THE GIFT OF GIVING

Gifts have recently been received in honor of: Anne Pelsue Golec, Marion Otis Lewis & Ann Otis McDowell Grace Cottage Nurses Dr. Moss Linder & Dr. Elizabeth Linder Carleen Pelsue’s 65th birthday

Grace Cottage Hospital is the recipient of annual Matching Gifts from IBM Corporation, thanks to the generosity of an IBM employee who works out of his home in Grafton, Vermont, and an IBM retiree who lives year-round in Windham, Vermont. IBM offers a 100% match to hospitals of gifts from IBM employees and the corporation provides a 50% match of gifts to hospitals given by IBM retirees.

Keith Hermiz and his wife, Rachel LaLiberte, moved from Arlington, Virginia to Grafton in 2003. Keith, who has a Ph.D in Applied Mathematics, has been with IBM for 11 years and is currently Manager of Consulting Analytics; from his home office in Grafton, he is linked to the world via Instant Messages, AOL, E-mail, and phone teleconferences with contacts world-wide. He views IBM’s matching gift program as part of his compensation package.

“I feel strongly about IBM’s matching gift program because it allows the company to align its philanthropic efforts with the passions of its employees,” said Keith.

Ernest Friedli worked at IBM for 36 years prior to his retirement in 1983. “For many years, I was the assistant plant manager of the Kingston, NY plant, where we made computers that sold for $5 million dollars each - and they were less than half as capable as today’s standard computers!”

Ernie’s last job at IBM was as the director of manufacturing for IBM in the Far East, so he and his wife spent three years in Japan before they retired to their second home in Windham.

“I hear so many people say ‘I don’t know what I’d do without Grace Cottage’, and Sheila and I feel the same way,” said Ernie. “I think it’s great that IBM honors my donations to Grace Cottage by making them larger.”

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