‘Join Our Stars’ Celebrates Kevin’s 

Community Center Success

By Kaaren Valenta

“Live and love always breeds life and love,” said the Rev Peter Towsley, looking at the more than 100 people who gathered at The Homesteads at Newtown last week for a community celebration to all those who have extended a helping hand in establishing Kevin’s Community Center.

Two dozen awards and recognitions were presented by the Kevin’s Community Center advisory board to volunteer medical providers; organizations; individual, corporate, and small business donors, and others who took part in the establishment of the free at Fairfield Hills for low-income residents who do not have medical insurance.

Father Towsley, who is a member of the advisory board, gave the evening’s opening prayer, reflecting on how from the untimely death of 3-year-old Kevin Taweh in August 2002 came “something really good, something that united all religious denominations and the community in doing something good for society.”

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said that there are more than 795 families comprised of 1,500 adults and children in Newtown who qualify for free or reduced-priced assistance programs and who do not have medical insurance.

“These figures make us aware that there is a tremendous need for this clinic,” he said.

Clinic founder and medical director Z. Michael Taweh said the clinic has seen more than 70 patients and had more than 200 patient visits since it opened last August including five patients who were identified as having diabetes and hypertension, another 15–20 with hypertension, and nine patients who had serious complications such as congestive heart failure and angina. The clinic also has served seven patients who are intravenous drug users, two of whom were sent to acute health facilities.

More than 55 medical and administrative volunteers have helped to operate the clinic, which is open from 1 to 5 pm on Wednesdays in Canaan House at Fairfield Hills.

Medical providers awards were presented to two dentists, Dr John A. Dudley and Dr Henry N. Gellert, for providing services to patients who otherwise could not afford treatment. Other provider awards were given to the Family Counseling Center and to Church Hill Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation for providing free services to referred patients.

Medical services awards were presented to the Drug Center pharmacy for donating supplies and providing prescription medicines at wholesale prices, and to Danbury Hospital Laboratory Services and Housatonic Valley Radiology for providing services at no charge to the clinic and its patients.

Community Support Awards were given to the Newtown Lions Club, the Knights of Columbus Virgilius Council 185, the Newtown Rotary Club, the Outreach Commission of Trinity Episcopal Church, the St Rose Youth Ministry, the St Rose Pre-School, the Junior Women’s Club of Newtown, and the AmeriCares Free Clinics.

Union Savings Bank was honored as the outstanding corporate donor. Outstanding small business donor awards were presented to The Newtown Bee, to Petal Pushers Florist for always donating an arrangement of flowers on clinic days, and Ricci’s Salon and Spa for its cut-a-thon fundraising.

Patty Gillen McQuail was recognized as the outstanding individual adult donor for contributing a portion of all of her real estate commissions to the clinic, and Stacy Gordon as the outstanding teenage donor.

The Magic Carpet award was presented to Al Saade for contributing a hand-woven Pakistani carpet for the first raffle to support the clinic.

The Visiting Nurse Association of Newtown received a special Founder’s Award for its ongoing assistance and for providing seed money to help start the clinic. Attorney Michael Ronan surprised with the “Above and Beyond” award for his consistent volunteer service and willingness to help every aspect of the clinic’s development and operation.

Among those who also attended the program were Dr Taweh’s wife, Jocelyne, who comes to the clinic each Wednesday with food for the volunteers; their son, Jason, 3, and members of Dr Taweh’s family, who prepared a lavish buffet of Lebanese food for the event.