President

Karen Osbrey, a northeast Connecticut native, is the co-owner (with her husband Gary) of Osbrey Broadcasting Company and WINY Radio, a full-service community radio station located in Putnam, CT.  She began working at WINY in 1980 and purchased the company in 2001.   Karen has always been deeply committed to community involvement and service.   In addition to President of IHSP, Karen presently serves as President of the Putnam Arts Council, Executive Board Member of the Putnam Business Association, Co-Chair of Putnam’s Great Pumpkin Festival and Halloween Trick or Treat Night, Vice President of the Putnam Rotary Club Foundation and Board of Director for the Putnam Rotary Club.  She volunteers at the Daily Bread Food Pantry and is also a member of the Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation and The State of CT Arts Council.

Vice President

Lori Wajer was born and raised in Putnam.   She is the Director of Human Resources at Woodstock Academy, where she has worked since January of 1980.   Lori has a long history of service to her community, including her many years of service to the Philanthropy Committee at Day Kimball Hospital.  She currently serves on the DKH Women’s Board, Friends of Hospice at DKH and St. Mary’s League of Catholic Women.  She is also a long-time volunteer at Daily Bread.  Lori resides in Woodstock with her husband. 

Treasurer

Kathi retired as Technical Service and Regulatory Affairs Manager from Aearo Company, the former American Optical Safety Products Business, in 2000.  Since that time she has been a Caregiver of People in Northeastern Conn.

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She serves as the Treasurer of the Living Faith United Methodist Church and is also a member of the Outreach-Mission Team, the Church Council and the Board of Trustees.  Over 25 years ago she was instrumental in starting the Critical Needs Ministry which is still operational today.  This program provides furniture and household items to individuals and families in need in Northeastern Connecticut.  Kathi has also served as Treasurer and Board Member of the Nicaragua Planning Committee of the New England United Methodist Church which provides health care, food and education to an indigenous group of people in that country.  She has had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua five times.

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Since the establishment of Interfaith Human Services of Putnam in 2005, she has served as Secretary and Board Member.  Kathi is Program Coordinator for the IHSP-Daily Bread Food Pantry, the Putnam Fuel Fund and the Homelessness Assistance Program and oversees the NU2U Clothing Operation, a life long dream.  She has been instrumental in the establishment of the IHSP-Diaper Bank of NECT and serves as an Advisory Board Team Member.

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Kathi also serves as the Community Resource Coordinator & Treasurer for the Northeastern Connecticut Salvation Army Service Unit and as Secretary-Treasurer-Sexton of the Putnam Cemetery Association.

She has been the Recipient of the George J Racine Humanitarian Award from the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce; the L. Gerald LaPointe Award for Outstanding Community Service from the Putnam Lions Club and the Paul Harris Fellow Award from the Putnam Rotary Club.

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Kathi is a Lifelong resident of Putnam; the mother of three sons and daughter-in-laws and three grandchildren.

Diaper Bank Program Coordinator

Helen Ferland was born in Northampton, PA and grew up in Danielson, CT.  She is a graduate of Killingly High School and Grace Downs Airline School (NYC).  Helen worked for 12 years as a chairside dental assistant to Dr. Charles Brooks and 20 years as an Administrator of Medical Claims at Allmerica Worcester.  Now retired, she is a volunteer at Day Kimball Hospital (15 years and counting).  Helen is the founder and coordinator of the IHSP Diaper Bank of NECT.  In 2015, DCF awarded the Connecticut Kinship Award for NECT to Helen and her husband, Rene.  In 2016, Helen received the Outstanding Foster Parent Award from the Connecticut Association of Foster and Adoptive Parents. Helen resides in Putnam with her husband.  She has 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.   

Immediate Past President

Shawn was raised in Putnam, graduated from Putnam High School and Quinebaug Valley Community College and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in General Business from Nichols College.  Shawn is employed by Eversource Energy as a Community Relations Specialist and previously served sixteen years as State Representative in the CT General Assembly representing the towns of Putnam, Killingly and Thompson.  A previous President of IHSP, Shawn continues to serve on the Board of Directors and volunteers at the Daily Bread Food Pantry and he also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Northeast Economic Alliance which is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving and assisting  small business development in the 21 town Region of Northeastern CT.  Shawn resides in Thompson with his wife Rachael, owner of Johnston and Associates Real Estate and they enjoy their down time relaxing at Alexander’s Lake.

Coming soon...

Emily is a Putnam native, and has always lived and worked in or around the area. She graduated from Putnam High School and Eastern Connecticut State University with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. She is currently a Commercial Insurance Representative at Archambault Insurance Associates in Putnam. Emily is also a member of the Quinebaug Valley Regional Rotaract Club (QVR Rotaract), which works closely with IHSP, provides local high school scholarships, hosts fundraising events such as their Trivia Night and Cornhole Tournaments, donates to other local non-profit organizations, etc. She regularly volunteers with Daily Bread and in the Diaper Bank, and enjoys giving back to her community in any way possible.

Holly is a lifelong resident of Putnam and a member of Living Faith United Methodist Church, which has been a very important part of her life.  She worked at Day Kimball Hospital for 25 years, has volunteered with Hospice for 25 years and IHSP - Daily Bread for 34 years.  Holly has participated in several medical missions to Nicaragua and Honduras, serving the world’s hungry and poor.  She also volunteers every Friday at the Community Café.  Holly feels blessed with her children and grandchildren who are the light of her life.  She is a cancer survivor of 35 years and is also involved in the NECT Relay for Life. 

Marjorie was born & raised in Brooklyn, NY. She has a BS from Cornell University & an MS from Brandeis University. Marjorie is member of the Board of Directors & Ritual Committee of Congregation B’nai Shalom in Putnam. She has been active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary to Post 10088 in Thompson, at the local, District & State levels, winning several National & State awards.  For the past 26 years, she has been a member of the Greater Putnam Interfaith Council, which deals with the spiritual needs of the greater Putnam area as well as trying to create understanding & harmony between the many religious & ethnic groups in the community.  She has been on the Interfaith Human Services of Putnam board since its incorporation.  She has also volunteered at Daily Bread & The Community Kitchens of Northeast CT at both the Putnam & former North Grosvenordale sites. Through her membership in her volunteer organizations, she has organized or participated in many community service & veterans’ aid projects including Interfaith Thanksgiving, Peace Day & Earth Day programs, student bicycle rodeos, Halloween Parties for mentally challenged residents of the area, preparing gift bags for the residents of a local Domestic Violence Shelter & visits to VA hospitals & nursing homes.

Patricia Harrington is a native of northeastern Connecticut and is a graduate of Killingly High School.  She received her undergraduate degree in Business Education from Central Connecticut State University, her graduate degree in Education from Eastern Connecticut State University, and a 6th year certificate in Supervision from Southern Connecticut State University.  Now retired, Pat taught in the Business Department at the Woodstock Academy for 37 years.  While at the Academy, Pat was the co-founder, and co-advisor to Future Business Leaders of America, Chair of the Scholarship Committee, and three-time chair/co-chair for NEASC evaluations.  She is new to the IHSP Board and volunteers at the Daily Bread Food Pantry.

Coming soon...

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Coming soon...