To The Editor:

I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Bruce Walczak in the Newtown Lions Club for over 12 years, and I can say without hesitation: his dedication to service is unmatched. Bruce is an initiator, but before he develops a plan, he listens to people’s ideas and opinions. Many leaders are great speakers, but only a few are excellent listeners like Bruce.

From the moment he joined the Lions, Bruce took the lead on our Health Committee and launched a school vision screening program that now serves over 1,500 students annually — thanks to a partnership with the Newtown Visiting Nurses and a team of more than ten volunteers. His ability to organize, collaborate, and follow through is exactly what makes him such an effective leader.

It didn’t take long for Bruce’s leadership to be recognized in the Newtown Lions. Within five years, he was elected president of our 75-year-old organization. During the early days of COVID, Bruce initiated the “We Care” program, reaching out to homebound residents to ensure they felt supported and connected.

Recently, he teamed up with fellow Lion Arnie Berman to launch a creative prepackaged food drive in partnership with Big Y and Stop & Shop. This initiative now collects over 6,000 pounds of food twice a year, benefiting Newtown’s local pantries and regional food banks like Bridgeport Rescue and Danbury Daily Bread.

These are just a few examples of the kind of thoughtful and necessary community-driven work Bruce leads. He brings people together, builds partnerships, and gets things done. That’s the kind of leadership Newtown needs in a First Selectman. Past performance is a great indicator of future success. I’m proud to stand with Bruce — and I encourage Bee readers to do the same.

Bob Schmidt

Sandy Hook