On Tuesday, December 3, members of Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS) and the community joined AARP in celebrating one individual’s accomplishments, contributions, and dedication to Newtown at NewSylum Brewery. AARP awarded Beverly Bennett-Schaedler with the Andrus Award, an award given to an outstanding member of the community who goes above and beyond for seniors.

Many members of the community know Bennett-Schaedler, lovingly referred to as “Bev,” as the woman who founded Newtown Rides, or as the woman who started the Chore Services program through FONS, or even as the woman who worked on finding assistance so seniors in town could replace their roofs.

All who know her can agree with what John Boccuzzi said during the ceremony, “She got together a group of volunteers, very eager volunteers. I think just the magnetism of Bev has a lot to do with that. She’s able to get people feeling really good about what they’re going to be doing and becoming part of something bigger than they are.”

Nora Duncan, the state director for AARP, opened the night by explaining the Andrus award to the crowd. She told the story of Dr Ethel Percy Andrus, the founder of AARP, who found a colleague of hers living in a chicken coop.

“When [Andrus] found her friend,” Duncan said, “she got angry. She got active.”

“Community service is what AARP is built on in its initial days with Dr Ethel Percy Andrus … with that, around the country in every state, we award one individual, over age 50, with this honor for being an outstanding volunteer in their community and for really focusing on the social mission of AARP, which is to help people age with dignity,” Duncan told the crowd.

Duncan also shared that the Friends of Newtown Seniors will be receiving $3,000 “to use how they see fit in their community.” She joked that “Bev [is] going to have a lot to say about how that money gets spent.”

Following Duncan’s address, State Senator Tony Hwang, State Representatives Mitch Bolinsky and Marty Foncello, and Selectman Dan Cruson took the stage to present Bennett-Schaedler with a proclamation and an official citation of congratulations from the Connecticut General Assembly.

Hwang was the first to speak, “I’m so honored to be here because we’re honoring an individual that is so, so worthy … You don’t hear a lot about Beverly and all that she does, but you talk to anyone who is part of Friends of [Newtown] Seniors and … the Commission on Aging and they marvel at what an incredible tour de force she is. There’s not a thing that she doesn’t accomplish.”

Hwang addressed Bennett-Schaedler directly, saying, “For you to win this award tonight, Beverly, it really is a testament that you are the best of the best in the state of Connecticut … it really is such an incredible, special moment for us to honor you … God bless you. God bless you, Beverly.”

Bolinsky was next to speak. He shared, “I don’t think that there is a town anywhere in the state of Connecticut where we have had a volunteer put together a program of such magnitude and such potential.” Bolinsky added, “It’s amazing, you know, what FONS does as a complete volunteer organization. What began with the Boccuzzis has become an incredible movement that is an incredible asset to the seniors in our town.”

Bolinsky then turned his attention to Bennett-Schaedler, saying, “The reason why we’re here is the volunteer. Bev, you are the pinnacle of volunteers for seniors … You volunteers make the world go round, and for that, I am eternally, eternally grateful.”

Foncello was next, “People refer to us as ‘senior citizens,’ and we are, but I prefer to refer to us as ‘seasoned citizens.’” The crowd chuckled. Foncello continued, “So what you need to keep doing as a senior citizen is keep spreading that seasoning around. It’s good for you and it’s good for the rest of us. So, thank you for your service and let us know what we can do to help you.”

Selectman Dan Cruson joined the representatives on the stage to read a proclamation from First Selectman Jeff Capeci.

Cruson jumped into his speech by first acknowledging that he has “known Bev for a very long time. [He] knew her when [he] was a student at Hawley School.”

The proclamation read, “Whereas Beverly Bennett-Schaedler is hard-working and independent and brightens a room with her smile and fantastic sense of humor, bringing fun, devotion, and dedication to everything she does; and whereas Beverly Bennett-Schaedler has worked tirelessly for the disabled and as a board member for the friends of Newtown Seniors … [she] has coordinated hundreds of requests ranging from roof repairs to grocery deliveries during COVID … [her] work allows many who are struggling financially to find professional help while also providing confidential services working in cooperation with Newtown Human Services Department and Newtown Youth and Family Services.”

The last to speak before the group broke for dinner was Boccuzzi, the president of the Friends of Newtown Seniors.

He kept his address brief, though Bennett-Schaedler’s contributions are numerous. He started by describing how Bennett-Schaedler started the chores services program. “Some time back when she mentioned, ‘you know, this chore service thing, I can do that.’ I said, ‘okay, come on, let’s go.’”

He described a trip he and Bennett-Schaedler took to New Milford to see how a paid office does it. “I turned to Beverly and I said, ‘okay, look, these people, they’ve got paid staff, they’ve got an office. They’ve got all kinds of things going on.’”

Bennett-Schaedler’s response was, ‘Can you do it for free?’”

He then described Bennett-Schaedler’s own “chicken coop” story, much like Andrus herself all those years ago. Boccuzzi explained that some seniors were living in a kind of converted chicken coop that needed a roof. Well, Bennett-Schaedler got to work and negotiated with the landlord for some fellow seniors. The roof was replaced, as Boccuzzi said, “That’s the kind of stuff that Bev just gets done.”

He ended his speech by reminding Bennett-Schaedler that “the FONS board is 100% behind [her] in everything that [she is] doing.”

Bennett-Schaedler, herself, said, “I wouldn’t have been able to do it without the help of other volunteers and my husband.” She added that she was “overwhelmed,” and didn’t believe all that she did until it was laid out in front of her.

Bennett-Schaedler’s hard work is more than the shining star on her AARP Andrus Award, it is the beating, pulsing heart of the senior community in Newtown.

From the staff at The Newtown Bee, congratulations, Beverly.

=====

Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.