Parade Will Honor Newtown’s Youth––

Youth Services Officials Will Be This Year’s Parade Marshals

By Jan Howard

Newtown Youth Services will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2004, and so it is only fitting that this year’s Labor Day parade on September 1 will serve as a kickoff to that celebration with its theme, “Newtown’s Faith in the Future,” a celebration of the youth of Newtown.

It is also fitting that two of Newtown Youth Services’ dedicated workers, Debbie Richardson, director, and Roseanne Loring, life skills education coordinator, will serve as parade marshals.

The two women are both honored and surprised by their appointment as parade marshals.

“It’s pretty cool,” Ms Richardson said. “It’s quite an honor.”

“I was very honored and surprised,” Ms Loring said, “and humbled. This is very exciting. It’s a tremendous opportunity for the agency.”

Ms Richardson said she has talked to members of the parade committee, who told her that members of Newtown Youth Services would march behind the two parade marshals at the beginning of the parade. “They’ll know we’re in the parade,” she said.

“The parade is a huge part of Newtown,” Ms Richardson said. “You’re either in it or watching. We have always had a float or marchers. It’s a good time. It will be plain fun, and it won’t rain.

“To be chosen by the committee to represent youth is such an honor. It has touched my heart that we were selected,” Ms Richardson said.

Ms Richardson, who grew up in Newtown, has been director of Newtown Youth Services for 16 years. She and her husband Mark have two adult children, Cory and Erin. She also has two married stepdaughters, Vanessa and Aimee, and two grandchildren, Rebecca and Robert.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in French and education from Roanoke College in Virginia and a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Southern Connecticut State University. She is a licensed substance abuse counselor.

She enjoys watching birds, gardening, and reading.

Ms Richardson was a counselor for a methadone treatment clinic prior to working at Danbury Youth Services. “Then this job opened up. I thought it would be a fit because I grew up here.”

Ms Loring has lived in Newtown since 1977. She and her husband Jim have two adult sons, Christopher and Ryan. She is a member of St Rose Church, where she is a canter and sings for weddings and funerals. She also spent 20 years at the church working with children in a music program.

 She holds a bachelor of arts in secondary education, theater and English, and previously taught school at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. When her children were young, she was very involved in PTAs, serving twice as president.

Ms Loring enjoys reading and relaxing by a beach anywhere.

A former member of the agency’s board of directors, Ms Loring began working at Newtown Youth Services six years ago. “My job involves teaching in one manner or another,” she said.

She teaches the Super Sitters baby-sitting class, which is held five times a year, and works with the Middle School Youth Advisory Board, which is an offshoot of Youth Services. She also coordinates homework clubs at the Middle School and Reed Intermediate School, which are tutored by high school students.

“We have an absolutely wonderful group of tutors,” Ms Loring said. She also writes the Youth Services column for The Newtown Bee.

“And she answers the phone a million times a day,” Ms Richardson interjected.

In regard to those phone calls, Ms Loring said, “Anybody here will take the time for a person who needs help.” As for the staff, she noted, “Everyone pitches in to help each other.”

Ms Richardson and Ms Loring are members of the Newtown Prevention Council.

A love for children and families brought Ms Richardson and Ms Loring to Newtown Youth Services. They are obviously proud of the achievements of the agency, and said it is due to the hard work of members of the staff and board of directors and the dedication of adult and youth volunteers.

“There is a real camaraderie among the staff,” Ms Richardson said. “We have an amazing staff here. Everyone brings a piece of the puzzle to make it as successful as it is. It makes it what it is —dynamic and a good place to be.”

Ms Richardson said the staff brings a passion to the work at the youth agency, which sometimes can be stressful. “It’s hard work.

“The team approach has served us well,” Ms Richardson said. “We all learn from each other.”

“We each have a lot of commitment to the agency,” Ms Loring said. “We also have some wonderful parents. We just call and ask them, and they’ll be there.”

Ms Richardson said Newtown Youth Services “has grown, developed, and matured to meet the needs of the town as it changes. We provide programs to meet the needs of a changing town.”

In 2002 Newtown Youth Services, Inc served 11,005 people in a variety of programs, including youth and family counseling, youth programs, employment/training, parent support, and recreational/cultural.

“Our bigger programs attract people from out of town,” Ms Richardson said.

The success of the agency is because of the generosity of the community, she said. “Without it we would not exist. The volunteerism is astounding.

“We love kids and families. We believe everyone has something to offer. It’s not hard to figure out what people’s strengths are,” she said. “To see them discovering gifts they didn’t know they had, it is truly what keeps us here.”

Newtown Youth Services, Inc, which is located at 41A Main Street, is a nonprofit agency that serves as an advocate for a positive environment for Newtown’s youth and families, and provides a wide variety of programs, services, activities, and counseling to meet the needs of the community.

The agency is funded by the Town of Newtown, State Department of Education, Newtown Board of Education, United Way of Northern Fairfield County, private foundations, and community support.