The Fairfield Republican Town Committee (RTC) will hold the Fairfield, Freedom & Foliage Dinner & Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, September 30 at Boca Grille & Raw Bar, Fairfield. Cocktail hour will start at 6 p.m. with dinner at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here. All are welcome.
The Fairfield RTC will be honoring four individuals at the dinner – Fairfield businessman and philanthropist, Al Diguido who will receive the Jerry Malafronte Community Service Award, Fairfield Town Plan & Zoning Commissioners, Kathryn Braun and Veronica Monahan who will be honored with the Myrtle Miller Republicans of the Year Award and Southport native, Sam Cargill, Jr. will receive the Paul Tymniak Young Republican of the Year.
Al Diguido
Al DiGuido is a Fairfield County staple and a genuine force for good in the community. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he's called Fairfield County home for nearly 30 years. For the past years, he's owned Saugatuck Sweets, with locations in Westport and Fairfield, built on a simple mission: to bring a little more small-town charm to the area and give local kids memories they'll cherish for a lifetime.
But Al's biggest impact may be through Al's Angels, the charity he's run for over 20 years. What started as an effort to provide holiday meals and gifts to children and families battling cancer, rare blood diseases, and severe financial hardship has grown enormously.
Somehow, Al does all this while also working as a professional advisor to CEOs and business leaders on marketing and sales, raising a big family, and finding time for the things he loves. A proud father of three and grandfather of seven, he credits his faith and a great parenting partner as his guiding influences.
Kathryn Braun & Veronica Monahan
Kathryn Braun is a longtime Fairfield resident and a dedicated public servant with deep roots in the community. A lawyer with more than 25 years of experience, she holds both a JD and an MBA, and has spent much of her career advocating on behalf of neighborhood and environmental interests — largely on a pro bono basis — in land use matters before local boards, the State DEEP, and State and Appellate Courts.
Kathy currently serves on the Fairfield Town Plan and Zoning Commission, where she has focused on making well-founded decisions on both individual projects and long-term planning. Her public service record also includes six years on the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) and three years on the FairTV Commission. Across these roles, her priorities have centered on responsible development that balances diverse housing, commercial activity, and open space, alongside the preservation of natural and historic resources and planning for the impacts of climate change.
Guided by the belief that "we all have a voice — we just need to use it," Kathy remains committed to protecting the town's environmental and economic health and quality of life for the long term.
Veronica Monahan is passionate about land use and neighborhood protection, and in a short time has made a name for herself on the Fairfield TPZ since being elected in 2025.
A residential real estate salesperson and advisor across Fairfield County for more than 20 years, she ranks among the top 100 salespeople in Connecticut by annual sales volume — experience that has given her a deep, firsthand understanding of the town's neighborhoods, land use, and the needs of residents across every age group and demographic.
She views zoning as the most pressing issue facing the town and is a strong advocate for local control over state mandates, full transparency in town government, and generous time for public hearings so that residents' voices are genuinely heard.
Her commitment to public service is longstanding: she served on Fairfield's RTM from 2019 to 2022, where she gained an understanding of how town government truly works. Known for independent, thoughtful decision-making, Veronica says she does not subscribe to "group think" and believes zoning should be guided by community input rather than party politics.
A Fairfield resident for over 25 years, Veronica has been married to her husband, Matthew, for 30 years. Together they have three grown daughters: Madelyn, Caroline, and Kelley.
Sam Cargill, Jr.
Sam Cargill Jr. is a third generation Fairfielder and a graduate of Fairfield College Preparatory School. He is currently an undergraduate Political Science and Global Affairs student at Sacred Heart University, where he has earned Dean's List honors three consecutive semesters and serves as Vice President of the Model United Nations Club. Public service and a commitment to
bettering the community were instilled in Sam at a young age.
Sam has remained tied to his alma mater as the freshman lacrosse coach at Fairfield Prep, a role he took on after serving as an assistant varsity coach at Fairfield Warde High School. He has also coached youth soccer and basketball across Fairfield County.
Alongside his academics and coaching, Sam has begun working in local and state politics, starting as an intern for the Town of Fairfield and more recently joining the campaign staff of Republican Gubernatorial candidate Ryan Fazio. He has since moved to the Black Rock neighborhood of Bridgeport, where he has joined the Bridgeport Republican Town Committee and continues to look for ways to serve his community.
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