Middletown Local Hero ‘Goes The Extra Mile’ In The Community

MIDDLETOWN, CT — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented and changing times.

Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these heroes making a difference in their communities. We’re working to let all your neighbors know about these outstanding people and their stories.

This submission comes from Cynthia Hayward, who nominated Sharon Riley of Middletown.

Local hero’s full name

Sharon Riley

Local hero’s home state

CT

Local hero’s Patch

Middletown

How do you know the local hero?

Church

What does the local hero do?

Career School Social Worker

Why do you believe the local hero should be recognized or honored?

Ms. Riley goes the extra mile as a track and cheer leader coach, tutor and is a retired MSW at Middletown High with extraordinarily kind mannerisms and compassion for children and disabled adults. She has devoted a lifetime of experience in public service.

I met her at First Methodist Church of Middletown CT where she is Chair of Staff Parish Relations, a church volunteer at all service projects and fundraisers and sings in Chamber choir and New Room Choir and attends New York Annual Conference at Hofstra University at her own expense. She can be seen at Middlesex Community College mentoring and tutoring and is willing to be a prime mover in local progressive politics and a loving and devoted mother and aunt and sister and niece and even drives Kitty Riley her stepmother to church and never tires in encouraging and helping all who need her heroism and compassion.

Her favorite music is Gospel music and she can do liturgical dance and read the Bible at church as one of the Lectors in a clear and authoritative voice full of inflection and faith as she is deeply concerned and sincere woman of Faith in God.

She once spotted me on Main street walking with six bags of bread I collected from the Salvation Army to distribute to low income seniors at a Middletown Housing Authority site. She called out to me that she is driving me back to Marino Manor with the bread she called Manna from Heaven to feed the hungry and needy.

Miss Sharon Riley is always full of joy and respect and is ever thoughtful and greets everyone and prays for us all.

She never tires and is retirement age and eats healthy food as well and exercises daily and looks decades younger than her actual age. She is a happy and jubilant lady with a heart for God.

What's one thing you want everyone to know about the local hero?

She should have been a United Methodist Minister and is actually consider a minister in her faith because every member is one. Open Arms Open Minds and Open Hearts.

Thank you for all you do, Sharon Riley!

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Know someone making a difference in town? Nominate them as a local hero here.