{"id":68532,"date":"2025-09-26T16:33:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=68532"},"modified":"2025-09-26T16:33:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T20:33:49","slug":"with-kindness-and-dignity-uconnectcare-marks-50-years-of-service-in-genesee-orleans-counties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/26\/with-kindness-and-dignity-uconnectcare-marks-50-years-of-service-in-genesee-orleans-counties\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018With kindness and dignity\u2019 UConnectCare marks 50 years of service in Genesee, Orleans counties"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

John Bennett and Kathy Hodgins display the gifts they received in appreciation of their leadership of UConnectCare at the agency\u2019s 50th<\/sup>\u00a0Anniversary Gala & Silent Auction on Thursday night at Terry Hills Restaurant. Photos provided by UConnectCare.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Press release:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In celebrating 50 years of service to the community, UConnectCare Chief Executive Officer Kathy Hodgins credited past and present employees for striving to \u201ctreat people with kindness and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nonprofit substance use treatment, prevention, residential, detox and recovery services agency marked its half-century of operation on Thursday night with a 50th<\/sup> Anniversary Gala & Silent Auction at Terry Hills Restaurant in Batavia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until 2023, it was known as Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hodgins, who began her career at UConnectCare in 2002 as an intern, said many of those who choose this field of work have been affected by drug and\/or alcohol use in their families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSome are in recovery themselves,\u201d she said to the 90 people at the dinner. \u201cAll of us come to work to walk alongside people struggling with substance use disorder. We serve some of the most vulnerable people in our community and we serve them with compassion, respect and dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hodgins acknowledged the agency\u2019s leaders who came before her, starting with Robert Hoover in 1975 and continuing with Faith (Cole) Peterson from 1985-88, Sharon McWethy from 1988-2000, David Markham from 2000-2011 and John Bennett from 2011-2025.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

State Sen. George Borrello presents a proclamation in recognition of UConnectCare\u2019s half century of service to the community.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

UConnectCare was recognized through the presentation of proclamations from Sen. George Borrello, Chad Zambito (representing Assemblyman Steve Hawley) and Gregg Torrey, Genesee County legislator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all know there\u2019s a problem (with addiction), it\u2019s a growing problem. But you lift people up, one at a time, and you help their lives. And that\u2019s a beautiful thing,\u201d Borrello said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The UConnectCare board of directors presented gifts to Hodgins and Bennett in recognition of their leadership, with Board President Tim Batzel praising Hodgins for building upon the foundation of those before her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKathy brings a deep well of knowledge, experience and unwavering commitment to our mission,\u201d Batzel said. \u201cHer leadership is already shaping the future of UConnectCare in meaningful ways and I\u2019m proud to celebrate this milestone with her at the helm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Rochester comedian Dan Viola gets a bit animated during his routine that featured jokes about topics such as parenting, teaching and Gen Z<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

John Bennett and Kathy Hodgins display the gifts they received in appreciation of their leadership of UConnectCare at the agency\u2019s 50th\u00a0Anniversary Gala & Silent Auction on Thursday night at Terry Hills Restaurant. Photos provided by UConnectCare. Press release: In celebrating 50 years of service to the community, UConnectCare Chief Executive \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":68534,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,6],"tags":[5397,5398],"class_list":["post-68532","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesee-county","category-orleans-county","tag-with-kindness-and-dignity-uconnectcare-marks-50-years-of-service-in-genesee","tag-orleans-counties"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-hPm","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":61981,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/02\/19\/genesee-orleans-uconnectcare-promotes-hodgins-to-chief-executive-officer-position\/","url_meta":{"origin":68532,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/UConnectCare promotes Hodgins to chief executive officer position","author":"aka","date":"February 19, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Provided photo By Mike PettinellaUConnectCare publicist UConnectCare has promoted Kathy Hodgins of Medina, a 23-year-employee of the nonprofit substance use prevention, treatment and recovery agency, to chief executive officer. 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