Celebrate Plainville! Honoree is Making a Difference Right at Home

(April 6, 2010) - In 1988 Dayna R. Snell was part of a group of motivated new college graduates who joined the Department of Children and Families and wanted to make a difference in their communities. Dayna was born and raised in Plainville and has wonderful memories of growing up in a small town where she was fortunate to be surrounded by a loving family and a caring community. Now this may sound simple but those two elements were the key ingredients that explain her passion for helping children today. Dayna R. Snell was honored for her work with young people with the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s , Friday April 23 at the Plainville Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner at The Clarion Inn in Bristol.

Pictured above, recipient of the CFGNB "Celebrate Plainville Award" Dayna Snell accepts the$2,500 gift from Gerry Amodio, which will be donated to the Queen Ann NzingaCenter.

In her job working for the Department of Children and Families, Dayna admits she often sees children who are already in crisis. She began to ask herself what made her childhood different then those children? “I saw people who were just like me but what made me different was the fact that someone cared about me and believed in me,” Dayna said.  “I could sit back and not do anything about the problem or be part of the solution.” So Dayna started working on an idea that would help Plainville’s young people. She had meetings with her family, friends, other social workers, even members of her church. They planned and planned until one day she decided she could spend an entire year talking about it or just get it done. That’s what she did.

Two years after Dayna graduated from Bethany College with her B.S.W., she went into action.

With the help of those same family members, colleagues, friends, and church members, Dayna took her love for the performing arts, combined them with her concern for children and founded the Personal Enrichment Program (PEP). PEP’s objective is to help children develop positive life values and self-esteem using performing arts based on the African-American culture and by providing exposure to positive role models.

Dayna grew up in a musical family. Her grandmother, educated at The Hartt School of Music, was a classically trained pianist. Her mother was one of the first Female professional bass guitar players in New England, and her father was a Latin percussionist. So creating a program around the arts was second nature to her.

PEP’s first program performance was in recognition of Kwanzaa, the weeklong celebration reinforcing cooperative and family values in the African-American community. Since PEP began members have performed at nursing homes, schools, churches, and hospitals in the region. Her students perform at Martin Luther King Day programs, the Plainville Downtown Christmas Lighting Festival and in December of 2009, Dayna spearheaded the Annual Kwanzaa Celebration for the 20th year. They have even performed in the historic Bushnell Memorial Hall in Hartford.

Her programs have touched the lives of hundreds of children. Dayna remembers one young lady who had a beautiful voice but had some learning difficulties in school. She was shy but when she got into the group, “She was allowed to shine,” said Dayna, beaming with pride. That young lady later became a member of Americorps and even traveled as a singer with the international cast of Up With People.

In 2003, the Queen Ann Nzinga Center was established as the umbrella organization for the Personal Enrichment Program. A male mentoring program, sponsored in part by the Norton Trust and American Savings Foundation and P.R.I.D.E., a girls mentoring program sponsored by Bristol Main Street Foundation Women and Girls Fund were also added to the Center’s roster of initiatives.

As the volunteer Executive Director of Plainville’s Queen Ann Nzinga Center, Dayna keeps a frenetic pace. In addition to running the three programs, she maintains her fulltime job as a Program Supervisor at DCF and serves as the music director of the adult choirs at her church. She is also the mother of five whose ages range from 30 to 6 years old. 

When she looks back on what has brought her to this place, she does have one memory that motivates her. “I remember my elementary school principal told me that I would amount to nothing,” remembers Dayna. “I felt that she couldn’t do that to me. I wanted to make it my business to tell everybody that they can be something.”

Dayna feels there is too much negativity in the world today. She says, “I have a community worldview where we need to be responsible for each other. You almost have to get back to basics like respect. We need to spend a lot of time teaching, modeling, and supporting.”

Listening to Dayna and looking at all the things she has accomplished and the lives she’s touched, it is proof that you can never underestimate the power of family and community.

The Town of Plainville is fortunate to have residents who are so willing and ready to give of their time. Other community volunteers who were nominated for the award were: Perry A. Cole, a Plainville resident was nominated for his leadership and community service work with the Plainville Scouts. Jack Demmons was nominated for his energy and willingness to gives back to his community and he has instilled the same sense of service to his three young sons. Matt Gingras, nominated for his efforts supporting countless Plainville athletes and sports events. Helen Marinilli, who through her volunteer work has touched the Plainville community from its senior citizens to teenagers. Dottie Nelson of Bristol was nominated for her volunteer service benefiting Plainville’s Youth, Charles Smedick, nominated for his volunteer work with underage drinking prevention programs in Plainville, and Brenda Tella an extraordinary youth mentor who has overcome some barriers of her own and still manages to volunteer for our youth.

Chairperson of the 2010 Celebrate! Plainville! Awards Committee, Linda Ferguson knew the selection was going to be a challenge. “ It always amazes me when we start this process how many wonderful people we have here in Plainville that give so much to the community,” said Linda. “Dayna’s dedication for so many years and the number of lives she has touched has been remarkable. Her work reminds us that if we take the time with our youth we can make a positive difference in their lives and that is what Dayna achieves everyday.  A heartfelt Congratulations to her!” Linda concluded.

The Celebrate! Plainville Award is part of the Foundation’s four-town Celebrate Our Communities! Community service awards program in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville, and Southington. The Celebrate Awards have four objectives: To raise awareness of the importance of volunteerism and community service; to offer recognition to deserving volunteers who have made a difference in their communities; to provide financial support to local charities and to raise awareness of the important work that the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain does in its four service communities

As this year’s recipient, Dayna earns the right to designate a $2,500 grant award from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to a Plainville charity or community service organization of her choice. Dayna chose the Queen Ann Nzinga Center.