Valley Chamber to present annual awards at Center Stage in Shelton

SHELTON - The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce will present one Platinum Award, three Gold Seal Awards, and one Silver Medal Award Oct. 24. 
The presentations will be held during a 5 p.m. reception at Center Stage Theatre, 54 Grove St.
Presented to the region’s business and community leaders who exemplify the spirit of selflessness and volunteerism, these awards are among the most prestigious and time-honored community service awards in the Valley.

Congratulations to: Platinum Award, Ernestine T. Luise; Gold Seal Awards, Joseph LoPresti, Dr. Bruce Sofferman, and Tom Wilson; and Silver Medal Award, Valley United Way Community Gardens Program.

The Silver Medal Award was first awarded in 1986 only 28 awards have been presented. In recent years, the Chamber has awarded the Silver Medal to recognize volunteer groups or partnerships that have made extraordinary contributions to the community or to recognize an individual’s dedicated service or assistance to the community in a particular area.

The Gold Seal Award was first presented in 1971. Since then, only 155 individuals have received this honor, making it an award that is rare and cherished by all. 
This award is presented annually by the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce for outstanding community service through dedicated and effective leadership.
In 2001, in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the Gold Seal Award, the Chamber introduced the Platinum Award. This award is presented annually to a past Gold Seal recipient of at least 10 years who is still dedicated to volunteering their time and resources on behalf of the Valley Community. To date only 16 people have received this prestigious award.

The combined efforts of all recipients, past and present, have resulted in lasting contributions to the Greater Valley communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Oxford, Seymour and Shelton.

Valley Chamber to hold Gold Seal event at Center Stage in Shelton

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• SHELTON - The 47th annual Gold Seal Awards event will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Center Stage Theatre, 54 Grove St.
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Tickets will go on sale at 11:48 a.m. Sept. 21 at http://web.greatervalleychamber.com/events/Gold-Seal-Awards-Reception-1540/details

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Valley Chamber to present Gold Seal Awards at Villa Bianca in Seymour

SEYMOUR - The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold its 46th annual Gold Seal Awards Banquet Oct. 25 at The Inn at Villa 
Bianca, 312 Roosevelt Drive.

The event is presented by People’s United Bank, along with Pullman & Comley Attorneys.

The Gold Seal Awards is an initiative of The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce to recognize the spirit of selflessness and dedication to our community.

The 2017 Gold Seal Award recipients are: 

Platinum Award 
Diane Stroman

Gold Seal Award 
Tom Haynes
Ray Oppel
Joe Welsh

SIlver Medal Award 
Valley Independent Sentinel

Emcee 
Ramon Peralta, 2016 Gold Seal Recipient

These awards are given annually to individuals and groups who demonstrate outstanding community service through dedicated and effective leadership. 

They are among the most prestigious and time-honored community service awards in the Valley. 

The combined efforts of all recipients have resulted in lasting contributions in the communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton.

Tickets are $65 per person. RSVP by Oct. 20 at 203-925-4981 or  http://bit.ly/Gold46 .

Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce to present awards at dinner in Stratford

The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce will recognize four individuals and one organization for their outstanding achievements in the community Oct. 28 at the 44th Annual Gold Seal Awards Banquet. 

The Chamber will present five awards consisting of three Gold Seal Awards, the Platinum Award and the Silver Medal Award to our region’s business and community leaders who exemplify the spirit of selflessness and volunteerism. 

These awards are among the most prestigious and time-honored community service awards in the Valley. 
Joyce Barcley of Seymour, 2009 Gold Seal recipient, will be presiding over the event as Master of Ceremonies.

The Gold Seal Award is given annually by the Chamber to a recipient who demonstrates outstanding community service through dedicated and effective leadership. 
The Gold Seal Award this year is being presented to Harry Burlakoff (Minuteman Press, Shelton), Frederick Serra (Serra & Delvecchio, Shelton) and Bob VanEgghen (PerkinElmer, Shelton). Burlakoff is an active member of the Valley United Way Corporate Volunteer Council in addition to the Shelton Exchange Club and Seeds to Leads Networking Group. Serra currently volunteers with the Derby-Shelton Rotary, Boys & Girls Club, and PCRC Pedal for PCRC. VanEgghen has devoted countless hours to the Greater Valley Salvation Army, Shelton Mentoring Program and Americares Homefront.

In 2001, in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the Gold Seal Awards, the Chamber introduced the Platinum Award. It is presented to a past Gold Seal recipient of at least 10 years who is still dedicated to volunteering their time and resources on behalf of the Valley Community. The year’s Platinum Award honoree is Ansonia resident, James E. Ryan, President, Shelton Economic Development Corporation and a 1998 Gold Seal Award recipient. Ryan is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and is a founding Member of the Valley Community Foundation. He is past President of the Connecticut Community Development Association and past chair of the Governor’s Central Housing Committee. He is a recipient of the Housatonic Boy Scouts of America Good Scout Award, Parent Child Resource Center Service to Youth Award and a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.

