Brass City Rescue Alliance Food, Supply Drive Honors Humanitarian

SOUTHINGTON – A food and supply drive to benefit a Waterbury-area animal rescue group will honor Vietnam veteran and retired Southington teacher William Boyles on Sunday as he receives the 9th Annual Betty Kroher Humanitarian Spirit Award.

The drive will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hardcore Sweet Bakery, 168 Center St., in Southington. Dog food and items collected will support Brass City Rescue Alliance and its kennel in Middlebury.
The nonprofit was bestowed the Kroher Award in 2018. Organizers developed Sunday’s event knowing Boyles is an advocate for animals and, residing in Mississippi, would be unable to attend an in-person award ceremony.

“It’s a great alternative to a conventional presentation and a unique way to connect two award recipients,” said committee chairman Christopher Fortier. “Jen Humphrey and her volunteers are tireless in dog rescue and the incredible amount of work that comes with it. It’s not easy.”
Boyles is a 1966 graduate of Southington High School, where he taught Social Studies from 1977 until his retirement in 2003. His Southeast Asia classes were a popular elective course, with Boyles connecting with his students as he shared his experiences as a combat solider in Vietnam.
“I decided if I ever got out of there, I’d not only move back to Southington, but I’d be a teacher,” he recalled in a 1999 newspaper interview. “I decided I would try to tell the students the truth. I’d give them me.”

Fortier, a former student, said Boyles’ legacy is in his truth shaping how his students viewed humanity and the effects of war. “We were aware early on the courage it took to share the horror he saw and bare those emotional scars as a way to compel us to be forces for change, peace and positivity as we headed out into the world,” he said. “It is still with us.”

BCRA’s “wish list” for Sunday’s drive includes specific dry and wet dog food - Science Diet Perfect Weight; Science Diet Sensitive Stomach & Skin; Purina One chicken and rice, grain-free (no fish); plus, bones, hard chew toys, dog coats (any size), leashes, Martingale collars, crates, blankets, towels and any cleaning supplies.

Monetary and Amazon Wishlist donations can be made securely at www.brasscityrescue.org or through Venmo, @brasscity1. Financial donations help fund expenses including veterinarian bills.

The award is named for Betty Kroher, who from 1964 to 1992 was the first and only executive director of the former Southington chapter of the American Red Cross. She died in 2016 at age 88.