Volunteer Action Center A Division of Valley United Way (203) 926-9478 2000 Volunteer of the Year Awards

The Volunteer Action Center presented its annual Community Volunteer of the Year Awards for 2000 as part of National Volunteer Week. The ceremony was held at Ansonia Community Action Center, the site of the 1999 Week of Caring project. Pat Tarasovic Presented awards in the following categories:

Brian Catlin is a Junior at Seymour High School. He is an example of a totally involved teen volunteer who is committed to many projects with his community church, school and various volunteer organizations. Brian has been a volunteer for many of these groups for years. It really is a way of life for him to be involved in so many worthwhile organizations. Brian has volunteered at Great Hill Methodist Church Youth Group where he has prepared and delivered meals to Spooner House. He has been a Sunday School Teacher for three years. He has logged many volunteer hours at the following projects: Trees for Hope; American Red Cross; Americares Homefront; Seymour Land Trust; Oxford Land Trust; and 27^th CT Volunteers where he volunteers re-enacting the Civil War by providing history demonstrations and lectures to various groups.

Dan Cayer is a senior at Shelton High School and the founder of YODA – Youth Organized to Deliver Aid. Two years ago on in his own initiative started this successful project of collecting food from various restaurants in the Valley and delivering the food to The Spooner House. YODA has attracted many students to help him with his project.

Patrick DiCaprio is a Junior at Notre Dame High School, West Haven. He has been active on the Youth sub-committee of the Valley Council of Health and Human Resource Organizations. Also he has coordinated a quarterly meeting of the Senior Patrol Leaders of the Scout troop in the Valley in order to facilitate communication with the youth leadership of the Scouting program and make the programs they are involved in more relevant to the needs of youth. Patrick has been a senior patrol leader and given leadership to Troop 28 Scouting program in Shelton. Patrick is the Order of the Arrow Lodge Chief giving leadership to the honor camper society which conducted a very successful food drive last fall resulting in over 42,000 canned goods collected for three food pantries in the Valley. Under his leadership this is the first time the national quality lodge award was received. Patrick attended a national leadership summit of all OA chiefs in the country at Colorado State University.

Michael Daddona is the founder of a project called Perfect Christmas. Which contributes to toy drives throughout the state. Over the past six years, TEAM’s Valley Toys for Tots Program has been a beneficiary of the Perfect Christmas Project by providing toys to over 600 Valley kids during TEAM’s Toys for Tots program. Last year alone he donated over 1800 toys, books and shirts to our Valley youth. He is the sole provider of the gifts. His enthusiasm extends to his family and friends who spend many hours buying, sorting and packaging the donations. According to Diane Stroman It is through the generosity of individuals like Michael the children in the Lower Naugatuck Valley can be assured of a joyful Christmas.

Rev. Wayne Strever has been president of Area Congregations Together three times, including this current year. He has been on the board for the past 15 years. He has been available to help with the process of continuing the shelter and the food Pantry network. According to Lynette Jordan Executive Director of Area Congregations Together, "ACT can always count on his contributions in leadership and stewardship of the resources put in his care." Rev Strever has been active in many boards of non-profits in the Valley.

Household Products in Shelton is a member of Valley United Way’s Corporate Volunteer Council and is the 2000 Corporate Excellence in Community Award. They were nominated by TEAM, Inc’s Employment and Training Department for their generosity to them. In October of 1999 TEAM was working with a young, pregnant mother living at the Spooner House. Her main desire was to find an apartment and move in before she gave birth to her second child. She secured an apartment and had also created a wish list of items she would need in order to move into her new apartment. A call went out to Mr. Dan Delacey at Household Products for possible donations of small appliances. A short time later, TEAM received a call from Mr. Delacey asking that we please send the young ladies’ wish list to him. Household Product employees to the rescue! Bonnie Bodak, TEAM’s Employment and Training Program Manager, said "Thanks to these guardian angels, every item on our client’s wish list was donated. Their thoughtfulness made it possible for TEAM’s client and her children to live comfortably in their new home."

