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FDRHPO Announces 2025 North Country Community Health
Hero Award Recipients
Published: October 08, 2025
at 07:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from Fort Drum Regional Health
Planning Organization
2025 North
Country Community Health Heroes Announced
Individuals from
Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties to be honored at Community
Health Hero Award luncheon
 Watertown, NY –Fort Drum
Regional Health Planning Organization (FDRHPO) and North Country Health
Compass Partners are pleased to announce the 2025 Community Health Hero
Award recipients.
One Health Hero
was chosen in each of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence counties who have
exhibited a deep sense of dedication, compassion, and selflessness in their
efforts to address health-related issues and challenges that affect our
local communities. Their contributions have led to positive and lasting
impacts on the health of those they serve.
The 2025
recipients of the Community Health Hero Award are:
·
Jefferson County – Jessica Sheldon, Owner, FAITH
Riding Center, and Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Building Blocks Family
Services.
Jessica Sheldon
·
Lewis County – Brandy
Kirch, Homeless Care Manager, Snow
Belt Housing Company, Inc.
Brandy Kirch
·
St. Lawrence County – Michele Catlin, Diabetes Program
Specialist, Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center
Michele Catlin
The Community
Health Hero Award – given in honor of National Rural Health Day
(November 20, 2025) – recognizes North Country residents who have
demonstrated outstanding public service and a commitment to improving the
health and wellness of their community. Nominations were accepted from
community members, and recipients were chosen by the North Country Health
Compass partners.
“Each year, the
Health Hero nominations remind us of how many extraordinary people are
making a difference in our communities. This year's nominees are incredibly
dedicated, compassionate, and inspiring individuals who we are so pleased
to recognize,” said Pat Fontana, Deputy Director for FDRHPO.
This year’s guest
speaker will be Anna Platz, Community Services Director for Lewis County.
Platz, a 2019 North Country Community Health Hero Award recipient, was
recognized for her impactful work in suicide prevention during her time as
a Public Health Specialist with Lewis County Public Health.
An awards
luncheon will be held on November 19 at the Hilton Garden Inn
Watertown/1000 Islands from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets to attend the
luncheon are $20, and registration is required.
To register for
the event, visit www.fdrhpo.org.
For more about
National Rural Health Day, visit https://nosorh.org/nrhd/.
For more
information about the 2025 North Country Community Health Hero Awards,
contact Holly Boname, Communications Coordinator at FDRHPO, by emailing hboname@fdrhpo.org.
# # #
About the Fort Drum Regional Health
Planning Organization
FDRHPO works to
strengthen the system for health for the
integrated Fort Drum and civilian community through analysis,
identification of needs and leveraging of resources to fill gaps through
innovation and collaboration. For more about
FDRHPO, visit www.fdrhpo.org.
About the North Country Health Compass
Partners
The North Country
Health Compass Partners is a collaborative of local hospitals, public
health agencies, behavioral healthcare providers, prevention councils, and
community-based organizations that meets monthly
to discuss and review the community’s population health priorities.
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