Ashlar Honors Its Volunteers

By Kaaren Valenta

More than 200 volunteers of all ages were honored Monday evening at a reception at Ashlar of Newtown on Toddy Hill Road.

Following a greeting by Ashlar President Thomas Gutner, the Junior Volunteer Scholarship Award was presented to Kathy Deng, a Newtown High School senior, by Hilda DeLucia, Ashlar’s community resources manager.

“This experience has been much more rewarding than I ever imagined it to be,” Kathy said. “Helping others to live a better life has always been a part of my goals. Volunteering at Ashlar has provided opportunities for me to accomplish my goals, and it also enriches me as a person.

 “I have learned that everybody needs a friend, not once in a while, but always,” she said. “Needing someone is not just feeding you food and making sure you get to the bathroom without falling. Needing someone is wanting a hug, wanting to hold a hand, wanting to talk to, wanting to listen, and wanting to laugh with. I hope I have fulfilled a part of that need in someone who would otherwise be lonely without me.”

“One of the first things I learned at Ashlar is that some of the residents never get visitors,” she said. “I have one friend who says loneliness is his number one fear, and he is probably not the only one. Loneliness is one of the easiest problems to fix.”

A special thank you also went to Ashlar and Lockwood Lodge residents who also volunteered at the skilled nursing facility.

Following the reception, entertainment was provided by Karl Saliter, a circus comic with Party Troop in Waterbury.