Merit Award Winners to be Honored at Country House Restaurant

From Town of East Haven:

Mayor Joseph Maturo, Jr. and the East Haven Merit Award Committee introduced the 2016 Merit Award honorees at a recent event hosted by the Mayor’s office at the Town Beach House on Cosey Beach Avenue. Linda Hennessey, George Papuga and Adele and Joseph Sicignano will receive their awards at the annual banquet held on Sept. 8 at the Country House Restaurant in East Haven, beginning at 6 p.m.

The Merit Awards, which recognize East Haven residents who have made contributions for the betterment of the town, are annually presented at The Merit Award Dinner, which is the kickoff for East Haven’s largest event, its annual Fall Festival, being held Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Sept. 9, Sept. 10 and Sept. 11, respectively, on the Town Green. The East Haven Fall Festival will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this year!

Linda Hennessey has been active in St. Vincent de Paul Church and is currently the president of the Ladies Guild and on the carnival committee. Through the years, she has collected gift cards to local grocery stores for the East Haven Food Pantry’s Thanksgiving baskets. As an officer of AF Forbes Inc., she supports numerous sports teams and nonprofit organizations in donating thousands of dollars to these many organizations, including the Fall Festival annually. Linda has also been involved for many years coaching and serving on the Board of Directors of Biddy basketball.

George Papuga began volunteering at the Shore Line Trolley Museum some 63 years ago. His perseverance and passion for the museum during many difficult and frustrating years is responsible for holding things together and delivering the museum into this new era of greater local and state support. George’s principal expertise is car restoration but has also worked on overhead wire, track and buildings and grounds. In addition to his tireless work with the Trolley Museum, Papuga is an avid runner with the completion of 54 marathons to his credit.

Adele and Joseph Sicignano, who will be celebrating their 50th anniversary next year, have been dedicated parishioners of St. Clare’s Church in East Haven for more than 20 years. Joseph was one of the original organizers of the annual carnival, now in its 12th year and one of the parish’s most important fundraisers. Adele, who also works the carnival, has been a member of the Ladies Guild since joining the parish and in recent years served in leading roles as president and vice president from 2008 to 2014.

The Fall Festival continues to be supported by corporate sponsorships and individual contributions.

Further information is available through the Town of East Haven website.

Photo courtesy of the Town of East Haven