Groton Utilities Names Winner Of Community Service Award

Press release via City of Groton

GROTON, CT — Tammy de la Cruz was awarded the 2023 Groton Utilities Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award during a ceremony at Groton City Day on Saturday, August 5th in Washington Park. The award is given out annually to a member of the City of Groton community who exemplifies GU’s slogan of “Giving Back to the Community”.

As part of winning this honor Groton Utilities presented a check for $1,000 to the drug and alcohol addiction support non-profit “Community Speaks Out” in the name of Tammy de la Cruz at her request.

Tammy and her husband Joe formed the drug and alcohol addiction support non-profit Community Speaks Out (CSO) in 2014 in response to a lack of a support system in the community for families facing opioid/heroin addiction.

CSO provides education, prevention and resources to individuals and their families affected by drug/alcohol addiction. CSO now has over 100 individuals that they have assisted or supported along with their families. Tammy, through CSO, offers weekly and monthly support groups, along with individual support to countless people in need.

Tammy has been described as “a true angel on earth” by the families of those she has helped. Her compassionate, knowledgeable and selfless assistance of those in need along with their families exemplifies the Groton Utilities slogan of “Giving Back to The Community”. Groton Utilities is pleased to present this award to this deserving citizen for giving back to our community selflessly, sincerely, willingly and with great pride.

Tammy was nominated for this award by Denyce Thomson.

Groton Utilities named the award, The Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award, to commemorate Mrs. Nixon’s service to her community. Jackie, as she was known to most, gave back to the community in many ways, including operating a food pantry in her residence for 24 years. She distributed food on a regular basis to many needy families. Jackie passed away July 6, 2004 after a brief battle with cancer. Groton Utilities created the award in 2004 during its 100th anniversary year.

Earle A. Williams was the recipient of the first annual Jacqueline B. Nixon Community Service Award. Previous winners of the award are:

2004 – Earle A. Williams
2005 – Robert “Bob” Leeney
2006 – E. Marion Orkney
2007 – Lillian “Lil” Hansen
2008 – Sara Stanley
2009 – William “Bill” Welsh, Jr.
2010 – Alfred Restivo, Jr.
2011 – Robert LaFrance
2012 – Archie C. Swindell
2013 – Millie Carlson
2014 – Lian Obrey
2015 – James “Jim” Streeter
2016 – Charlie Ebbinghaus (*Community Service Merit Awards given to Shirley-Dunbar Rose and Phil Tuthill)
2017 – Marcia Gipstein
2018 – Martin Cloudas
2019 – Timothy LeHouillier
2020 – Beatrice Jennette
2021 – Barbara Frucht
2022 – Tim Jackson
2023 – Tammy de la Cruz

This press release was produced by the City of Groton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.