FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington’s North Dining Hall was the festive setting for the recent annual employee recognition banquet for Franklin Community Health Network. Employees with 15 or more years of service and at five-year milestones were invited to attend.

Rebecca Ryder, FCHN president/CEO, welcomed the group and thanked everyone for the quality of their work. More than 80 employees were commended for their contributions.

Employees and their guests attended the banquet that included a meal, entertainment by comedian Tim Sample, and a booklet with anecdotes from a supervisor or colleague about each employee.

Mary O’Donal was acknowledged as the employee with 50 years of service. O’Donal started her career as a nurse’s helper at the original facility on the Fairbanks Road. When the new hospital opened at its present location in 1975, O’Donal started out as a unit secretary on the medical/surgical unit and moved to unit secretary in the operating room, before settling into the medical records department where she has been for the past 20 years.

Long-term employees Nancy Larue, med/surg unit coordinator, Carol James, lead laundry aide, Bill Nurse, medical lab histologist, and Susan Spear, patient registrar, were recognized for 40 or more years of service.

Franklin Community Health Network is an independent community health care network that includes Franklin Memorial Hospital, Franklin Health, Evergreen Behavioral Services, NorthStar, and the Healthy Community Coalition of Greater Franklin County.