Awards Program Seeks Nominations for Outstanding Community Volunteers
Community Foundation Designates $10,000 in Grants for Local Charities
For the second consecutive year, the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain will honor outstanding local volunteers in its four service communities of Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington with its Celebrate Our Communities! awards program.
The awards – one each to be presented in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington – will honor an outstanding grassroots volunteer in each community. The Community Foundation will support the program with $10,000 in grants to local charities; each of the four award recipients earns the right to designate a $2,500 grant to a local charity of their choice, subject to approval of the Foundation board of directors.
"Last year's program was received so well within each of our four communities that we are looking forward to an even bigger response this time around," said Community Foundation President Jim Williamson. "We're hoping for a terrific response to our request for nominees."
Recipients last year were: Lisa Kasprzyk (Berlin) for her work with Manes & Motions and other programs; Carol Zesut (New Britain), a city police officer who volunteers her time at many city agencies and programs; Richard Dziura (Plainville) for his work with the Plainville Community Food Pantry and other programs; and Lorraine Stanton (Southington) for her work with the elderly.
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.
"The world is a changing place and the fact is that with the busy lives we all lead, community service often falls by the wayside," said Williamson. "Yet so many community agencies and programs still rely on volunteers. That's why it's so important that we do recognize those people who are so generous with their time, who invest so much to make their communities better places to live."
Residents in each town will nominate candidates, and recipients will be selected by separate committees of community leaders in each community. Committee co-chairs and members will be announced in February.
The Herald of New Britain and The Citizen Newspapers of Berlin, Plainville and Southington are co-sponsoring the Celebrate Our Communities! awards. Also supporting the program are the Chambers of Commerce in Berlin, New Britain, Plainville and Southington, and the United Way of Southington.
Nomination forms will be available beginning January 29 by visiting the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain website at www.cfgnb.org. Nomination forms will also be available in each newspaper throughout February. Nomination deadline is February 28. Recipients are expected to be announced and presented with their awards at events in each community beginning in late March.
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.
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