Centennial Update March/April 2003
Happy 100th birthday, WestConn! Citywide celebration a success
Members of the university and Greater Danbury communities came
together to celebrate WestConn’s 100th birthday on March 3.
The event helped 42 area organizations honor about 1,500 WestConn
graduates at their places of employment. Each organization received
birthday cake and commemorative Centennial pins for its celebration.
WestConn faculty, staff, students and emeriti enjoyed campus
receptions throughout the day. The day’s events culminated with a
WestConn alumni-employee reception in Warner Hall.
Special thanks to Costco General Manager Tom Daley and the Costco
baking team, Executive Director of the Danbury Chamber of Commerce
Stephen Bull, President and Publisher of the News- Times and
Co-chair of the Centennial Community Committee Wayne Shepperd, and
the 42 participating organizations for making the celebration a
success!
Silent auction, dancing planned for May gala
Plans are in the final stages for the upcoming Centennial Ball,
slated for Saturday, May 3, at the Ethan Allen Hotel and Conference
Center in Danbury. The black-tie event will focus on the
university’s Centennial theme, “Celebrating Our Past, Imagining Our
Future,” while raising money for student academic support.
The event will feature live entertainment by the WestConn music
department during the cocktail hour (beginning at 6 p.m.) and a
silent auction. The band “Higher and Higher” will perform during
dinner and dancing.
“The silent auction raised more than $11,000 last year,” said
Beth Molinaro, silent auction staff coordinator. “The best-selling
items are weekend get-a-ways, sporting event tickets, spa treatments
and home entertainment packages.”
“Decorations for the gala will reflect the Centennial theme and
will feature the Centennial Photo Exhibit, as well as a few
surprises,” said Janet McKay, decorations committee member. “We
don’t want to reveal too much.”
Committee members expect 250 people to attend this year’s gala,
which includes a large number of corporate-sponsored tables.
Tickets for the event are $200 per person and can be purchased by
calling Junis Nicholson in the Office of Institutional Advancement
at (203) 837-8279.
Volunteers needed for Campus-to-Campus 5K in April
With only four weeks to go, the Centennial Campus-to-Campus 5K
Committee is wrapping up its final plans for the inaugural race on
Sunday, April 27.
“Planning the event has been a tremendous undertaking,” remarked
committee member Gene Tosetti. “Due to the distance between the
campuses, we had to involve the Danbury Police Department, State
Department of Transportation Commission and about a hundred
volunteers to make the event safe and successful.”
Many WestConn employees, family members and students have signed
up to participate in the race. Those who don’t plan to run or walk
in the 5K and want to get involved can volunteer to serve as course
marshals, breakfast coordinators, finish line officials, shuttle bus
coordinators and prize organizers. Other volunteer needs include two
individuals to enter the winners’ names on the race certificates and
someone to input last-minute entrants’ names into the computer.
Volunteers will receive a commemorative race T-shirt and breakfast.
“We have been fortunate to have so many volunteers at all the
Centennial events this year. I hope the WestConn community hasn’t
‘run out of steam’ and will help the university during this new
campus event,” said committee member Jason Davis.
Volunteers will be asked to report on the Midtown campus at 7:30
a.m. and to stay until approximately 11 a.m. on Sunday, April 27.
If you are interested in volunteering, please call Mary Figueroa
at (203) 837-8832.
Don’t miss these upcoming events!
The Kick-Off Celebration on Sept. 14 was just the start of a
yearlong calendar of events to commemorate the Centennial.
April 10
Joseph Califano Jr.
April 24-26
8th Annual Jazz Festival
April 27
Campus-to-Campus 5K
May 3
Centennial Ball
May 4
Centennial Team Century Bike Ride
May 18
Commencement
July 1
Alumni Golf Outing
Centennial Steering Committee Members
| General Chair |
Committee Members |
James R. Roach
Co-Chairs
G. Koryoe Anim-Wright
Henry Tritter |
Mark Boughton
Anthony Caraluzzi
Edward Farrington
Isabelle Farrington
Mary V. Figueroa
Carol Hawkes
John Leopold
Caroline Norelius
Ronald Pugliese
Wayne Shepperd |
Theresa Canada
Theresa Eberhard
Gene Eriquez
Shirley C. Ferris
Richard Gerber
Herbert Janick
Helen Masterson
James Pegolotti
Bernard Reidy
Richard Sullivan |
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For more information, call the Office of Public Relations at (203) 837-8486 |
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