Sisters Visiting Connecticut Towns As A Tribute to Local 'Heroes'

VERNON, CT — In their quest to travel to every town in the state and acknowledge what they call "local heroes," Nancy Gilligan and Susan Mazzoccoli picked the perfect time to be in Vernon Thursday.

It was noontime and members of the Vernon Police Department were about to pass the public safety complex. That meant VPD Chief John Kelley was heading outside to cheer on the ranks. Gilligan and Mazzaccoli took advantage and spent a moment with him.

"It's really fantastic what they're doing," Kelley said. "It's a challenge but really. really interesting."

Gilligan, a 67-year-old Wallingford resident, had stared visiting towns several years ago as a way to give her father, World War II navy vet and former Sikorsky Aircraft employee Art Aspinwall, refuge from an assisted living residence.

When Mazzocolli, 69 and a Newington resident, retired in 2015, they joined forces — and started over — to honor Art and other veterans and "local heroes" in each town. It's a chance to "do something positive."

The goal is to to visit a war memorial, police department or some other tribute to heroes in each town and then dine in that town.

In Vernon, Gilligan and Mazzoccoli were headed to Rein's Deli and were deciding on the Civil War Moment of Fox Hill Tower for visits.

Visits are always planned around Gilligan's golf schedule and where to go next are always random, Mazzoccoli said.

So far, they have visited 115 towns.