledging that an individual's health and happiness depends on their home, their
family & friends and their community environment.  We all recognize that communities
are only as strong as their members.

Several of our community nurses, including: 

• Doris Yates from Hanover 
• Katie Williams from Hartford 
• Jodi Hoyt from Tunbridge and Chelsea 

And Community Nurse Connection Executive Director Kristin Barnum chat with Alex Torpey on the Upper Valley Vibes/Rethink Local podcast about Community Nursing! 

They cover a brief of history of community nursing, and then hear from each nurse how things work in their towns, some great stories about how community nurses are meeting local healthcare needs, and how this unique healthcare delivery helps build community, especially in rural areas. We hope you enjoy!