75 Residents To Be Honored At Upcoming Celebration From The Community Fund Of Darien

DARIEN, CT — The Community Fund of Darien will hold its 47th annual Volunteer Celebration on April 23, recognizing local residents for their contributions to the community.

The event is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Meadowlands at the Darien Community Association and is free and open to the public.

Organizers said 75 Darien volunteers of all ages will be honored this year, the largest group recognized in a single year since the event began in 1979. Attendees will be offered light food and drinks.

Residents can RSVP to the event by clicking here. Space is limited.

Each winter, local nonprofit organizations and members of the public are invited to nominate Darien residents for volunteer awards. A selection committee reviews nominees based on their actions, commitment and time.

"This year, we are honored to recognize 75 volunteers — the most we have ever celebrated at a single Volunteer Celebration," said The Community Fund of Darien Executive Director Maggie Domont, in a news release. "The nominations submitted were incredibly strong, and it was clear just how many people in our community are giving their time and talents in selfless, meaningful ways. We are proud to celebrate every one of them."

Honorees will be recognized across several categories, including Outstanding Adult Volunteer, Outstanding Emerging Volunteer, Outstanding Senior Volunteer, Outstanding New Volunteer, Outstanding Volunteer Team and Outstanding Volunteer Duo.

The event is supported by returning sponsors Brown Harris Stevens, Bankwell, PURE Insurance and USI Insurance Services.

2026 Volunteer Celebration Honorees

Outstanding Adult Volunteer

• Jeremy Cage, Intempo
• William Castell, Museum of Darien
• Alison Dickinson, YWCA International Club
• Ashley Dineen, The Tiny Miracles Foundation
• Corey Frate, Kids In Crisis
• Dr. Mia Handler, Laurel House, Inc.
• Sally Houlihan, The Mather Homestead Foundation
• Jillian Kaminski, The Carver
• Paige Kyle, The Darien Foundation
• Dana Massey, Future 5
• Michelle Mauboussin, Norwalk Stamford Grassroots Tennis & Education
• Elizabeth McNiff, At Home In Darien
• Ron Mulliken, Darien Land Trust
• Barlow Peelle, Bridgeport Rescue Mission
• Sueann Schorr, DHS Theatre 308 & Darien's Monuments and Ceremonies Commission
• Melinda Stewart, Horizons at New Canaan Country School
• Nicole Woeste, Darien YMCA

Outstanding Emerging Volunteer

• Francesca Calve, Domestic Violence Crisis Center Teen Advisory Board
• Harrison Dilts, Adaptive Sports at Mount Snow
• Findley Ernst, The Community Fund of Darien
• Marlowe Johnson, Filling in the Blanks
• Taylor Platt, Open Doors
• William Raskopf, Family & Children's Agency
• Alice Selvey, Darien Book Aid

Outstanding Senior Volunteer

• Pat Broderick, Mather Senior Center
• Steve Fogarty, Liberation Programs, Inc.
• Joellyn Gray, The Mather Homestead Foundation
• Eric Joosten, Stamford Hospital, Darien Environmental Protection Commission, and Darien Parks & Recreation
• Dorothy Shergalis, Darien Community Garden at Cherry Lawn Park

Outstanding New Volunteer

• Jan Raymond, Family Centers

Outstanding Volunteer Duo

• Luisa Brakman & John Briggs, ABC in Darien
• Rick & Barbara Goldsmith, Abilis
• Bob & Vicki Patton, Darien Junior Football League
• Winnie Bluestein & Emma Crawley, Youth Community Fund

Outstanding Volunteer Team

• Darien Community Association Youth Leadership Board
• Kaitlyn Au
• Maddie Brisbane
• Maya Collins
• William Curtis
• Ally Kennedy
• Anden Kennedy
• Adaire Leonard
• Sadie Noonan
• Claire Wood

The Depot Youth Center Student Leaders

• Gigi Brown
• Ella Bryer
• Katie Cutler
• Abby Goertel
• Sydney Johnson
• Emily Miller
• Samantha Morris
• Alexis Procopion
• Finley Smith
• Rowan Troy
• Winnie Wartels
• Tate Wein

Feeding 500 Darien Open Doors

• Executive Team
• Caroline Baldwin
• Sydney Michalowski
• Jake Simon
• Sophie York

Person to Person

• Charlie Banner
• Nolan Chung
• Erin Cohen
• Sheila Friend
• Judy Kennedy
• Kate A. Knightly
• Xindi Liu
• Marine Samame
• Genevieve Segura
• Sienna R. Sorrells
• Alejandra Springer
• William Whidden