Welcome to one of our new segments where we are profiling the towns that we serve. On deck this month is Bethel! With nearly 100 years of presence in this town, Bethel is also called ‘home’ by 25 RVNAhealth employees. Read more to find out what we’ve been up to in Bethel, read some input from local friends and supporters, and get the inside scoop on ‘best of’ recommendations by some of our very own local team!

Fun Facts about Bethel:

• Location: Northern Fairfield County, 60 miles northeast of New York City
• Size: ~20,000 population
• Fun Fact: Bethel is the birthplace to Phineas Taylor Barnum (P.T. Barnum), founder of the circus that became the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• RVNAhealth Fact: Bethel is home to 25 RVNAhealth employees!
• While in Bethel…Our own employee recommendations:
  • Best pizza: 3 way tie on this one – there must be a lot of good pizza in Bethel! Check these out: Famous Pizza, Bethel Pizza House, and Victoria’s Pizza
  • Best ice cream: Dr. Mike’s Ice Cream Shop (Marie M., QAPI Clinical Specialist)
  • Best coffee: Molten Java (Melissa G., CNA)
  • Best hiking place: Franc Preserve – The Friends of the Franc Preserve recently established a native wildflower meadow (Julia D., Development Manager)
  • Best place for a picnic: Meckauer Park (Laura C., Director of Community Health and Wellness)
  • Best historical gem: Poker Rock (Christine F., Hospice CNA)
  • Other Best (write-in category): A lot of people don’t realize the Bethel Fire Department has a museum. It has a lot of amazing artifacts including firetruck from the early 1900s (Julia D.).

RVNAhealth Events in Bethel:

• Mary Edna Cargill Scholarship Awards, June 2021. Since 1968, the Mary Edna Cargill Scholarship has been awarded each year to Bethel residents who are enrolled in or accepted to a degree program in a health-related field. This scholarship memorializes Mary Edna Cargill, a Bethel VNA nurse who was both a school and home care nurse. This year’s awards went to 4 deserving students — read more here.
• Bethel Shop & Stroll, July 2021. We had a blast meeting people during this summer event. Our balance assessments and hugs with our therapy dog, Sophia, made for a fun day!
• Bethel Healthcare window painting, August 2021. Our own Kathy Haven, RVNAhealth Lead Account Manager, stepped up to help our partner, Bethel Healthcare, create window painting masterpieces to bring cheer to residents and patients.
• NFP Food & Supplies Drive, November 2021. We thank Caraluzzi’s Bethel for allowing us to collect needed items for the RVNAhealth Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program. The NFP program provides nursing help and support for young, first-time, low-income Moms from pregnancy through age 2.
• RVNAhealth Flu Clinics in Bethel, September-November 2021. We were honored to be able to deliver 580 flu shots at 10 RVNAhealth flu clinics held in Bethel this past fall.

Words with Friends:

This month we reached out to some friends who live or work in Bethel and asked them to say a few words about their relationship with RVNAhealth. We value all our relationships in Bethel – employees, patients, partners, and supporters. We are honored to work, live, and serve in this wonderful community!

Stan Kessler, DDS, RVNAhealth Board Member. “After being a member of the Board of Directors of the Bethel Visiting Nurse Association for many years, I was asked to join the inaugural Board of the newly formed RVNAhealth, which merged Bethel’s VNA with New Milford’s and Ridgefield’s VNAs. Since its founding in 1927, Bethel’s VNA successfully grew and evolved through changing and challenging public health care needs, while maintaining its focus on its individual clients. Combining the three VNAs has resulted in both continuing the excellent personal care that the Bethel VNA provided and expanding the numerous services that are available. We can now add hospice care, physical therapy, in-home rehabilitation, personal care giving, public health and safety programs, and numerous other services that support everyone from neonatal to end of life care. I am proud to support RVNAhealth!”

Dan Carter, RVNAhealth Board Member. “There is nothing more important than the health and safety of our town’s residents and the VNA, first as Bethel VNA and now as RVNAHealth, has been there for us every step of the way! Over the years I have run into people of all ages across our town that have benefited from the care and services of the professionals at RVNAhealth, and I have learned they provide so much more than in-home care. It’s what prompted me to join the board of directors and help them provide healthcare when and where it is needed. I encourage Bethel residents to check out RVNAhealth and learn more about the services available.”

Brenda Moon LPN, COF, CMF, CDME, CPC-A, Medical Home Care, Bethel, BOC Certified Orthotic & Mastectomy Fitter, DME Sales. “I have worked with both Bethel VNA and RVNAhealth for many years, referring patients when appropriate and working together for the people we both care for and for the Bethel community. RVNAhealth is fabulous and the full circle of services, from rehab to home health care to the clinicians covering so many towns. I know who to call at RVNAhealth for questions and resources for my clients.  Medical Home Care has been involved with RVNAhealth’s annual Health Fair for many years. RVNAhealth was a hero during the pandemic.  I know a lot of people in town and many local companies provide my personal services like McKleans Cleaners, Stony Hill Dental, Quality Gem and Hollandia. RVNAhealth is a home health care agency that has Bethel’s back.”