LEWISTON — Karen Mercier, of Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice, was recently presented the Community Service Award by Advocates for Children. The agency has recognized a member of the community for his or her contributions to the prevention of child abuse since 1993. Recipients are selected based on their commitment to children and families either through work as a volunteer or in their professional capacity.

Mercier was nominated by Dr. Stephen Jacobs, a local pediatrician who first met her in 1985 when she worked as a staff nurse at Central Maine Medical Center. In March 1988, Mercier joined the AHCH team.

“Karen has been the primary pediatric nurse at AHCH for the majority of those years,” Jacobs said. “Her caseload includes the children who have the highest medical needs: children with chronic medical illness, multiple handicaps, profound developmental delays or treatment for cancer.”

He added, “Advocates for Children is an organization whose mission statement and goals are defined by the work that Karen does every day: empowering families, educating families, preventing abuse and promoting healthy families.”

To learn more about programs at Advocates for Children, call 783-3990 or go to www.advocatesforchildren.net.