Celebrate Plainville! Honoree Earns Reward by Serving Others
Rich Dziura To Be Honored April 6
Rich Dziura happened by the Plainville Community Food Pantry one day and noticed a gentleman struggling to lift a large bag out of his car. Upon closer inspection, Rich saw it was none other than Joe Silverio, Sr., a long-time Food Pantry volunteer who was waging war with a 40-pound bag of donated bagels.
“Joe needed help,” says Rich, who immediately came to Joe’s aid. “He was all alone and my heart went out to him. I’ve been volunteering at the Food Pantry ever since.”
When Rich’s heart goes out as it did that day – and on so many other days on a regular basis – things have a way of getting better, much better, for those who need help the most. Rich’s dedication to giving back to his community and to serving others has earned him the distinction of being named recipient of the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain’s 2006 Celebrate Plainville! community service award.
Rich will be honored on Thursday, April 6, at an Open House introducing The Whiting House to the Plainville Chamber of Commerce business community, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Presentation of the award will take place at approximately 6:30 p.m. The Whiting House is located at 65 Whiting Street.
“Everyone on the Selection Committee had nothing but praise for the wonderful work that Rich does in our community,” says Susan Dean, President and CEO of the Plainville Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the Committee along with Barbara Petit of William Petit Properties, LLC. “The comment that kept coming up was that Rich personified the type of individual we were hoping to honor.”
Other nominees, all Plainville residents, included Nancy Burns, a retired teacher and tutor; Raymond Corsini, a trustee of Wheeler Clinic; Attorney Anthony Famiglietti, past president of both the Food Pantry and Rotary Club; Ruth Hummel, President of the Plainville Historical Society; Pauline Kezer, volunteer president of the Connecticut affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation; Kathleen Marsan, active in Boy Scouts and the Plainville Lions Club; Frank Robinson, Sr., who works with the Boy Scouts, Connecticut Bahai Youth Workshop and others; Joe Silverio, Sr., a volunteer at the Plainville Community Food Pantry; Dayna Snell, founder of the Personal Enrichment Program of the Queen Ann Nzinga Cultural Center; Norman Stitham, who works with the Historical Society and other community programs; and John Sullivan, active in scouting and Little League.
Allso serving on the Selection Committee were Patricia Charles, assistant superintendent, Plainville Community Schools; Audrey Lewis, a well-known Plainville community volunteer; Robin Lee Michel, Managing Editor, The Plainville Citizen; Gail Millerick, a Plainville resident and Director of Development at MidState Medical Center; Shirley Osle, assistant town manager, Town of Plainville; and Byron J. Treado, III, Chairman of the Plainville Chamber of Commerce and Vice President, Commercial Lending, Farmington Savings Bank.
Rich’s wife, Sue, nominated Rich for the award. Both are very active with Our Lady of Mercy Church. For more than 15 years, Rich’s church-related activities have included the annual Parish Picnic, Baptism Preparation Team, Teen Youth Group and Intergenerational Faith Formation Program. He has also been a Minister of the Liturgy of the Word for Children.
Rich now coordinates the Food Pantry’s weekend bread run, supervising a team of seven volunteers who each Saturday pick up excess baked goods from throughout the region for distribution to those in need.
“Rich continues to be an example of self-giving and love,” Sue says proudly. “Most nights find him pouring over papers or making phone calls to serve the community, and always with a cheerful heart. How many he has helped I can’t begin to imagine.”
Rich credits his faith and his parents for his giving nature. “My parents taught me to be considerate of others and appreciative of what I have,” he says. “I like to serve. As Jesus said, the most important rules to live by are to love God and to love one another. For me, it works.”
The Celebrate Plainville! 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 Plainville Citizen is media partner for the Celebrate Plainville! Award.
As the recipient, Rich earns the right to designate a $2,500 grant award from the Community Foundation of Greater New Britain to a Plainville charity or community service organization of her choice. That selection will be announced at the April 6 presentation.
For more information on the Foundation, please call (860) 229-6018 or visit www.cfgnb.org.
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