Having gone from a college-age intern doing data entry to becoming chairman of the board, former Newtown State Representative Christopher Lyddy has seemingly done it all for the Newtown Parent Connection (NPC).

So longtime friend, mentor, and NPC founder Dorrie Carolan, along with her current board, believe the least they can do for their now departed board chairman is to honor him for his service at the organization’s third annual Mardi Gras Gala.

The event is happening Saturday, April 6, from 7 pm to midnight, at the Fox Hill Inn in Brookfield (masks and black tie optional).

For Ms Carolan, it’s hard to imagine that Mr Lyddy, who was recently recruited by the State Office of Early Childhood (OAC), came to her to volunteer in the early days of the Parent Connection — and ended up being a devoted volunteer and supporter for 13 years.

Calling Mr Lyddy “my very special friend,” Ms Carolan found herself challenged to come up with ways to express her gratitude for his service to her nonprofit, which counsels and assists local families and loved ones grappling with — or who have been lost to — substance abuse.

“There are no words to adequately express the appreciation I have for his support and dedication over the last 13 years,” Ms Carolan told The Newtown Bee this week. “I’ve had the joy of knowing Christopher for almost 29 years, watching him grow to be a compassionate, caring, accomplished, trustworthy, humble, and loving man.”

Current NPC Chairman Joe Hemingway has also known Mr Lyddy for many years, and he is glad to see his predecessor receiving his due accolades.

“I was thrilled when we decided to honor Chris at this year’s gala,” Mr Hemingway said. “He has spent so many years on the board and as chairman of the board; his dedication and passion are contagious, and he is a true leader.”

Mr Hemingway credited Mr Lyddy with providing the protracted assistance required to see the NPC finally acquire and renovate a Fairfield Hills duplex building as its new, permanent headquarters.

“Chris was instrumental in the procurement of the grant that enabled us to finally have the beautiful home we spent so many years searching for,” Mr Hemingway said. “He is sorely missed, and he has left some very large shoes to fill.”

Ms Carolan said she has seen Mr Lyddy admirably maneuver himself through tense times while always remaining mild mannered, and she said she has always respected her longtime friend and agency leader for his impeccable reasoning skills.

“I’ve witnessed the wonderful changes that he has made over the years making our community a better and safer place for our children,” Ms Carolan said. “Christopher’s career path has taken him from social work to working in government and the public service arena and now his appointment as the chief operating officer of the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood.”

For Mr Lyddy, his long career arc — much of which occurred while he was performing some degree of service with the NPC — all happened because he, like Ms Carolan, lost someone very close to him to substance abuse.

“I’d known Dorrie for a long time, and when I lost a friend in high school, I was looking for a way to get involved, so I asked Dorrie if I could do anything for the Parent Connection,” Mr Lyddy said. “I started out just doing some data entry and just kept getting more and more involved with the cause.”

He said the ability to help someone confront, and in many cases recover from a substance abuse issue was hugely gratifying. And Mr Lyddy said he saw the Parent Connection’s programs for those loved ones dealing with an addicted family member, as well as its support system for those who had lost a loved one, as being unique and invaluable to the Newtown community and the entire Western Connecticut region.

Besides his service to the NPC and Newtown as its 106th District Representative in the state legislature from 2008-12, Mr Lyddy also held positions as a clinical supervisor with the Danbury and Torrington Brief Strategic Family Therapy (BSFT) Program as well as being a program director for the Hartford Juvenile Risk Reduction Center’s Forensic Health Services unit and chief operating officer for Advanced Trauma Solutions Inc.

He was called to serve on Governor Dannel Malloy’s Sandy Hook Advisory Commission following the 12/14 tragedy and also volunteered for the EDGE Group at the Western Connecticut United Way, on the Board of Directors for the Housatonic Coalition Against Substance Abuse, on the board of what is now Newtown Youth & Family Services, as well as being a program director at Youth Equipped for Success (YES!).

While she is preparing remarks along with others, including current chairman Mr Hemingway, Ms Carolan could not pass up the chance to also wish Mr Lyddy well a little sooner.

“May the success that has come your way, Christopher Lyddy, continue to lead you to bigger achievements in the years to come, as it is well-deserved,” she said.

For information about the NPC and its programs, to make a donation, or for Gala tickets, call 203-270-1600, or visit newtownparentconnection.org.