On the 167th anniversary of the birth of Mary Elizabeth Hawley, more than 100 people gathered in The Alexandria Room of Edmond Town Hall, where Gordon Williams was celebrated as the inaugural recipient of a public service award named for the legendary Miss Hawley.

Williams was joined by his wife Lina and their three children — Christopher, Cara and Emily — for the special event. Dozens of friends and fellow members of clubs and organizations Williams remains involved in also filled the seats. First Selectman Jeff Capeci, State Senator Tony Hwang and State Representative Mitch Bolinsky also attended and celebrated the honoree.

Williams’s name will be the first added to a new plaque to be installed in The Mary Hawley Room at the town hall.

Maureen Crick Owen, a member of The Mary Hawley Service Award Committee served as the afternoon’s emcee.

“I am grateful that we could celebrate such a wonderful volunteer as Gordon Williams by awarding him with the Mary Hawley Public Service Award for our first year,” she told The Newtown Bee. “Mr Willams has given back to our community in so many ways. I am sure Mary Hawley would be proud of the first recipient of this award.

The committee, she said, was overwhelmed with the great attendance.

“So many people came out to honor Mr Williams,” she said.

Award Committee member Bronson Hawley, a distant relative of Mary Hawley’s, offered some background about the award and its namesake.

He reminded attendees that The Society of the Hawley Family had celebrated its 100th anniversary with a weekend of events taking place last September in Newtown.

“To make the reunion memorable I wanted to make its theme a tribute to Mary’s remarkable legacy,” he said. In looking for a way to honor his ancestor, long known as The Benefactress of Newtown, he said one thing that stood out to him was that for all she did for Newtown — financing The Hawley School, Edmond Town Hall and C.H. Booth Library, among others, and all named for relatives — “she always named her gifts in honor of someone else, a real testament to her humble, private character.

“She wanted to perpetuate the memory of others, not herself,” he added. “Well, it’s time for that to change.”

Hawley and NSB President and CEO Ken Weinstein came up with the idea of The Mary Hawley Public Service Award, he said. A committee was formed to further define the award, and a call for nominations was issued.

The award, Hawley said, serves two functions.

“First, it will serve as an annual reminder to all of us of the remarkable contributions that Mary made to Newtown. I doubt very much that there are many other towns in the country that have benefited so much from the devotion and generosity of one woman.

“Mary alone is single-handedly responsible for much of Newtown’s treasured infrastructure — the library, town hall, Hawley School, Newtown Village Cemetery, the Soldiers and Sailor’s Monument. The list goes on. It is truly an astounding legacy that should be and now will be formally remembered every year.

“Second, and probably most importantly, the award will serve as a vehicle for promoting volunteerism by recognizing prolonged, outstanding individual commitment to selflessly serving the community and its citizens,” he continued. “Volunteerism is the lifeblood of the nonprofit world. Without committed volunteers most nonprofits would cease to exist.”

In thanking everyone in attendance he said they were celebrating the life and legacy of Mary Hawley and all she did for her hometown while also celebrating Gordon Williams “for all that he has done for Newtown over the last few decades, and continues to do today.”

‘Synonymous With Volunteerism’

Newtown Bee Managing Editor Shannon Hicks spoke next. A friend of Williams, Hicks said she and a mutual friend both thought of Williams upon hearing about the award.

“She and I said the same thing: ‘The name Gordon Williams is synonymous with volunteerism,’” Hicks said. “He is a husband and father, and a friend to generations of people in and around Newtown. He has given his time to this town for decades, providing exactly the kind of time and talent to Newtown that The Mary Hawley Public Service Award was created for. His days are filled with tireless deeds that continue to benefit Newtown and its residents.”

Hicks offered a brief outline of Williams’s time in and dedication to Newtown, which began almost immediately upon the arrival of Gordon, Lina, and their very young son Christopher in 1966. Williams almost immediately joined and became active with Newtown Congregational Church, Nunnawauk Meadows, and Newtown Jaycees.

After his time with the Jaycees, who retired members when they turned 35, Williams quickly found another volunteer outlet with Newtown Lions Club.

“At some point Gordon joined Newtown Historical Society,” Hicks said. “Between his work as a history teacher, a bibliophile whose favorite genre is history, and the fact that he and Lina owned not one but two historic homes within the Borough, they probably saw that coming,” she continued, drawing laughs.

Hicks continued to outline Williams’s numerous contributions to Newtown: former member of C.H. Booth Board of Trustees, founding member of The Newtown Men’s Literary Club, driver for the former Friends In Service Here, among the original volunteers for Al’s Trail, and a member of the Newtown Tercentennial Committee.

