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Erin Gargan (left) and Ann-Marie Banfield (right) receive the Stoker Ward of Appreciation Photo: Dr. Bob Loney

Ann-Marie Banfield and Erin Gargan have worked together in the Faculty of Dentistry for 19 years. As members of the Facilities Management team, they keep the clinics in tiptop shape and cheerfully greet faculty, staff, and students as they do their work.

Kind hearts lie behind the cheerful smiles. And that kindness was recently recognised when they were presented with the Facilities Management Stoker Award of Appreciation.

Last year, when Erin and Ann-Marie heard that their colleague Gerry Stacy had terminal cancer, they decided to do what they could to raise money for Gerry and his family.

In early August, they set up a table in the in entryway to the Dentistry Building and sold tickets on a gift basket and several other prizes they had assembled with the help of four colleagues. They also held a fundraising barbecue, which Gerry and his wife were able to attend.

"We raised $4000 in four days," says Erin. "The money helped Gerry to cover the cost of his cancer medication." Gerry died in December 2016.

At the 2016 Facilities Management Christmas dinner, everyone had the opportunity to vote for the teams that had gone above and beyond that year. Ann-Marie and Erin and the rest of their team were declared the winners for their fundraising for Gerry Stacy.

"It meant a lot that our own colleagues voted for us," says Erin.

Erin and Ann-Marie were presented with the plaque on April 11. "We didn’t know anything about the plaque," says Ann-Marie. "So it was a lovely surprise."

Erin and Ann-Marie get to keep the plaque for a year before it gets presented to the next winners.  Congratulations, Erin and Ann-Marie!