An “UpBeat” Honoree
Celebrate Berlin! Award Recipient Takes Being a Positive Role Model to New Heights
(March 20, 2008) On the back of John Tedesco’s business card is the tagline “Positive Results for Life.” Granted, the trademarked line is property of John’s employer, Covidien (formerly U.S. Surgical) – but it could just as well apply to the cardholder himself.
You see, John Tedesco has been achieving positive results for Berlin youth for, well, a lifetime. And now he is being recognized for a job well done. John’s commitment to Berlin youth has earned him the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s 2008 Celebrate Berlin! community service award.
John will be honored and presented with his award next Friday evening, March 28, at the Berlin Chamber of Commerce’s 55th Annual Meeting and Awards Banquet at the Hawthorne Inn. Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m. (Call 860-829-1033 for information.)
A New Britain native and Berlin resident for the past 27 years, John’s involvement with Berlin youth began when his first child, John Joseph (or “J.T.”), was in elementary school. “The Berlin UpBeat program was looking for volunteers, and my wife Patty and I thought it would be good to get involved,” John says. Their involvement continued when daughter Tricia came along shortly thereafter. Today, some 20 years later, “J.T.” is a Holy Cross College graduate teaching in the Manchester public school system, Tricia is about to graduate from Stonehill College – and John and Patty? They remain squarely at the forefront of all things Berlin “UpBeat.”
“John Tedesco is an exceptional individual who epitomizes the spirit of volunteerism in the Berlin community,” said Alice Mitchell, the Berlin UpBeat director who nominated John. “His energy, positive attitude and ability to relate to young people have made him a wonderful role model for hundreds of young people he impacts each year.”
Berlin UpBeat is a comprehensive school and community-based character development and leadership training program which encourages Berlin youth to develop sound decision-making skills and to provide opportunities for positive community involvement and service. John’s role with the program has been, and remains, extensive.
He was founder of the Willard Elementary School UpBeat Team years ago. As a member of the town-wide UpBeat Community Team, he is involved in peer leadership and serves as a mentor for student peer leaders who have built handicap access ramps throughout Berlin, and annually build town-wide holiday displays and the Memorial Day parade float. As part of his peer leadership responsibilities, John regularly recruits additional adult volunteers and takes part in three yearly peer leadership training weekends at Camp Woodstock. He is also instrumental in coordinating the involvement of adult mentors and peer leaders in working for the Rebuilding Together Program in New Britain each April.
In addition to his exhaustive workload with UpBeat, John regularly puts his engineering background to good use through his involvement with the Berlin First Robotics Team for middle school students.
“I was a cub scout and my Dad passed away when I was young, so maybe this is my way of helping kids get along,” says John in talking about his commitment to community service. “I know the youth is our future, and that’s where I choose to make my investment.”
The other nominees for this year’s Berlin award, each with similar histories of extensive community service, were Don Dellaquila and Jim McNair.
Serving on the Selection Committee for the 2008 award were Mayor Adam Salina, chair; Cheryl Carlson, a Berlin resident, retired Director of Admissions for Mooreland Hill School and Foundation board member; Michael Cassetta, a local business leader and owner of commercial property in Berlin; Manon-Lu Christ, a Berlin resident and Foundation board member; Berlin Superintendent of Schools Michael Cicchetti; Kate Fueschel, Executive Director, Berlin Chamber of Commerce; Phyllis Kindelan, a Berlin resident and Foundation board member; Robert Mayer, Managing Editor, The Berlin Citizen; and Brad Parsons, a Berlin resident and Registered Representative with Parsons Financial Management, LLC.
The Celebrate Berlin! 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 the recipient, John earns the right to designate a $2,500 grant award from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to a Berlin charity or community service organization of his choice. That selection will be announced at the Chamber dinner.
Established in 1941, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain connects donors who care with causes that matter in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington. It does this by raising resources and developing partnerships that make a measurable improvement in the quality of life in each of these communities.
For more information on the Foundation, please call (860) 229-6018 or visit www.cfgnb.org.