Community Fund Of Darien Honors Local Volunteers At Annual Celebration

DARIEN, CT — The Community Fund of Darien recognized 46 local residents for their service to the community at its annual volunteer celebration, held April 29 at The Meadowlands at the Darien Community Association.

The event, which has been a tradition since 1979, celebrated individuals from more than 35 nonprofit organizations. Each year, local nonprofit organizations and the public are invited to nominate individuals for recognition.

Categories included Outstanding Adult Volunteer, Emerging Volunteer, Senior Volunteer, Volunteer Team, Volunteer Family, and Volunteer Duo.

More than 225 residents attended the celebration. Darien First Selectman Jon Zagrodsky issued a proclamation designating the day as Annual Darien Volunteer Recognition Day.

This year’s volunteer award honorees were:

Outstanding Adult Volunteer

• Francisco Cardona, Saint Joseph Parenting Center
• Erin Cohen STAR, Inc. Lighting the Way…
• Henry Decsi, Darien YMCA
• Tara Giblin, YWCA Darien/Norwalk
• Crystal Hill, Council of Darien School Parents & Darien Soccer Association
• Ania Janis, The Mather Homestead
• Marie Litchfield, Waveny LifeCare Network
• Natalia Mackenzie, Family Centers
• Brandi Maniscalco, The Community Fund of Darien
• Kirstin Mende, Kids in Crisis
• Marcy Minnick, Inspirica, Inc.
• Ginger Morgan, Youth Community Fund
• Laura Mosher, Darien Book Aid
• Amy Raskopf, Theatre 308
• Meg Ricci, ABC In Darien
• Angela Riley, Darien Library & Person
• Hilary Thompson, The Darien Foundation
• Matthew J. Vossler, Swim Across America

Outstanding Emerging Volunteer

• Caitlin Cronin, Grassroots Tennis & Education
• Grace Curley, Family & Children’s Agency
• Alyssa Medwar, The Tiny Miracles Foundation
• Meaghan Moles, The Darien Depot
• John Wadleigh, Food Rescue US Fairfield County
• Sophie York Feeding 500, OpenDoors

Outstanding Senior Volunteer

• Murat Akgun, Future 5
• Sam Bridges, At Home in Darien
• Juliet Cain, Darien Green Wave, Pollinator Pathway, & more
• Diane Fuller, SimplifyCT
• Frank Huck, Liberation Programs
• Karen Kreitzberger Polett, Good Wife's River Chapter Inc. National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution
• Isabel Negron, The Americares Free Clinic of Stamford

Outstanding Volunteer Team

• Pat Cage, Diane Colechia, Lorraine Collins, Kristine Gould, Chris Hickey, Brigitte Mansourian, & Kelly Sapio, Person to Person

Outstanding Volunteer Family

• David, Geraldine, Julie, & Rocco Genovese, Abilis Inc.

Outstanding Volunteer Duo

• Jessie Merrill Glazer & Henrietta Kramer, Darien Community Association
• Sarah Das & Michele Mengwall, Museum of Darien