TRENTON, Ga. - Local resident Connie Therrien splits her time between working eight hours a day from home for Cigna and doing volunteer work.
Most days each week, she is helping with operations of the Dade Animal Resource Team, a spay and neuter assistance program for the county. In the past four years, she has assisted with spaying and neutering more than 3,000 animals.
The Dade Animal Resource Team also provides rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats in the county.
"We're decreasing disease in the community, and the number of unwanted or feral animals," said Therrien, the owner of three dogs and two cats. "We're also decreasing the possibility of rabies spreading. The activities we do have a direct impact on this community."
It's the impact of Therrien's volunteerism that made her stand out among Cigna's 27,000 employees to eventually become the company's volunteer employee of the year for 2010. She received the Philadelphia-based award last month during a lunch with the company's chief executive, David Cordani.
Gianna Jackson, executive director of Cigna Foundation, said the award is part of the company's Community Caring Awards, which have been given for the past 28 years. The volunteer employee of the year receives $2,500 for personal use and $2,500 to give to their volunteer organization, she said.
ABOUT THE WINNER* Connie Therrien has worked for Cigna for more than 11 years and has spent the past two years working from home.* She currently serves as a senior auditor for the company.* In her off hours, she volunteers with a local spay and neuter program most days each week.* She was named Volunteer Employee of the Month in June 2009, and chosen by the company - out of 27,000 employees - as the Volunteer Employee of the Year earlier this year.* Her prize for the award was $5,000 - $2,500 for personal use and $2,500 for her volunteer organization.Source: Connie Therrien
"The reason we give individuals money directly is because we find that people who volunteer at that level generally spend a lot of their own money," Jackson said. "And we want to make the award meaningful."
Jackson said it's always a tough decision determining who will win the award, but it was Therrien's commitment and "tireless work with the organization" that set her apart from other applicants.
"Most of our winners have done more direct human services to human health," Jackson said. "But the connection between the health of animals and health of human beings was clear, and we thought it aligned well with our mission to improve the health of the people we serve."
Jimmy Stewart, Dade Animal Resource Team president, said Therrien has been an integral part of the nonprofit organization since its inception in 2006. He said she's done everything from fostering animals to administering vaccinations.
"She might as well be a veterinarian," he said. "She's tireless, and we're so proud."
Therrien said the $2,500 going to DART will pay for 100 animals to be spayed or neutered. Aside from the monetary assistance, Therrien said she feels lucky to work at a company that puts a premium on volunteerism.
"I would do this if I never had anything out of it," she said. "It's an internal desire to help animals and to help this community."