June 16, 2005
One group is being honored for closing the employment gap and providing employment to refugees.
The Charlottesville International Rescue Committee honored the Farmington County Club. The second annual Leadership Award was presented to the country club for hiring over two dozen refugees with and providing them with benefits and onsite English as a second language classes.
Representatives from the club say that although honor is nice, helping is reward enough.
"We've benefited so much for working with IRC that I feel like we don't need to [be honored]. That's the reward, that's the award, really much more than anything else. In fact, we have this incredibly dedicated workforce, that they've brought so much to our workplace, and that I personally gain so much from being here and working with this group. The award seems unnecessary to me, almost. We feel very grateful," explained Allyn Gutausaas, Human Resource Manager for Farmington.
There are currently 42 refugees receiving help from IRC. Farmington Country Club has employed more than two dozen refugees since 1998.
Leadership Honors for Farmington Country Club 