Celebrate Awards Program To Honor Volunteerism, Community Service
Community Foundation Earmarks $10,000 in Grants for Local Charities
Those who are inclined to volunteer their time for charitable causes or to help those less fortunate usually do so selflessly and often in obscurity, with little expectation of notoriety or fanfare.
In Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington, that’s about to change.
The Community Foundation of Greater New Britain has announced establishment of the Celebrate Our Communities! community service awards program. The awards – one each to be presented in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington – will honor an outstanding grassroots volunteer in each town, and a local charity of the honoree’s choice.
A total of $10,000 has been earmarked in grant awards for the program by the Foundation. The winner in each community will earn the right to designate a $2,500 grant to a local charity of their choice, subject to approval of the Community Foundation Board of Directors.
According to Community Foundation President Jim Williamson, 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.
“In today’s hectic and ever-more global society, the ability to make one’s own hometown a better place to live through community service is often elusive,” said Williamson. “Yet there are those, thankfully, for whom community service remains a priority; they somehow find the time and energy to answer the call of volunteerism despite competing demands. This award celebrates those special people.”
Residents in each town will nominate candidates, and winners will be selected by separate committees of community leaders in each community. The Berlin committee will be co-chaired by Mayor Adam Salina and Berlin Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kate Fuechsel; New Britain co-chairs are Gennaro Bizzarro, Esq., Partner, Sheehan, Rembish, LaSaracina & Bizzarro, LLC, and William Millerick, President, New Britain Chamber of Commerce; heading up the Plainville committee are Susan Dean, President and CEO of the Plainville Chamber of Commerce, and Barbara Petit of William Petit Properties, LLC of Plainville; and in Southington, the co-chairs are Andrew Meade, President of Lori Lock, Inc. in Southington and Victoria Triano of Southington Care Center.
The Herald of New Britain and The Citizen Newspapers of Berlin, Plainville and Southington are co-sponsoring the Celebrate Our Communities! Awards. Nomination forms are available by visiting the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s website at www.cfgnb.org.
Nomination deadlines are February 21 in Berlin and Southington, and February 28 in New Britain and Plainville. Winners will be announced in March and April and individual award ceremonies in each community will take place at community events to be announced.
Nominees must be residents of the town in which the award will be presented, and must have a demonstrated track record of volunteer community service. In-kind or compensated service is not eligible. Elected officials and paid staff of community service agencies and organizations are not eligible.
All nominations must include: The nominee’s name, address, telephone and e-mail; the nominator’s name, address, telephone and e-mail; and a typed or handwritten testimonial on a single, 8.5” by 11” sheet of paper. Testimonials should describe the scope and nature of the nominee’s community service, the agencies/organizations for which the nominee volunteers and the positive impact the nominee’s service has made upon his or her community.
Nominations must be postmarked or submitted by FAX to (860) 225-2666 by the deadline date. Please mail nominations to the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain, 74A Vine Street, New Britain, CT 06052. For questions or more information, please call (860) 229-6018.
For more information on the Foundation, please call (860) 229-6018.
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