Paul Barnes - May 26 On Wednesday, March 7, 2007, Barnes a member of the Oakdale Fire Department rescued two golden retrievers who had fallen through the ice into the cold waters of Gardner Lake in Montville. The dogs spent more than twenty minutes in the water before Barnes jumped in to save them. Barnes heroic efforts made national news all over the US. The Connecticut Sun, Fox 61, and CW20 would like to thank Paul Barnes for his commitment to the community.
Chanelle Adams, Police Women - June 2 Chanelle Adams Adams, a fourteen-year-old environmentalist, attends Bloomfield High School and believes in saving the planet. Adams planned and executed a clean up campaign in the city of Hartford. She encouraged more than 60 youths to join her in the clean-up effort. This summer, she will travel to Germany to participate in a youth conference to learn more about protecting the environment. Adams has received various awards for efforts to save the environment. Police Women The Sun would also like to recognize the following Police women who were awarded Connecticut’s Women Officers of the Year. Officer heather Foote of the Orange Police Department, Captain Sarah Kasacek of the Connecticut State Police, Detective Deborah Scates of the Hartford Police Department and Lt. Carrie-Jo McGuffey of the Yale University Police Department.
Rhudean Raye - June 10 The Connecticut Sun would like to honor Mrs. Rhudean Raye with today’s Dish & Assist Hero Award. Raye is a retired elementary school teacher who dedicated 32 years to the students of Meriden, Connecticut. Prior to her retirement, she established the Martin Luther King/Albert Owens Scholarship, awarding $1000 to four graduating high school seniors. To date, Raye has distributed nearly $84,000 to deserving students. The Connecticut Sun, Fox 61, and CW 20 would like to thank Mrs. Rhudean Raye for her commitment to the community
Michelle Deegan & New London HS Boys Basketball Team - June 17 Michelle Deegan is the Event Coordinator and Head Volunteer for the ONE Campaign for the state of Connecticut. ONE aims to help Americans raise their voice as ONE against the emergency of AIDS and extreme poverty, so that decision makers will do more. On July 16, Deegan will hold a ONE event in Simsbury, Connecticut to promote the ONE Campaign. For more information on the ONE Campaign visit O-N-E dot org. In December 2006 the New London High School Boy’s Basketball team hosted a Hoops for Food Jamboree to collect canned goods for the Mount Moriah Church Emergency Food Pantry. The team collected enough canned goods to support the pantry throughout the winter months. Accepting today’s Dish & Assist Hero Awards on behalf of the team are team tri-captains Allan Chaney, DeJohn Joseph-Exum and Nikko Acosta along with head coach Craig Parker.
David Adamiec - June 20 Twenty-three year old Adamiec is the founder and president of Kidpack of America, Inc. Their mission is to provide school supplies and other items to children in need. Items include school backpacks filled with school supplies, activity packs, kidpacks and Christmas packs. Packs are distributed to the department of Children and Family service agencies, schools, churches, soup kitchens and more. Tonight, the Connecticut Sun would like to donate the supplies for 50 Back to School Backpacks to David Adamiec and the Kidpack of American.
Charter Oak Federal Credit Union - June 26 In 2006, the Charter Oak Federal Credit Union raised over $80,000 to distribute to local charities. These charities include the United Way, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and the Special Olympics. In addition to raising funds, this small group of 170 employees also finds time to participate in Adopt a Highway, Relay for Life and United Way Day of Caring.
Irv Beck - June 29 Beck has dedicated his entire adult life to helping and educating patients afflicted with Myasthenia Gravis, a chronic neuromuscular disease that weakness of the skeletal muscles of the body. In 2006, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by the National Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America.
Kimberly Olstein - July 17 Olstein, former eighth grade World Geography teacher at North Haven Middle School, spent countless hours organizing a memorial softball game in honor of Eric Pasquariello. Eric passed away in December from Leukemia. Olstein’s event raised $8,500 for a scholarship fund established for North Haven High School seniors who hope to work in the medical field. In addition, Olstein was named the 2007 North Haven Teacher of the Year and has since become an assistant principal at Amity Regional Middle School.
Bill Dodge - July 20 For the past four plus years, Dodge has organized a number of small fundraisers to help support US Troops overseas. The money raised through these fundraisers went to creating and shipping care packages to the troops in the name of “Friends at Electric Boat”. To date, almost 5000 pounds of goods have been shipped to the troops. Most care packages include snacks, games, videos, DVDs, phone cards and thank-you notes. Additionally, some of Dodge’s recent fundraisers have been to provide school supplies and toys for the children of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Kathy Demers and Cyndi Bona- July 22 Demers has spent countless hours developing a plan to create a handicapped-accessible playground at Mohegan Elementary School. For the past three years she has organized fundraisers to make this dream a reality and a wonderful area for children to enjoy. Phase one of the three phase playground project was completed in 2004. Funding is currently be raised to complete phases two and three. In addition to developing the playground, Demers is also the chairperson for the DARE Committee at Mohegan Elementary. The Sun would also like to recognize Cyndi Bona. In the 1970’s Bona, then Meserve, was the first woman to play on a men’s NCAA team at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. Bona is now a member of the Senior Women’s League in Maine.
Women's Softball League of Greater Willimantic - July 24 Over the leagues past thirty-three seasons, the Women’s Softball League of Greater Willimantic has donated over $130,000 to local charities. They have provided funds for children to attend Camp Horizons, purchased heating oil for Safe Haven, a shelter for single teen mothers, built a Playscape playground for Natchaug Hospital and much more. Under the leadership of Dhana Tullouch-Reid and her executive board, the Women’s Softball League of Greater Willimantic has made a difference in the lives of many children and adults in the Willimantic community.