In December, TEAM’s Employment and Training Department, received another call from Household Products and Mr Delacey stating that the company would like to adopt a family for the Christmas holiday. A list of the families age and wish list was sent to Dan. Gifts were purchased and wrapped for every member of the family along with food for the holidays. Household Products Christmas spirit did not end with the adoption, they also gave a generous gift to TEAM’s Meals-on-Wheels program.Household Products employees truly deserve several rounds of applause for their continuing support to the Valley Community.

Saint Vincent DePaul Society feeds and clothes hundreds of needy families each year. Not only for the holidays but all year long, and especially at their greatest times of need. It provides quality food baskets stocked with healthy and nutritious food not just canned left overs, each week to mothers and children. Fresh meat and vegetables are purchased and stored in the nine freezer food bank and are prepared for distribution by the more than 70 volunteers, who give of their time and energy to help the needy. Funds to purchase food and clothing are raised by operating a thrift shop, which sells donated clothes to the public at a much-discounted price. Again, Volunteers sort, clean and prepare for sale each day, five days a week. Last year more than $90,000 was given to need families in food and cash to help them through the most difficult times.

Seymour-Oxford Newcomers Club is entering its 35^th year as a civic and social organization. It boasts a membership is 30 plus and going strong. The club sponsors the well renowned Heart & Home Craft show, an annual fundraising extravaganza held at Seymour High School in October. All proceeds from the show benefit various non-profit organization in the Valley community. A listing of these organizations follows. This past October marked the club’s 7^th annual show, which netted $10,000 for Valley charities. In addition, the club awards impressive (2) $1,000 scholarships to graduating high school students from Seymour or Oxford. The scholarships are awarded in memory of John T. DeBarber the first serviceman from Seymour killed in action during the Vietnam War. Besides the extraordinary volunteer efforts of members in making the show a yearly success, the group also enriches the Valley community in the following ways: Annual participation in the "Bowl for Umbrella" benefit; Ronald McDonald House "Trees for Hope" fundraiser; Adopt a Family" program sponsored by the Valley Food Bank. Past participation in community events include: The Seymour Christmas Parade; coordination of Children’s activities at the Oxford Bicentennial Old Fashion Fair, 1998; "The Wall that Heals" traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 1998; and the Oxford School District "Community for Computers" adult spelling bee fundraiser, 1997. I would also residence at Southbury Training School. In an effort to enhance the quality of life for residents there, club members make periodic visits, host holiday parties, send birthday greetings, and provide Christmas gifts.

Pauline Palosky has been a volunteer at "My Sister’s Place" for over 14 years. This dedicated "young" 83 old woman has been instrumental in the growing success of "My Sister’s Place". She has volunteered over 16,800 hours to the store. The store’s entire proceeds support victim of domestic and family violence who are served at the umbrella. At "My Sisters Place," Pauline has been the mainstay in the hanging area for years. She prepares the clothing before it enters the selling floor. She has helped the many manager over the years with her vast knowledge of antiques and collectibles. She has also served as a friend to the many volunteers who have come through the door. Nancy Cahoon, Manager of My Sister’s Place said, "When we think of "My Sister’s Place" we think of Pauline Palosky. She has dedicated her golden years to us, and we have been blessed that she has served in this capacity.

Elinor Yergey just retired from being a one-person meal team for the Spooner House after 13 years. This involved buying the food and preparing the meal for up to 36 shelter residents. Elinore also brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for the children in case they did not like the meal. That was another thoughtful detail. She prepared the meal for the shelter residents one night a month for all of the time that the shelter has been on Caroline St in Derby. Elinor just retired from this avocation. In tribute to her energy, The Trinity Lutheran Church is continuing to meet this commitment, but is developing six meal teams to replace Elinor’s work, with each team doing the meal twice a year.

COMMUNITY HERO AWARD

Sharon Holly is the Associate Director at the Valley YMCA and has been an active community volunteer for years. She was previously named the Volunteer of the Year by the American Heart Association, and Sharon is someone who has a great heart and shares her enthusiasm and caring. A member of the VAC advisory committee and the Corporate Volunteer Council, she is someone who leads not only with creative thinking, but also with an infectious attitude and an incredible work ethic.

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Revised: July 20, 2006.
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