BRATTLEBORO — December and January were busy months for the board of directors of Home at Last, a local nonprofit that helps find affordable housing for homeless veterans.
A modestly successful annual fund drive was concluded, which raised $24,000.
The board also welcomed four new members, and elected new officers as well.
Kate Harty of Springfield is recently retired from the White River Junction Veterans' Administration facility, where she served for many years as Director of Nursing and Outpatient Care. Most recently, Harty was Acting Director of the entire White River facility for a year.
Also joining the board is Tom Appel, owner of the New England Management Company, founded in 1988. NEMCO provides construction project management services to municipalities, non-profits, and private companies. To date NEMCO has been involved with over one hundred and thirty projects. Appel lives in Brattleboro.
Also from Brattleboro is Bob Lyons, a residential and commercial property manager. In addition to managing the Hooker-Dunham Building, Lyons is treasurer of the board of the Brattleboro Food Co-op.
Rounding out the quartet of new members is Steve West of Brattleboro, who is familiar to local audiences as the host of “Live and Local” on WKVT-AM 1490.
The board elected new officers for 2011. Robert Miller, co-founder of Home at Last, was elected chair. Miller, a disabled veteran of World War II, has been active in various public endeavors around Brattleboro for the past 20 years, having served on the board of the Bonnyvale Environmental Center, as a Town Meeting Representative, and as a member of the Brattleboro Union High School Board.
Harty was elected as the new vice-chair. Continuing as treasurer is Byron Stookey, known locally for his work with the Brattleboro Affordable Housing Corporation. Rounding out the Executive Committee is Jack Davidson as secretary. Davidson is a founder of the Trust Company of Vermont, where he works in trust administration and estate planning. Previously, he was director of the trust department at Vermont National Bank for 24 years.
Returning board members are Diana Bingham, co-founder and past chair, and former state Rep. Michael Obuchowski, who was recently appointed by Gov. Peter Shumlin to the position of Commissioner of the Department of Buildings and General Services.
At its January meeting, the board expressed its heartfelt thanks to the more than 100 mostly local donors to the annual Veterans' Day fund drive.
“Without them,” said co-founder Miller, “we could not exist, much less move forward!”