Business Of The Year Awards—

Rotary And Chamber Honor Local Businesses

The Newtown Rotary and Chamber of Commerce of Newtown presented its first Business of the Year awards to Newtown Savings Bank and Dr Henry Gellert on Monday, March 1, at the Fireside Inn.

The awards were created this year to honor local businesses that contributed to the community.

“Choosing winners was very difficult,” Chamber President Pat Linnell said. “There are a tremendous number of very giving and supportive people in this town. The companies they work for encourage it.”

Five businesses had been nominated for the award in the category of businesses with 50 or more employees: Newtown Savings Bank, Ashlar of Newtown, Big Y Supermarket, Curtis Packaging, and the Bee Publishing Company. Nominees with 50 or fewer employees included Dr Gellert, Avance Esthetiques, the Drug Center, Fairfield Auction, Newtown Exxon, and Newtown Florist.

The awards were presented by Chet Hopper, chairman of the town’s Economic Development Commission, and Liz Stocker, director of community development. Mr Hopper said the Rotary approached then Chamber President Christina Maturi a year ago to partner in “this very worthwhile exercise” to identify those businesses in town that contribute significantly to the community.

The committee of judges included Ms Linnell, Rotary President Brian Amey, Frank Gavel, Jr, and Alan Clavette.

The accomplishments of each of the nominees were read before the awards were presented. Ms Linnell said the winners would receive a plaque and a check to be donated to the charity of their choice.

Dr Henry Gellert coached Little League baseball from 1976 to 1993 and served as the league president. He was instrumental in basketball as well, developing leagues and clinics for girls and boys on the elementary and middle school levels. He also coached girls’ softball for ten years.

He donated the lights at the high school when the gymnasium was rebuilt, donated the snack shack at Fairfield Hills, paid for softball game fences at Fairfield Hills, financially supported the lacrosse team; the men’s softball team, and the Blue & Gold Club, Pop Warner cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and numerous school fundraisers; donated uniforms for the basketball team for 14- and 15-year-olds, served as president of the Newtown High School Parents Association, was a member of the Newtown Jaycees, the Lions Club, and the Newtown Summer Festival for more than ten years, helping to organize the July 4 fireworks, summer block party, dinner dance fundraiser, Labor Day Parade and Labor Day picnic at Dickinson Park.

He has served as a master of ceremonies at the parade for the past 20 years, and paid off an outstanding balance when the funds ran out. He helped bring the National Flag to Newtown.

John Martocci, chairman and chief executive officer of Newtown Savings Bank, accepted the award on behalf of the bank. NSB contributes to the community not only by financing homes and business, but also by encouraging its staff to give back to the community. Ninety percent of the staff participate in the annual United Way drive. Joseph Humeston, retired executive vice president, and branch manager Nancy Adams serve on the board of the Chamber of Commerce

The bank is a major sponsor of many charitable organizations including Newtown Youth Services, the Family Counseling Center, March of Dimes Blue Jeans for Babies, the American Heart Association’s Hearts in Bloom, Habitat for Humanity, Newtown Friends of Music, Shelter of the Cross, Newtown Business and Professional Women, Newtown Rotary, Ability Beyond Disability, the Family Loan Program, and the American Red Cross blood drives.