2023 Golden Service Award
Meet Nikki
This year’s annual Golden Service Award Recipient goes to a very special individual. Identifying just one individual each year, in a pool of people who continuously go above and beyond, is no small feat. This person is nominated by supervisors and peers, and then thoroughly considered to ensure that service has been superior, always meets the mission, and makes a genuine difference in the lives of families and individuals whom we serve.
This year, when faced with the task of choosing a recipient, the response was unanimous. There is an individual here tonight who has put self aside and risen as a leader and a team player time and time again. This evening, I am fortunate to have the honor of announcing Nicole Hart as Nashua Center’s Golden Service Award Recipient.
Nicole started her journey with Nashua Center over 8 years ago. In her early days with Nashua Center, Nicole started as a Direct Support Professional in the LIFE-OP program. Nicole worked with several individuals, supporting their needs with dignity and grace. Nicole was very receptive to learning in her role, and she always came in with a positive attitude and an openness to try new things in order to best adapt to and meet the needs of the young adults in the LIFE-OP program. Her supervisor at the time, Nora Driscoll, saw many strengths within Nicole and knew that she was ripe to grow and mature into new roles.
There came a time when The Children’s Pyramid was looking for a Family Support Associate (we refer to is as FSA), which is an important and critical service coordination role. This role is multi-faceted, handling the coordination of important paperwork and detailing for family eligibility, scheduling therapy sessions, ensuring documentation requirements are met for regulations, and really serves as the backbone of The Children’s Pyramid team approach to therapeutic services. This was an opportunity for Nicole to grow and develop, and she embraced the opportunity, and Nora knew it was a new chapter that Nicole deserved and was ready for.
Flash forward 5 years….. Nicole has been not just successful in her role as an FSA, but thriving and often rising to leadership status when it’s time to take on new projects, or just maintaining the basic services at times when the cards seemed against us. Let us not forget that The Children’s Pyramid marched its way through the pandemic. What was a program based solely on individualized home therapy visits, turned to tele-health virtually overnight. This required new technology, reorganization, new methods of communication, virtual learning and signatures from families, and more. It was literally flipping the program on its head. And who was there to assist with all of those changes in a time of dire need? Nicole Hart. In her calm demeanor, bringing her youthful knowledge of technology and solutions, offering to train both staff and families alike…. She was a beacon of strength at a time when The Children’s Pyramid most needed it.
Now, 3 years out from the onset of the pandemic, Nicole has weathered so many alterations and changes. As we rolled out of the shelter-in-place, we started re-entering homes, we added a satellite office in Derry, and maintained the office in Nashua. Nicole bounces from location to location, maintaining critical communication with her team and her families, ensuring that all of the essential functions are met. And, due to her elevated scrutiny on detail and accuracy, we have remained in 100% compliance on all documentation regulations year after year.
I would also be remiss if I did not share that Nicole goes above and beyond her role in another way. Each year, we have our infamous Taste of the Towns fundraiser. Nicole, in her eagerness to help the organization as a whole, has been a part of the hard-working committee for several years. Nicole has the daunting job of soliciting vendors and organizations for silent and live auction items. Hundreds of emails, several pages of excel tracking, and helping to put it all together for the day of event…. Nicole has brought us several thousand dollars in contributions through her extra efforts.
This year, when faced with the task of choosing a recipient, the response was unanimous. There is an individual here tonight who has put self aside and risen as a leader and a team player time and time again. This evening, I am fortunate to have the honor of announcing Nicole Hart as Nashua Center’s Golden Service Award Recipient.
Nicole started her journey with Nashua Center over 8 years ago. In her early days with Nashua Center, Nicole started as a Direct Support Professional in the LIFE-OP program. Nicole worked with several individuals, supporting their needs with dignity and grace. Nicole was very receptive to learning in her role, and she always came in with a positive attitude and an openness to try new things in order to best adapt to and meet the needs of the young adults in the LIFE-OP program. Her supervisor at the time, Nora Driscoll, saw many strengths within Nicole and knew that she was ripe to grow and mature into new roles.
There came a time when The Children’s Pyramid was looking for a Family Support Associate (we refer to is as FSA), which is an important and critical service coordination role. This role is multi-faceted, handling the coordination of important paperwork and detailing for family eligibility, scheduling therapy sessions, ensuring documentation requirements are met for regulations, and really serves as the backbone of The Children’s Pyramid team approach to therapeutic services. This was an opportunity for Nicole to grow and develop, and she embraced the opportunity, and Nora knew it was a new chapter that Nicole deserved and was ready for.
Flash forward 5 years….. Nicole has been not just successful in her role as an FSA, but thriving and often rising to leadership status when it’s time to take on new projects, or just maintaining the basic services at times when the cards seemed against us. Let us not forget that The Children’s Pyramid marched its way through the pandemic. What was a program based solely on individualized home therapy visits, turned to tele-health virtually overnight. This required new technology, reorganization, new methods of communication, virtual learning and signatures from families, and more. It was literally flipping the program on its head. And who was there to assist with all of those changes in a time of dire need? Nicole Hart. In her calm demeanor, bringing her youthful knowledge of technology and solutions, offering to train both staff and families alike…. She was a beacon of strength at a time when The Children’s Pyramid most needed it.
Now, 3 years out from the onset of the pandemic, Nicole has weathered so many alterations and changes. As we rolled out of the shelter-in-place, we started re-entering homes, we added a satellite office in Derry, and maintained the office in Nashua. Nicole bounces from location to location, maintaining critical communication with her team and her families, ensuring that all of the essential functions are met. And, due to her elevated scrutiny on detail and accuracy, we have remained in 100% compliance on all documentation regulations year after year.
I would also be remiss if I did not share that Nicole goes above and beyond her role in another way. Each year, we have our infamous Taste of the Towns fundraiser. Nicole, in her eagerness to help the organization as a whole, has been a part of the hard-working committee for several years. Nicole has the daunting job of soliciting vendors and organizations for silent and live auction items. Hundreds of emails, several pages of excel tracking, and helping to put it all together for the day of event…. Nicole has brought us several thousand dollars in contributions through her extra efforts.
Nicole, I speak for all of us here at Nashua Center, when I say that you embody the spirit of our mission and values. You go above and beyond to meet the needs of the individual, the family, the program, your team, and this organization. We are grateful for your service and your professionalism. And we couldn’t have made it through these last few years without you. I am thrilled to share with you this Golden Service Award.
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Nashua Center, 18 Simon Street, Nashua, NH 03060 Phone:
603-883-6163