East Haven Rotary Announces Memorial Public Safety Award Recipients

From the East Haven Rotary:

The Rotary Club of East Haven, which is now in its 78th year, has announced this year’s recipients of their annual Joseph Buonome Memorial Public Safety Awards. This year the club will be recognizing retiring East Haven Chief of Police Brent Larrabee and Firefighters Scott Gravino and Chris Rosa. As is customary, the awards will be presented at the Rotary’s annual Installation of Officers Dinner, which this year will be held on Thursday June 30th. The event will take place at the Country House Restaurant at 990 Foxon Road (Rte 80) in East Haven.

Following a 6:00 pm social hour including appetizers, a buffet dinner will be presented at 7:00 pm, with tickets available for $ 50 per person.

Chief Larrabee came to East Haven in February of 2012 as the interim Chief of Police during a tumultuous time in the Department’s history. He was appointed permanent Chief one year later. In a career filled with a host of substantial accomplishments the most impressive is his oversight of the East Haven Police Department under the current US Department of Justice Settlement Agreement. During the last 3 ½ years under Larrabee’s leadership the department is recognized as one of the few in the country that has shown compliance with all the requirements of the agreement both on time and under budget. Larrabee recently announced he will be retiring on June 30th of this year.

In January, the East Haven Fire Department responded to a reported house fire. Upon arrival of the first units they found the house to be involved in fire with a heavy smoke condition throughout the home. Search crews performed a primary search of the building and found an unconscious man on the floor in the second floor bathroom. Firefighter/Paramedic Chris Rosa and Firefighter/EMT Scott Gravino removed the victim to the lower level and out of the house and with the assistance of several others, performed CPR and ventilations on the patient until there was a return of breathing after advanced life support was given.

Current President Bill Richardson will be turning over the gavel to Sal Maltese. Also being installed are the following officers: Rich Anania President-elect, Secretary Cheryl Panzo, Assistant Secretary Donna Deleone, Co-Treasurers Carl Ruggiero and Joan Adamczyk and Sergeant at Arms, Bob Parente.

In addition, the club will be recognizing the winners of two scholarships to high school students and honoring them at this year’s dinner event. Each year the club provides a $1000 scholarship in the name of former member Vincent Balletto, MD, to a graduating East Haven High School student. The club also awarded another $ 1000 scholarship given to one of last year’s Rotary “Students of the Month”, who will now be graduating.

The club now in its 78th year was organized on March 3, 1939. Since that time the club has remained dedicated and committed to improving the community and citizens of East Haven. Through its annual scholarship program and Student of the Month, the club recognizes and encourages achievement of high school students. Amber Alert Identification cards, Clothe the Children, free Thanksgiving dinner and annual distribution of dictionaries to elementary school children are some of its other volunteer activities.

Tickets may be obtained from any Rotarian or by calling Carl Ruggiero 203-469-5545 or Frank Gentilesco, Jr. 203-468-3205.