News Room
Medicare Volunteer Wins National 'Enrich America' Award
Monday May 5, 2008
Saco, Maine—The MetLife Foundation has selected Stan Cohen of Bridgton, Maine to receive a Silver 2008 Older Volunteers Enrich America Award. Stan is a Volunteer Medicare Advocate for the Agency on Aging. The Awards Ceremony will be held on May 9 in The Rotunda at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.
Carol Rancourt, who manages the Medicare Education component at the Southern Maine Agency on Aging, nominated Stan for this prestigious award. Here are a few excerpts from the nomination:
"Volunteer Medicare Advocate Stan Cohen has had a major impact on one of the most rural areas of Cumberland County. The Lakes Region communities are well served by Stan Cohen’s regular office hours with partner organization Bridgton Hospital. Stan also is available by appointment at the Bridgton Community Center, and he visits beneficiaries' homes in the eight or so towns surrounding Bridgton. In the last four years Stan has assisted 680 individuals in more than 800 different sessions. Also, Stan writes a weekly Medicare information column called, “Medicare Nuggets” for the “Bridgton News,” a weekly newspaper. He has shared his articles for publication in other newspapers around the state, including “Senior News."
Stan has made it possible for 3,200 people over the age of 60 in the Lakes Region to have the expertise of a trained Medicare Advocate close to home.
Stan has created a network of services for seniors and Medicare beneficiaries that did not previously exist. Using a volunteer in this type of leadership role is not typical. Stan is the Medicare information and fraud go-to-guy in northern Cumberland County. Stan's special skills have made him a standout volunteer. His leadership, computer skills, analysis skills and people skills have allowed him to establish and maintain a Medicare presence where one would not exist but for his professional volunteerism. Stan is highly valued and respected and through his many efforts, he has rendered even more credibility and visibility to the Agency on Aging.”
To learn more about becoming a Volunteer Medicare Advocate, contact Carol Rancourt at 396-6547 or 1-800-427-7411 x547.