“Gordon didn’t just join the commission, however,” Hicks noted. “He chaired the replacement of the main level seating in Edmond Town Hall Theatre as part of Newtown’s Tercentennial in 2005.”

He and Lina moved “to the other side of the Rochambeau Bridge 13 years ago,” Hicks then said of the couple’s move to Southbury. Within a year of that move, however, Williams co-founded Interfaith Partnership for Refugee Resettlement, hosted by Newtown communities of faith.

Recalling an anecdote Williams had shared with her a few weeks earlier, Hicks said Williams has a friend who moved out of Newtown years ago but continues to remain very involved with friends and volunteer organizations in Newtown.

“Gordon said that woman and her husband stayed so busy here, he would tell them ‘You may sleep in Brookfield, but you still live in Newtown.’

“I find it wonderfully ironic that we can all say the same thing about him now,” she said.

Hicks said when it was announced a few weeks earlier that Williams had been named the first recipient of The Mary Hawley Public Service Award, this newspaper received many very positive comments and responses. She shared some of them, including “Gordon is one of Newtown’s gems. Such a wonderful person and so deserving of this award.”

Turning from the podium to face Williams, who was seated on the stage amid other speakers and committee members, she said, “Congratulations my friend. You are indeed a gem.”

Everyone Can Help

When it was his turn to speak, Williams thanked his family and friends, but quickly turned the focus outward.

He thanked those in attendance for joining him. He said most seated before him were volunteers as well.

Volunteering is best done with others, he said, before inviting a few people to also be acknowledged. Among them was Patty Graves, who co-founded Newtown Historical Society’s History Camp with him.

Williams also asked Mirna Rocha, a young woman from Brazil who tutored under Williams for seven years while working toward her citizenship, he said, to stand.

He also spoke of the importance of encouraging all generations to volunteer in their communities.

“Everyone can find some way to help others,” he said. “Whether you join an organization and begin with them or find a project that needs just an hour, there is something for everyone.”

His remarks were brief but heartfelt, and he was given a standing ovation.

Bronson Hawley then presented Williams with a plaque bearing the award name and his name.

Williams’s name will also be the first added to a new plaque to be installed in The Mary Hawley Room at the town hall.

A Cornerstone Of The Community

First Selectman Jeff Capeci opened his remarks by noting the gathering was “not only to celebrate the spirit of service that defines our community but also to honor an individual whose dedication has touched countless lives in Newtown.

“Gordon has been a cornerstone of our community for decades, dedicating his time, energy, and passion to making Newtown a better place for all of us,” he continued.

After highlighting some of the highlights of Williams’s long volunteer oeuvre, Capeci said the honoree’s service “is about a genuine love for Newtown and a desire to see it thrive. He embodies the spirit of Mary Hawley, whose legacy of community service and philanthropy continues to inspire us all. In honoring Gordon tonight, we are not only acknowledging his remarkable contributions but also reaffirming the values that make Newtown such a special place to live.”

Capeci offered his thanks on behalf of all Newtown residents for Williams’s “unwavering commitment to our town.

“Your work has left an indelible mark on Newtown, and we are all better for it. You have set a standard of service that will inspire generations to come, and it is with great pride that I present you with a proclamation tonight recognizing all you do for Newtown.

“Congratulations, Gordon. This honor is well-deserved, and I speak for Newtown when I say we are deeply grateful for all that you have done.”

Capeci later told The Newtown Bee the event “was a wonderful celebration of community service and volunteerism. Mary Hawley and Gordon have generously contributed their treasure, time, and talent to Newtown, significantly enhancing our community in the process.”

Capeci presented a proclamation to Williams. Bolinsky and Hwang presented a proclamation on behalf of the state. Each man also offered congratulatory remarks and their personal thanks.

As part of the award, Newtown Savings Bank sponsored a $1,000 cash prize to be donated to the organization of Williams’s choice.

NSB President and Chief Executive Officer Ken Weinstein had the honor of announcing where the funds were going. First he thanked Williams for his early influence on his life.

“Gordon Williams was my teacher in Trumbull during my sophomore and senior years of high school,” he said. “Mr Williams — I still call him that; I’m still not used to addressing him as ‘Gordon,’” he added. “Mr Williams was a great teacher, and remains a great influence to so many people.”

Weinstein then announced donations of $250 each would be made in Williams’s name to Newtown Forest Association, Friends of C.H. Booth Library, The Newtown Fund, and Newtown Scholarship Association.

Sherri Smith Baggett, Julia Douglas and Dan Rosenthal also served on the awards committee, and were in attendance August 22.