Gray Volunteer Recognition Banquet

Gray Volunteer Banquet
By Elizabeth Prata

Gray said a big thank you to about 100 volunteers Friday night, as Spring Meadows Banquet Center was full of well- dressed and happy volunteers gathered for the Annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet. Recognizing their invaluable contributions to the Town functions, the Town Council puts on a thank you dinner each year and offers awards to the Volunteer of the Year, Committee of the Year, and Lifetime Achievement award to one particular volunteer who has made a lifetime commitment to good works on behalf of his or her fellow citizen.

As dessert was cleared away, Council Chair Gary Foster and Vice-Chair recognized each committee and bestowed the awards, and there was much applause and goodwill from audience members. Committee of the Year went to the Solid Waste Committee, with Mark Arienti, Peter Thoits, and Brian Shedlarski as members. They were recognized for their efforts in recycling education, in hosting the Household Hazardous Waste Days, and for their tireless work in keeping abreast of new legislation affecting local waste and recycling. In receiving the award on behalf of the committee, committee member Peter Thoits said that the Committee's work would not be possible without the collaboration with Gray employee Transfer Station Director Randy Cookson, and he thanked Randy for his work with the Committee.

Volunteer of the Year went to Louise Knapp, President of the Gray Historical Society, Chair of the Dry Mills Schoolhouse Committee, and her numerous good works on behalf of the Sabbathday Shaker Village in collaboration with Leonard L. Brooks, Director of the Shaker Library and Shaker Museum.

Lifetime Achiever was Dick Wood, who has devoted fifty years to various endeavors to the Town of Gray, including as past Town Councilor, and currently Public Works committee member, Dry Hydrants Committee member, and his community work with the Threshold To Maine Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area, assisting communities in York, Cumberland, Oxford, and Franklin Counties improve skills and commitment to balancing social, economic, and ecological issues around natural resource use. Mr. Wood was instrumental in getting the first timber bridge installed in the State, in Gray. He is also involved with 4H, and as Gary Foster said, "True to form, Dick could not be present tonight, as he is leading a 4H meeting." Dick's son Gary Wood accepted the award on behalf of his father.

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The Town of Gray has the following committees, in addition to Town Council and School Board, which are elected membership,

Cable TV Committee
Community Economic Development Committee.
Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group
Charles Barker Scholarship Committee
Dry Hydrants Committee
Dry Mills Schoolhouse Committee
Grange No.41 Scholarship Fund Committee
Gray Cemetery Association
Gray Water District
Library Board of Trustees
Ordinance Review Committee
Planning Board
Public Safety Committee
Recreation/Conservation
Solid Waste Committee
Zoning Board of Appeals

The Town of Gray is seeking volunteers to serve on Town Boards & Committees Interested volunteers can submit a letter of interest and an application to the Town Office in person or by email to ebullen@graymaine.org. Boards & Committees applications can be downloaded from www.graymaine.org (Applications & Forms).

Below, Gary Wood accepts the plaque on behalf of his father Dick Wood for the Lifetime Achievement from Chair Gary Foster as Vice-Chair Andy Upham looks on.

Volunteer of the Year Louise Knapp with Vice-Chair Andy Upham after the dinner.

Committee of the Year Solid Waste Committee members from left to right, Brian Shedlarski, Mark Arienti, and Peter Thoits.

Left, former Chair Pam Wilkinson chats with current Town Council Chair Gary Foster after the dinner.

Below, at right, Manager Mitch Berkowitz talks with a companion of a committee member.

Library Trustee Judy Huff, left, talking with Community Economic Development Committee member Ralph Wink's wife Eska.

Left, Ordinance Review Committee member Wade Trudel and right, Gray Water District Trustee Bruce Sawyer.

All photos The Monument Newspaper: Elizabeth Prata