Ten Community Servants Nominated for Celebrate Southington! Award
(March 10, 2008) A total of 10 individuals have been nominated as candidates for the Celebrate Southington! Award, part of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s four-town Celebrate Our Communities! community service awards program in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington.
The recipient of the 2008 award, which honors an outstanding grassroots volunteer in Southington, 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 recipient will be honored at the United Way of Southington’s Community Stakeholders Breakfast Thursday, April 24, at The Orchards at Southington. For information, call (860) 628-4565.
This year’s nominees are:
• Regina Ciss, a Plantsville resident, longtime volunteer and friend to all at The Orchards at Southington (nominated by Audrey Vinci).
• Merinda DePaolo, a Southington resident who for decades has served community service programs and organizations in Southington including the Margaret C. Griffin Child Development Center, Saint Thomas School, Southington Community Services and more (nominated by the Margaret C. Griffin Child Development Center).
• Stuart Estra, a Southington resident and volunteer for numerous organizations including Southington Parks and Recreation, Southington Duck Race, Salvation Army, Bread for Life, Walk for Warmth and more (nominated by Janet Mellon).
• Louise Gagne, a Southington resident, advocate for the elderly and volunteer at Southington Care Center (nominated by Lisa Crofton).
• Shirley Mason, a Southington resident and volunteer for more than 20 years with Bread for Life (nominated by Laura Grzywinski).
• Carole Milano, a Southington resident, advocate for the arts and president for more than 20 years of the Southington Arts Council (nominated by Karen Cirincione).
• Chet Potrepka, a Southington resident, Rotarian, longtime PTO member and volunteer on behalf of youth within Southington’s public schools (nominated by Jill Notar-Francesco).
• Paul Rosin, a Southington resident a volunteer with the Southington-Cheshire Community YMCAs’ Camp Sloper Outdoor Center (nominated by Mark Pooler).
• Kathleen Stevens, a Marion resident, organizer of the Southington Apple Harvest Parade and volunteer with the Southington Emblem Club #527 (nominated by Kim Horton).
• Madeline Zoni, a Plantsville resident and volunteer for many years with numerous programs including the Southington PTO, Cub Scouts, Milldale Volunteer Fire Department, Southington Band Backers, Bradley Memorial Hospital Women’s Auxiliary, VNA Food Bank and more (nominated by Susan Zoni).
Co-Chairing the 2008 Celebrate Southington! Award Selection Committee is Patricia Walden, vice president of BHC, Inc. and Southington Care Center, and Joe LaPorte of the Town’s Board of Park Commissioners. Serving on the committee along with Walden and LaPorte are: Richard Corcoran, Executive Director, United Way of Southington; Harry Kyle, Associate Editor, Southington Citizen; Andrew Meade, retired president and CEO, Lori-Lock, Inc., and a member of the Community Foundation board of directors; John Myers, Executive Director, Southington-Cheshire Community YMCAs; Susan Smayda, director of the Southington Library; and the Rev. Victoria Triano, director of pastoral care at Southington Care Center and a member of the Community Foundation board of directors.
The Southington Citizen serves as media sponsor of the Celebrate Southington! Award. Nominations closed on February 29.
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. For more information on the Foundation, please call (860) 229-6018 or visit www.cfgnb.org.
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