- Details
- Category: Current Issue
Civic Achievement Award recipient is Peter Deary of Killingly.
Peter Deary is being recognized for a lifetime of dedicated service to a variety of organizations throughout northeastern Connecticut and beyond. Peter’s community leadership has truly touched a myriad of community organizations. Currently, Mr. Deary is on his second term as a member of the Board of Directors at Day Kimball Healthcare. During that time, he served as Chairman of the Board from 2006 to 2008. He also co-chaired the Day Kimball Hospital’s “Care in a Heartbeat” capital campaign steering committee which raised more than $3 million for the Townsend Emergency Medical Center. Along with his family, Peter helped to raise more than $2 million for the Day Kimball Hospital Deary Fund, which helps to pay for mammograms and cancer services for patients of northeastern Connecticut.
He has been a passionate supporter of Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) and joined the Board of Directors of the QVCC Foundation in 2013. In 2020, he served as president of the Foundation and assisted the organization in raising funds so all residents of northeastern Connecticut are provided the opportunity to attend the college regardless of their ability to pay.
On a more global scale, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of a foundation dedicated to assisting the Haitian people. For several years, the group organized mission trips to Haiti designed to help the people of the country by providing clean water and sanitary living conditions.
In addition, Deary spent 10 years on various fund-raising committees for Camp Quinebaug — a summer camp for school aged children with developmental disabilities, more than 20 years as a member of the Board of Directors of the Northeastern CT Chamber of Commerce, 15 years on the Board of Governors of Quinnatisset Country Club and 20 years on the Board of Deacons at the First Congregation Church of Pomfret.
George J. Racine Sr. Humanitarian Award goes to David Foster of Hampton.
A Willimantic native, David “Lefty” Foster has become legendary for not only his long and illustrious musical career, but also for his caring and generous heart. For more than 30 years, he has served as a “beacon” of hope and support for many non-profit organizations in the Windham region. David set his sights within the Windham community with a focus of addressing issues of hunger, homelessness, poverty and support for people with disabilities.
One of those recipients, the Covenant Soup Kitchen, a 35-year-old institution that serves more than 150,000 meals a year for those in need has a special place in David’s heart. He demonstrated a long-term impact for the Covenant Soup Kitchen when he played a pivotal role in raising over $100,000 for the organization. Upon learning that the Covenant Soup Kitchen had a mortgage on their Valley Street property, Foster crafted a plan to reduce the financial burden by producing a number of Shaboo Reunion Concerts coupled with generous gifts from David and his wife, Marilyn, as well as a generous gift from the Lester E. and Phyllis M. Foster Foundation.
The Windham area Interfaith Ministries (WAIM) has felt his generous heart. According to their Director, Victoria Nimirowski, “not only has he supported us financially by generously donating funds, but he also located and purchased a delivery truck for WAIM when he learned that our previous one was no longer road-worthy.”
Currently, he is collaborating with the town to locate a building suitable to purchase for the Windham No Freeze Shelter. The Windham Region No Freeze Project is a nonprofit agency dedicated to the short and long-term survival of adults experiencing homelessness in the Windham community.
Other nonprofits in the area have also benefited from his many donations including Horizons, an organization whose mission is to create and sustain person-centered opportunities for people with developmental disabilities where they live, learn, work and play. According to Horizons’ Executive Director and award nominator Chris McNaboe, David Foster has pledged a major donation for the construction of a new state-of-the-art dining hall on the campus of Horizons.
Windham Hospital realized the generosity of David and Marilyn Foster as well as the Foundation of Lester E. and Phyllis M. Foster Foundation when lead donations gifts were made to the hospital resulting in funds to furnish the Windham Hospital Oncology and Infusion Center. For all of these reasons and many more, David Foster is the Committee’s choice for the George J. Humanitarian Award.
Community Champion Award recipient is Wolanin of Pomfret.
For the last 14 years, Monique Wolanin has been a tireless champion in serving the Quinebaug Valley Community College (QVCC) Foundation and by extension the students who attend QVCC. As Director of Institutional Advancement, Monique has worked to grow the Foundation from a $1.5 million organization to more than $6 million today. Her work has ensured that the funding for scholarships remains strong and that the money raised stays in northeast Connecticut. She has led the Foundation and guided three presidents and a new CEO to connect with the local community and keep QVCC robust, connected and focused on serving local students.
She introduced new learning opportunities to the college including a “Perspectives and Visions in Leadership” speaker series beginning in 2010. The series focuses on bringing world renowned leaders from the private, government and nonprofit sectors to campus to discuss business topics, corporate strategies, inspirational messaging and valuable lessons for students, faculty, alumni and members of the community.
Her creative approach and contagious enthusiasm at the college led to the creation of several innovative fundraising efforts including Donuts for Donations, The QVCC Spelling Bee and Her personal favorite, Tackle the Trail™. Currently in its eighth year, the race became an official full marathon in 2021 with runners coming from across the nation to participate. The race takes place on Connecticut’s Airline trail starting in Windham and ending in Putnam, Connecticut. In 2021, Monique collaborated with the Hale Foundation and the NOW organization to expand the race to include TackleJR, a race for youth, ages 2-12.
Under her leadership, she has guided the long-standing QVCC Golf Tournament to new heights. In 2021, the tournament raised more than $60,000 for the Foundation, an increase of $45,000 since joining the foundation.
Her s passion and enthusiasm for Quinebaug Valley Community College Foundation is contagious. She has a single-minded focus of working each day to ensure that the funding for student scholarships stays strong and stays in northeast Connecticut.
.