Date: Fri 03-Apr-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

Snapshot-Ann-Piccini

Full Text:

SNAPSHOT: ANN PICCINI

Occupation: My position is called secretary (for Social Services Director

Karen Hoyt) but it's really much more than that. It's mainly dealing with

people. I process applications, get people into treatment. I've handled three

threatened suicides, thankfully successfully, in the eight years that I've

worked here. The first month I was on the job, (former Social Services

Director Sheila Knox) went out to lunch and while she was gone a man who was

despondent came in and told me he was going to kill himself by driving his car

into the flagpole. I suggested that he sit down and we'd talk about it. (That

month) Sheila gave me a red book, twice the size of the telephone book, and

said to read it in my spare time. It was all the regulations for welfare.

You're dealing with people who have all different kinds of problems. It's

mainly listening to them; you need to become a good listener.

Family: My husband, Ralph, and our five children. Donald, 32, is in the Army

in Italy; Stephen, 31, works in my husband's floor covering business in Croton

Falls, N.Y.; Pamela, 28, is married and also works in the business; Candice,

22, is attending Ricky's Beauty Academy; and Kathy, 18, is a senior at Newtown

High School and really into softball. Stephen, Candice and Kathy still live at

home.

How long in Newtown: For 12 years. (Previously) we lived in New Fairfield for

15 years, and before that in Yonkers, N.Y.

Pets: We have two dogs that my kids brought home. Guess who takes care of

them? One is a husky named Kiko, the other a mutt named Stinky. George

(Mattegat) at the dog pound is very well acquainted with them.

Biggest Change in Town: I think people are getting warmer, the town is

becoming much friendlier. I thought it was cold and not very welcoming when I

first moved here.

Organizations: I'm on the board of the Newtown service unit of the Salvation

Army. We operate a food pantry and have a post office food drive coming up.

It's such a plus. The first time the food drive was held, I expected to get a

few boxes -- we got three tons! Boxes were stacked everywhere. We finally had

to store a lot of it in the highway garage. The pantry is on the second floor

of the Congregational Church House but we're trying to get a trailer so that

(elderly) people don't have to walk up all those steps. We use the food pantry

as a way of meeting clients to find out what other services they might need.

For example, we can give them a tank of gas to help them get to work and

arrange for them to get clothing for work. There are a lot of resources

available, if you can meet the client and find out what the needs are.

Hobbies: I don't have time for hobbies but I do a lot of sports. My husband

and I go snowmobiling in Vermont and Canada, and water skiing and boating

because we live on Lake Zoar. We've always kept our kids active in sports.

That's been our goal -- not to have kids hanging around with nothing to do. I

also like gardening. I could spend a whole day out there. Plants don't talk

back to you.

Personal Philosophy: Treat people well. Be nice to your fellow man and you'll

bring out the better in them.