Judi Lydon-Ruby receives the Manuel Carballo Award for public service
By Joe Corrigan
COFAR would like to congratulate Judi Lydon-Ruby, recipient of the Manuel Carballo Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Service.
Judi is director of the Wrentham Developmental Center (WDC). She has had a long history with WDC, starting at the age of 16 in their kitchen until becoming director in 2018.
Roughly two years ago, we all woke up to learn of a growing pandemic the likes of which haven’t been seen in 100+ years. Most of us began to take precautions in our own immediate families by masking, distancing, etc.
Now imagine also having responsibility for an additional approximately 1,000 staff and nearly 200 very vulnerable residents with intellectual and other developmental disabilities (I/DD) and medical frailties in a campus setting. This describes the daunting task Judi was facing.
Beyond creating difficulties for staff in continuing to provide great everyday care for the residents, the pandemic created challenges that nobody was prepared for.
Throughout the pandemic, Judi has adapted to the challenges requiring masking, distancing, quarantining, isolation, testing, innoculations, vaccination mandates, resource balancing, hiring and training for infectious disease and more. She created a plan where there was none and no doubt helped people survive.
Given all that and more, the WDC Board of Trustees, along with support from the Wrentham Families Association, nominated Judi for the Manuel Carballo Governor’s Award in September 2021. The nomination was well received by the administration, and on January 10, 2022, Judi received the award.
Congratulations to Judi and her staff for a continuing job well done.
(Joe Corrigan is a COFAR Board member. His sister Patricia is a resident at WDC.)
Congratulations on well-deserved recognition for the important work that you do and for being an example of selfless love-in-action. Your care of and concern for the most vulnerable among us is inspiring and a cause for gratitude and celebration.
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Thank you for everything you do Judi, working so hard to make WDC the great place it is. Residents, staff, and families benefit every day from your hard work, and your passion for caring for our loved ones.
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Congratulations to Judi for her ongoing efforts to keep our residents safe and well cared for…
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Wow! What an achievement and you deserve it. I am always impressed with the quality of direct care workers, specialists and management at WDC. They say success starts at the top. Glad you are there for my son and others who are so vulnerable. I love to visit Wrentham, as I always come away smiling knowing all residents are in such good hands. Thanks again Judy for all you do for us parents by caring for our adult/child. We can rest easier now that we have some stability for our adult/child. If there is anything I can help with, you have only to ask.
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