Providence, RI. – The New England Society for Healthcare Communications has honored Crotched Mountain Specialty Hospital with three Lamplighter Awards for communications excellence.

The 2009 Lamplighter competition included 250 entries from more than 60 organizations throughout the New England region.

Crotched Mountain was honored in the competition's external publications category for its newsletter Horizons, in the electronic marketing category for The View From Crotched Mountain, a new podcast series, and in the special purpose publications category for Opening the Mountain for Everyone, a fundraising brochure supporting its outdoor recreation project.

Redesigned three years ago by Yasvin Design and produced by Crotched Mountain's Office of Advancement, Horizons is for families and friends of Crotched Mountain. The four-color, eight-page newsletter is mailed three times per year to an audience of 9,300. It uses a clear editorial format and compelling images to raise awareness about the people Crotched Mountain serves and their challenges – and that Crotched Mountain is worthy of support.

The View From Crotched Mountain podcast features topics of interest to persons with disabilities and their families. Targeted to the layperson, it showcases Crotched Mountain's staff expertise on topics ranging from autism to brain injury and assistive technology. Produced by Louis Karno & Company Communications of Concord, it is available for free subscription through iTunes.

Opening the Mountain for Everyone is a large format (9 x 12), four-color brochure created by Yasvin Design, which familiarizes potential donors with the outdoor recreation project at Crotched Mountain. The brochure reflects the broad scope of the project, with individual sections devoted to the various regions of the accessible trail system and a map providing a comprehensive overview.

"Our entrants worked hard to produce results for their organization and deserve to be recognized," said Kevin McDonald, president of NESHCo and vice president of marketing and planning at Southwestern Vermont Health Care in Bennington, Vermont. "The Lamplighter Awards shines a light on the best and brightest PR, marketing and communications work from healthcare organizations throughout New England."

About the New England Society for Health Care Communications
For four decades, NESHCo has served as the region's premier professional development organization for communication professionals working in the health care industry. The Society is composed of nearly 300 members throughout New England.

About Crotched Mountain
Crotched Mountain is a charitable organization whose mission is to serve individuals with disabilities and their families, embracing personal choice and development, and building communities of mutual support. Crotched Mountain provides specialized education, rehabilitation, community, and residential support services for more than 2,000 consumers, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly, living in New England and New York. For more information about Crotched Mountain, please visit http://www.crotchedmountain.org/.

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