Kurn Hattin Homes Names 2023 Charles Albert Dickinson Award Recipients

New England Kurn Hattin Homes for Children has named Laura Duquette and Ivan Villavicencio of Essex Junction, Vermont as the 2023 recipients of its Charles Albert Dickinson Award at a ceremony held in December.

The award was named in honor of The Reverend Charles Albert Dickinson, who founded Kurn Hattin Homes in 1894, and has been presented annually since 2013 to recognize those who make a significant contribution to the field of child welfare and assistance.

Laura and Ivan became involved with Kurn Hattin Homes several years ago through their work with The St. Nicholas Project and their associations with Father Lance Harlow. This award recognizes their selfless dedication to the St. Nicholas Project in support of Kurn Hattin Homes, their untiring support of the children, their spirit of graciousness in all matters, and their wonderful efforts spreading the good news of Kurn Hattin Homes throughout the state of Vermont and beyond.  

The St. Nicholas Project is named after St. Nicholas, the Patron Saint of Children, who was renown for his charity toward children and families in need. While the aim of the Project is to provide financial and material aid, it also serves to disseminate information to potential benefactors. Laura and Ivan have been the Project’s champions, dedicated to the children of Kurn Hattin Homes. They have worked incredibly hard traversing the state and visiting almost every Catholic Church in Vermont on behalf of the Homes. Laura and Ivan have also spent countless hours at the Champlain Valley Fair and Expo over the last several years in addition to using their own personal finances for mailings to donors, travel expenses, and more. In their words of appreciation, Laura and Ivan stated, “In times of need, we believe the more the community supports each other, the better off we’ll be. That’s especially important when it comes to children who depend on a safe environment to learn, to grow, and to thrive. Our goal during our many interactions with people over the years has been to inspire them to do what they can to help the children, to help Kurn Hattin and your mission. The more we put into helping somebody else, the more we get in return.”