American Cancer Society Honors Newtown Volunteers

By JOHN VOKET

Published: Nov 21, 2008 12:00 am

American Cancer Society

Honors Newtown Volunteers

The American Cancer Society recently honored 23 individuals and groups, including Newtown residents Helen Benson and Bill Carlson, for their outstanding volunteer work and support at its annual Volunteer Recognition Reception in Monroe November 12.

American Cancer Societyâs State Vice President of Cancer Control Sarah Shafir, American Cancer Society State Vice President of Income Development Linette Handschumaker, and Dr Barbara A. Ward and Guy Russo of the American Cancer Societyâs New England Board of Directors, were emcees and award presenters for the evening.

âEverything you do on behalf of the society provides inspiration each and every day for our staff, other volunteers, and for those we serve.â Ms Shafir said to the award winners. âThrough your examples, we are inspiring others and making a significant impact on this disease.â

Ms Benson received The Sandra C. Labaree American Cancer Society New England Volunteer Values Award, which is given to individuals whose actions and service in the fight against cancer most exemplify the societyâs values.

An active force in the Relay For Life of Newtown, Ms Benson chaired committees and served as event co-chair for two years. Under her leadership, the event was attended by more than 4,000 people and raised more than $350,000 for society research, patient services, education and prevention programs, and advocacy efforts.

Ms Benson also helped bring cancer awareness programs to Newtown High School.

Mr Carlson received the societyâs Courage Award, which is presented to a cancer patient who serves as a role model due to his or her personal strength and courage in combating cancer and the multitude of issues surrounding the disease.

As an employee at Shawâs Supermarkets, Mr Carlson formed two teams that raised more than $7,000 for the Relay For Life of New Fairfield. He attended every Relay For Life of New Fairfield meeting and even attended some of the student meetings to encourage the youth volunteers to keep working hard and help them in inviting cancer survivors to the event.

Despite undergoing treatment during the planning process, Mr Carlson was always cheerful and with a positive attitude. He served as the survivor speaker for the opening ceremony and led the survivorsâ lap.

The reception also celebrated the American Cancer Societyâs achievements in Connecticut in 2008, including more than $8 million raised in Relay For Life, Daffodil Days, and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. These funds allowed the society to finance 23 research grants totaling nearly $10 million and offer vital patient services, including free transportation to-and-from treatment, free wigs and makeup classes, and one-on-one emotional support.

The American Cancer Society helps patients and their families with free information, support, and local resources. Cancer information specialists are available by phone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help with diagnosis and treatment options, find rides to treatment, or answer insurance questions.

Get more information on the ACS and its volunteer opportunities or outreach programs by calling 800-227-2345 or visiting www.cancer.org.

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It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

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John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

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A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

You’re absolutely right — no one should ever feel unsafe in their own home. Being startled awake by violent banging at your door late at night is no joke, and it’s a stark reminder that danger can come without warning. That’s why I’m thankful for the right to protect ourselves, our families, and our property. In a moment like that, you don’t get a second chance to call for help before you act — you have to be prepared. Our homes should be a place of peace, not fear, and the ability to defend them is a right worth safeguarding.

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American Cancer Society Honors Newtown Volunteers

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