Celebrate Southington! Award Selection Committee Named

(March 2, 2009) – Nine Southington business and community leaders have been chosen to serve on the selection committee for the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s Celebrate Southington! award, part of the Foundation’s four-town Celebrate Our Communities! community service awards program in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. 

The awards will honor one outstanding grassroots volunteer in each community, and a local charity of the honoree’s choice.

Co-Chairing the 2009 Selection Committee are Patricia Walden, vice president of BHC, Inc. and Southington Care Center, and Susan Smayda, director of the Southington Library.  Joining them will be: Richard Corcoran, executive director, United Way of Southington; Zachary Janowski, associate editor, The Southington Citizen; Harry Kyle, associate editor, The Southington Citizen; Andrew Meade, retired president and CEO, Lori-Lock, Inc., and a member of the Community Foundation Board of Directors; Joe LaPorte, chair of Southington’s Board of Park Commissioners; John Myers, executive director, Southington-Cheshire Community YMCAs; and the Rev. Victoria Triano, director of pastoral care at Southington Care Center and a member of the Community Foundation Board of Directors.

“This year’s committee features an outstanding cross-section of men and women who are committed to making Southington a thriving, caring community. “We are extremely grateful for their ready willingness to help us select and recognize this year’s Celebrate! honoree,” said Community Foundation President Jim Williamson.

The Celebrate Southington! award recipient, who will be announced in the spring, will earn the right to designate a $2,500 grant award from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to a Southington charity or community service organization of their choice. The Community Foundation has earmarked a total of $10,000 in grant awards for the program in its four communities.

The Southington Citizen serves as media sponsor of the award.

Media Contact
Susan Lewis (860) 243-1447 (office),
(860) 798-8909 (cell),
slewis@aomc.com