East Lyme Public Trust Foundation Recognizes Volunteers For 2016

East Lyme Has Always Prided Itself On Being A Community Of Volunteers. In Keeping With That Tradition, The East Lyme Public Trust Foundation, At Its Annual Meeting Held At The Flanders Fish Market, On November 17, Focused On A Very Successful Year Of Volunteers Giving Back To The Community.

President, Joe Legg, Greeted The Members And Guests And Spoke Briefly About The Outstanding Year The Trust Has Had As It Celebrated In July The Re-Dedication Of The East Lyme Boardwalk. He Then Introduced The Main Speaker Of The Evening, First Selectman- Mark Nickerson, Who Spoke On The Development Of The Niantic Bay Park, In Which The Foundation Hopes To Play A Significant Role As The Project Evolves In The Coming Year. First Selectman Nickerson Also Touched On The Many Other New Projects Being Developed In Town.

Following The Presentation By Selectman Nickerson, President Joe Legg Reviewed For The Gathering The Invaluable Contributions Of Past-President- Bob Desanto, Who Has Guided This Project For 21 Years, And Was Instrumental In Completing The Many Final Details Of The Boardwalk Project.

Kathie Cassidy, The Foundation Treasure, Ably Assisted Bob’s Efforts To Obtain New Educational Signs And Entrance Signs, By Successfully Obtaining Sponsors For Each Of The Educational Signs.

John Hoye, Who Has Served As Vice-President Of The Trust For Many Years, Was Also Recognized For His Efforts In Making The Funding For The Mccook Band Stand A Reality. It Was John Who Enlisted The Co-Operation Of The Rotary And The Lions To Take On This New Project As A Lasting Example Of Three Community Organizations Working Toward A Common Goal To Improve The Life Of The Community.

This Band Stand Could Not Have Been Realized If It Were Not For The Co-Operation Of Dave Putnam, The Director Of Parks And Recreation. Dave Has Been A Key Player In The Development Of The Boardwalk And The Placement Of The Commemorative Benches. Without His Enthusiastic Support, The Trust’s New Program Of Tree Planting Could Not Have Taken Place. He Continues To Guide The Development Of The Band Stand And To Supervise The Maintenance Of The Boardwalk.

Another Member Who Was Recognized Was June Hoye, The Publicist For The Foundation, Who Has Chronicled The Activities Of This Special Year. She Also Conceived Of The Project-Trees For Tomorrow- And Has Served As Its Chairperson During The Last Two Years.

One Of Our Unsung Workers, Carol Marelli, Has For Many Years Been In Charge Of Processing The Orders For Benches. She Handles All Of The Paper Work And Co-Ordinates With The Parks And Recreation Department To Make Sure Each Order Gets Placed And Installed. In Addition, She Also Processes All Of The Applications For Trees For Tomorrow. These Projects Run Smoothly Because Of Her Dedication And Organization.

One Of Our Newer Members- Michelle Maitland- Who Serves As Secretary For The Foundation, Organized The Very Successful Rededication Celebration Held In July. She Was Assisted By Pat And Jack Lewis In Producing The Informative And Evocative Banners Which Were Placed On The Boardwalk That Day, Focusing On Photos And Articles On The Development Of The Boardwalk From Its Earliest Inception.

One Of Our On-Going Projects To Raise Funds For The Maintenance Of The Boardwalk –The Commemorative Plaques- Has Been Organized From The Beginning Of The Boardwalk By Bill Rinoski. He And His Wife, Fran, Have Taken The Applications And Placed The Orders. Bill Has Then Installed The Over 1,800 Plaques. This Project Supplies Crucial Financial Support For The Foundation’s Projects.

One Of Our New Projects This Year Has Been An Environmental Educational Project Conceived And Organized By Jim Gallagher. Having Arranged For Survey Work Of The Beach And Documentation Regarding Sand Movement, Jim Applied This Information To A Project To Plant Grasses To Stabilize The Sand. Jim, Who Was Assisted By His Brother Dan Gallagher, Coordinated With Professor Frank Bohlen Of Uconn And Enlisted The Volunteer Help Of East Lyme High School Students And Students From Uconn. We Hope This Outreach To The Students Will Continue Next Year.

One Of The Final Volunteers Recognized Was Betty Purvis Who Has Been A Member Of The Foundation Since Its Inception Over 20 Years Ago! Betty Has Been An Active Member All Of These Years And Has Served As The Chairperson Of The Nominating Committee For The Past Ten Years. To Honor Betty, Who Is Retiring From The Foundation, A Plaque Will Be Installed In Her Name, Noting Her Long Time Service To The Trust And To The Community.

As The Beloved Humorist, Erma Bombeck Has Said, “Volunteers Are The Only Human Beings On The Face Of The Earth Who Reflect This Nation’s Compassion, Unselfish Caring, Patience, And Just Plain Love Of One Another.”