Two residents who long supported Newtown students were honored at the Newtown High School Veterans Day Assembly on November 11, when American Legion Post 202 District Commander Nick Cabral announced the winners of this year’s Community Americanism Award.

Coverage of the Veterans Day assembly was included in the November 19 print edition in the story, “Veterans Celebrated In Newtown Schools,” and is available online at newtownbee.com/11182021/veterans-celebrated-in-newtown-schools.

John Charles “Chuck” Taylor, who passed away in late August, posthumously earned the award with his wife Laura Taylor, who attended the November 11 ceremony with friends and family in the crowd at NHS. Chuck and Laura’s daughter MJ was by her mother’s side for the event and their son Ben was away at Northeastern University, Boston, Mass., due to giving a presentation at the same time.

“My husband, Chuck, loved helping others and supporting organizations his kids were involved in,” Laura said in an e-mail following the event. “He was very proud of his service in the Navy and his involvement in the American Legion. The American Legion does such meaningful work for veterans and the community.”

When he was announcing this year’s awardees, Cabral read about Chuck and Laura Taylor.

“Chuck was a proud US Navy veteran having served on the USS Paul,” Cabral read. “He was a member of American Legion Post 202 since revitalization and was our most recent Post Commander. Chuck supported our veterans and schools each year attending Veterans Day Celebrations at Sandy Hook School, Reed Intermediate School, Newtown Middle School (NMS), and Newtown High School (NHS).”

Chuck Taylor was also a Cub Scout Pack 170 Den Leader for two years, a Pinewood Derby Leader for two years; he was on the parent leadership committee of Boy Scout Troop 770 for six years, attended yearly campouts with Troop 770, was a Girl Scout Troop 50040 “Cookie Dad” for eight years; he also helped Girl Scout Troop 50040 with camping trips, and when his children were in high school he became a “pit daddy” for the NHS Marching Band & Guard, according to the write-up provided by American Legion Post 202.

“The Marching Band holds a home show fundraiser each year inviting other marching bands across the state to participate,” Cabral read from the write-up. “Chuck served as chairman of the Joseph Grasso Festival at NHS for three years, helping to organize and run the home show with 500 plus attendees across 7 plus bands.”

Over the years, Chuck Taylor attended events as a parent chaperone at Sandy Hook School, Reed, and NMS. He helped with the St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church food collections and delivered carloads of food to state missions and shelters, according to the write-up.

“Chuck enjoyed riding his motorcycle and was a member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association. He served as Connecticut Chapter E Director for more than three years. He led countless Sunday motorcycle ‘rides to nowhere,’ including one motorcycle trip to Wisconsin and two cross-country trips,” the write-up continues. “True to his nature of helping and giving, Chuck was always around to help someone move in, give someone a ride, fix a computer, or just help out anyone who needed it.”

And, Cabral noted, Laura Taylor was Chuck Taylor’s perfect partner.

“They shared the same love of giving to their neighbors, our schools, our young people, and our community,” Cabral read. “Laura was a Sandy Hook School parent who actively volunteered for six years, participating in the Family Fun Fair, guest storytelling, room mom, arts and crafts, school newspaper support, chaperoning, teacher appreciation. She also served on the Sandy Hook PTA board for six years.”

Laura Taylor also participated with the Reed and NMS PTAs; she hosted teachers’ luncheons; she chaperoned school trips, and, the write-up says, “Laura was involved with everything as a NHS Marching Band & Guard parent volunteer from running bake sales, chaperoning trips, and working with pit crew alongside her husband for six years. She was Marching Band Parent President for three years, supporting all events, fundraising, and general management of band activities during that time.

“In 2018, Laura became president of the Marching Band Parents Association and Chuck became the Chair of the annual Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band & Guard Festival — neither of those are easy positions but rather a labor of love to support their children and the other students in the program. She served as Chair of the Grasso Festival again this October after Chuck fell ill in June and passed in August. She always had “his 6.’”

At St Rose of Lima Roman Catholic Church, Laura Taylor taught religious classes and ran the annual Scout mass. She acted as the treasurer for the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, was board chair of the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) for five years, served as a parent leader with Boy Scout Troop 770, and she was a “cookie mom” for Girl Scout Troop 50040.

“Chuck was half a step behind her helping however she needed,” Cabral read.

The decision to honor the Taylors with the award was a unanimous decision for American Legion Post 202.

Laura Taylor spoke to the crowd at the Veterans Day assembly, first thanking all of the veterans there for their service.

“In addition to being the wife of a proud six-year Navy veteran, I am also the daughter of a Korean War Navy Lieutenant Commander who served six years active duty and 20 years in the reserves, and the daughter-in-law of a World War II veteran,” Laura Taylor read at the assembly. “To our veterans, thank you for your service and selfless dedication to our country. And to those active duty service members with us today, I thank them for their current service.”

Her husband’s commitment to his community started when he served in the Navy, Laura Taylor said, adding later that, “Stepping up where there was a need was just part of Chuck’s DNA.”

“On behalf of my late husband, Chuck Taylor, we are honored to receive the Community Americanism Award from American Legion Post 202,” said Laura Taylor. “We thank the American Legion and Post 202 for this award. The American Legion was created after World War I with a mission to focus on service to veterans, service members, and communities. The Legion has influenced considerable social change in America, won hundreds of benefits for veterans and produced many important programs for children and youth.”

Speaking to the students in the audience, Laura Taylor urged them to get involved in programs, such as the Marching Band Guard, a club, or sports team; to “reach someone” through small actions to help others; to support the community; and to thank a veteran.

Education Reporter Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.