RANDOLPH, Vt.— In recognition of his commitment to community members experiencing loss, the Rev. Tim Eberhardt of Gifford received the 2024 Arny Spahn Community Service Award from Clara Martin Center during the nonprofit’s recent annual meeting.
Eberhardt, who serves as Gifford’s spiritual care coordinator, facilitates a weekly grief support group, Living Through Loss. The group does not have a religious component and is open to all community members.
“Our clients who have experienced a significant loss and are looking to gain comfort and support from fellow community members have attended this group,” said Melanie Gidney, executive director of Clara Martin Center. “Tim is welcoming to each and every attendee.”
In addition to the Living Through Loss group, Eberhardt leads a team of Gifford volunteer chaplains who offer a nonsectarian presence for those who wish to meet with someone who will listen and hear them with compassion. For more information about the support group, including upcoming dates, visit giffordhealthcare.org. To connect with Eberhardt or a volunteer chaplain, call 802-728-2107.
The Arny Spahn Community Service Award is given to an individual who has exemplified community engagement and advocacy for the needs of individuals experiencing mental health or substance use challenges. The award is named in honor of Brookfield resident Arny Spahn, who has served on the Clara Martin Center Board of Trustees since 1976 and devoted his life to helping others. For more information about the award and Clara Martin Center, visit claramartin.org.
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CONTACT: Maryellen Apelquist, Communications Manager,
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Gifford is a community hospital in Randolph, Vt., with family health centers in Berlin, Bethel, Chelsea, Randolph, and Rochester, and specialty services throughout central Vermont. A Federally Qualified Health Center and a Top 100 Critical Access Hospital in the country, Gifford is a full-service hospital with a 24-hour emergency department and inpatient unit; many surgical services; an adult day program; 49-unit independent living facility, and a nursing home. The hospital’s mission is to improve individual and community health by providing and assuring access to affordable, high-quality health care in Gifford’s service area.