The Chamber has presented the Silver Medal Award to recognize groups or partnerships that have made extraordinary contributions to the community or to recognize an individual’s dedicated service and assistance to the community. 
This year’s Silver Medal Award recipient is Valley Substance Abuse Action Council (Ansonia) – which was created in 1990 to reduce alcohol, tobacco, other drug use, suicide, risky behaviors, and promote good mental health in our region through community mobilization, public awareness, and advocacy.

The combined efforts of all our recipients, both past and present, have resulted in lasting contributions in the Greater Valley communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton.

A banquet, sponsored by People’s United Bank and the United Illuminating Co. honoring the recipients will be held Oct. 28 at Oronoque Country Club in Stratford. 

For more information, contact the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce at 203-925-4981.


This is a press release from Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Valley Chamber to present Gold Seal Awards at banquet in Orange

The Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce will recognize five individuals and their outstanding achievements Thursday at the 43rd Annual Gold Seal Awards Banquet.


The event, sponsored by Aquarion and People’s United Bank, will be held 5-9 p.m. at Grassy Hill Country Club in Orange.

The Chamber will present the Silver Medal Award, three Gold Seal Awards, and the Platinum Award to business and community leaders who exemplify the spirit of selflessness and volunteerism.
These awards are among the most prestigious and time-honored community service awards in the Valley.

Janice Sheehy, 1994 Gold Seal recipient, will serve as master of ceremonies.

The Silver Medal Award has only been presented 26 times and was first awarded in 1986.

The Chamber has presented the award to recognize volunteer groups or partnerships that have made extraordinary contributions to the community or to recognize an individual’s dedicated service and assistance to the community.

This year’s Silver Medal Award recipient is The DiMatteo Family Charitable Foundation (Shelton) created in 2010 as a tribute to their late father, Anthony. Over the years they have raised over $225,000 and helped charities such as the Boys & Girls Club, Moving with Hope, Spooner House, Project Purple, and BHcare, to name a few.

The Gold Seal Award has been presented to 149 individuals since 1971. This award is given annually by the Chamber to a recipient who demonstrates outstanding community service through dedicated and effective leadership.

The Gold Seal Award this year is being presented to Robert M. Bradley of Beacon Falls, Susan Coyle of Shelton and George S. Logan of Ansonia. 

Bradley is a founding member of the Beacon Falls Merchants Association and member of the Beacon Falls Economic Development Commission and the Beacon Falls Lions Club. 
He can also be found assisting with small fundraisers and at many of the town’s events. 

Coyle has devoted countless hours as Co-Chair for Griffin Hospital’s Breast Wellness Center Campaign and now The Valley Goes Pink Initiative. She has been active as a Corporator for Valley United Way and Griffin Hospital, as well as a Director for the Shelton Economic Development Corporation, Valley Community Foundation and Secretary for the Center Stage Board. 

Logan currently serves on the Junior Achievement of Western CT Board of Directors, the Griffin Hospital Board of Directors and the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA Board. He is a corporator for the Boys & Girls Club and he also has assisted with TEAM’s fund-raising efforts.

Platinum Award honoree

In 2001, in honor of the 30th Anniversary of the Gold Seal Awards, the Chamber introduced the Platinum Award. Only 14 individuals have received the Platinum Award. It is presented to a past Gold Seal recipient of at least 10 years who is still dedicated to volunteering their time and resources on behalf of the Valley community.

The 2014 Platinum Award honoree is attorney Dominick J. Thomas of Woodbridge, a 1991 Gold Seal Award recipient.

With over 30 years of service on the boards of both the Boys & Girls Club and BHcare, and 20 years on the board of VARCA, there’s no denying Thomas’ dedication to the Valley community. 

He recently began his eighth year of service on the Valley United Way Board of Directors. He was a member of the Valley Advisory Committee of the Community Foundation of Greater New Haven as well as the Katharine Matthies Foundation Advisory Board, Oxford Charter Commission, and Oxford Town Council. 

Through the years, Thomas has been recognized with numerous awards including the CGFGNH President’s Award, the Sharon Bryce Holly Community Hero Award and most recently the Charles H. Flynn Humanitarian Award from the Valley United Way in 2010.

The combined efforts of all recipients, both past and present, have resulted in lasting contributions in the communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton.

For more information, contact the Chamber, 203-925-4981.


This is a press release from the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce.