Celebrate New Britain! Honoree Calls Giving Back to City Her Duty
Officer Carol Zesut to be Honored at Interservice Club Luncheon on May 9
The rear panel of every New Britain Police Department patrol car is emblazoned with the department slogan, “In Service to the Community.”
Officer Carol Zesut has taken this department motto and made it a creed to live by, both on and off the job. A lifelong resident of New Britain and a member of the New Britain police force for 21 years, Carol’s dedication to her hometown and making it a better place to live has earned her the distinction of being named recipient of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s 2006 Celebrate New Britain! community service award.
For Officer Zesut, who was nominated for the award by Police Chief William Gagliardi, it is a most appropriate honor for someone who devotes thousands of off-duty hours to various police and non-police related programs and initiatives designed to help New Britain residents and families.
“I really have a dedication to New Britain and the people who live here,” said Officer Zesut, who works in community services for the department’s Professional Standards Unit. “The City has been good to me and I feel like I owe the City something back. If I can volunteer and get something accomplished, then I feel that’s my responsibility and duty.”
“Carol works tirelessly for the betterment of all New Britain residents,” said Chief Gagliardi in his nomination. “Her involvement in numerous programs is only a small reflection of her honest caring and devotion to making New Britain a better place for all. I am proud to have such an officer in our department.”
Officer Zesut will be honored on Tuesday, May 9, at the 8th Annual Interservice Club Luncheon at Zabarra’s Restaurant at Stanley Golf Course. The luncheon, open to the public, will feature WDRC AM radio personality Brad Davis. Tickets are $20 per person. For information, call the New Britain Chamber of Commerce at (860) 229-1665.
Officer Zesut works with dozens of programs aimed at helping New Britain residents, primarily seniors and schoolchildren. In 1996, she started the department’s Triad program, a three-way effort among law enforcement, senior citizens, and support/protective agencies who work together to reduce victimization of older citizens and enhance the delivery of law enforcement services to this population. Triad has developed numerous initiatives to protect and inform seniors about scams, fraud, food safety and the like.
But Triad is only the beginning of Officer Zesut’s community work. She coordinates the department’s D.A.R.E. program; is a board member of the United Way of New Britain & Berlin, the Narcotics Enforcement Officers Association, Community Mental Health Associates’ Child Advisory Board and the Human Resources Agency of New Britain’s Health Advisory Board; works with the Coalition Against Substance Abuse, the Citizens Police Academy, Hartford Hospital’s Safe Kids Coalition and various safety programs throughout New Britain; and is a committee member for City Fun Day and the City’s Special Needs Committee, among others.
Officer Zesut is also a member and volunteer at the New Britain Elks Lodge 957 and the Ancient Order of Hibernians, where she helps coordinate holiday food basket preparation and delivery to families in need.
The Celebrate New Britain! 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.
The Herald of New Britain is media partner for the Celebrate New Britain! Award.
Officer Zesut was chosen from among 19 total nominees. The other 18 nominees were: Margaret Baylock-Renzella, Lois Blomstrann, Frank Bradley, Geoffrey Bray, Robert Bruzas, Catherine Cheney, Amanda Clark, Michael Demers, Attorney Nicholas DeNigris, Frances Georgetti, Judy Greco, Stacey Hall, Ted Howe, Nancy Howe, Linda Karalus, Maryann Lagocki, George Martin and Frances Russell.
Serving on the Selection Committee were co-chairs Gennaro Bizzarro, Esq., Partner, Sheehan, Rembish, LaSaracina & Bizzarro, LLC, and William Millerick, President, New Britain Chamber of Commerce; New Britain resident Gerri Brown-Springer; Angelo D’Alfonso, Business Outreach Coordinator, New Britain Chamber of Commerce; Joe Kuzma, Community Services Senior Associate, United Way of New Britain & Berlin; Marc Romanow, Publisher, The Herald of New Britain; and Robin Sharp, co-executive director, YWCA of New Britain.
As award recipient, Officer Zesut earns the right to designate a $2,500 grant award from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to a New Britain charity or community service organization of her choice. That selection will be announced at the May 9 presentation.
For more information on the Foundation, please call (860) 229-6018.
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