YMCA To Honor Richard And Claudia Coopersmith

DANBURY –– The Regional YMCA will honor Richard and Claudia Coopersmith of Newtown at its fourth “People of Distinction” recognition dinner on June 10.

The Coopersmiths will be honored for their volunteer work for the greater Danbury community.

A chiropractic physician in Newtown for the past 25 years, Richard Coopersmith has been a voice at the annual Labor Day Parade, serving as a moderator for the thousands who witness the event. He and Claudia have served as chairpersons for the Newtown Summer Festival.

Dr Coopersmith has combined his talents as an auctioneer with his passion to help organizations in their efforts to raise money. The Regional YMCA, Danbury Hospital, American Cancer Society, A Day To Make A Difference, Danbury Aids Project, Newtown Youth Services, St Rose School, and the Montessori School have all witnessed his skills at wielding the fundraising microphone.

Dr Coopersmith and his brother, the late Victor Coopersmith, founded the Coopersmith Cup, a well-known Junior Tennis Tournament, that continues in Victor’s memory.

Claudia Coopersmith’s fundraising began shortly after she lost her father to cancer. Using her creative talents as a vehicle, she has brought art and entertainment to the foreground, organizing fashion shows and luncheons for such organizations as the American Cancer Society and Newtown Scholarship Association, where she was a board member. Her reputation as a gastronome has resulted in the Coopersmith home being the site for many a dinner for 12 being served in the name of a worthy organization.

She has volunteered for the Ives Center, Danbury AIDS Project, Newtown Youth Services, Montessori School, and the Danbury Hospital Ball. In her professional life, she and her partner and childhood friend Linda Pickwick have an interior design and faux painting business, bringing color to life with murals and custom finishes.

Dr Coopersmith has also devoted much of his time to the growth of the chiropractic profession. He has served as public relations, legislative, and insurance chairman of the Connecticut Chiropractic Association. He is a past president of the Connecticut Chiropractic Association, serving from 1991 to 1993, and was honored as Chiropractor of the Year by his peers.

The Coopersmiths have been married for 22 years. They have two sons, Benjamin and Aaron, who are college students in New York and Boston, respectively.