Our Mission & Service program is devoted to a wide range of local, national, and international projects. These projects include on-going, hands-on participation in the Norwalk Manna House of Hospitality (where homeless and others can obtain a free meal). Our members prepare and serve Sunday dinner approximately eight times a year. We are also active in building homes in the Bridgeport area with Habitat for Humanity.
On Christmas Eve, 2011, a special offering was taken at our worship services for the Wilton Warm Up Fund, a program which provides assistance to Wilton families who cannot affort to pay for home heating fuel.
All of us at Wilton Social Services send our heartfelt thanks to you and your congregation for your December 28, 2011 joint donation of $1286, plus several additional individual contributions, which resulted in a total gift from your church of $2500 to the Wilton Interfaith Council’s fuel fund.
As you may know, because of the recent budget cuts in the state’s Energy Assistance Program, we will see a greatly increased need in the coming months for funds to help our client families with fuel costs. Gifts from Wilton’s generous neighbors and faith communities are making a critical difference, and we are so very grateful.
Best wishes for the New Year to you and your members from all of us at Wilton Social Services.
Sincerely,
Catherine Pierce, Director
January 11, 2012
Dear Rev. Wagner,
Following our recent letter to you, we have just received from your congregation an additional contribution of $776, dated January 10, 2012, to the Wilton Interfaith Council’s fuel fund. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of the people of the Wilton Congregational Church, their care and concern for their neighbors, and their support of our department’s work.
Once again, we send grateful thanks to all of you from all of us at Wilton Social Services.
Give the Week a Strong Start with Al-Anon Recovery. Did you know our church sponsors an Al-Anon Group? They meet each Sunday evening, year round, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. in our Colonial Room. Al-Anon is a worldwide organization that offers a program of help and support for families and friends of someone with a drinking problem, whether or not the person with a drinking problem seeks help or even recognizes the existence of a drinking problem.
Participants in Al-Anon give and receive comfort and understanding through a mutual exchange of experience, strength and hope, and learn how the principles of the Al-Anon program can be applied to their own lives. All who participate in Al-Anon groups uphold a policy of anonymity and confidentiality.
If you would like learn more about becoming a member of an Al-Anon group, you’re welcome to attend one of the meetings. The CT Al-Anon website is: www.ct-Al-Anon.org
Wilton Congregational Church is a partner in their main initiative,Adopt A Social Workermatches social workers with faith communities to assist in providing the basic goods to meet the material needs of children. Last year, an estimated 27,850 children in Connecticut received basic necessities through the Adopt A Social Worker program. With the help of more than 200 faith communities and over 1,000 volunteers and donors Covenant to Care has served more than 500,000 children since the agency was founded in 1987.
Covenant to Care for Children is a nonprofit, private agency working with faith communities to meet the needs of abused, neglected, and impoverished children and teens. Through a network of volunteers, individual donors, and businesses, we work to foster caring and nurturing environments for children and youth.
On May 7th, a talented crew of 24 dedicated WCC and WHS Swarm volunteers descended on a home in Bridgeport and performed a minor miracle of home maintenance, repair, replacement, painting and gardening. While a small but mighty representation from the Swarm worked outdoors, stripping and repainting garage doors, creating two window wells associated with newly installed, custom fitted, crawl space vent frames and vents, weeding and raking the yard, replacing a flagstone walkway, and making the exterior look aesthetically appealing, Ian and Zack lead several teams indoors remodeling/upgrading the kitchen replacing the cabinets and counter tops, rearranging a few walls in the process and even throwing in a new kitchen sink, painting the ceiling and walls of the living room, insulating water pipes in the attic and installing new vent screens and an untold number of little repairs, touch-ups, etc. We truly delivered (and are continuing to deliver – see next paragraph) the homeowner much more than our promised work…the greatest of which, in my opinion, was entirely new electrical service into the house, a new and modern circuit breaker and all new outlets throughout the house. Until then, there had been no power to the back of her house, and her kitchen outlets would blow fuses when she used the microwave. This electrical work was done by Joe Tomas, who lives in town and is the son of the man who built and sold my house to me (Joe did the original electrical work in my house). Emilio Tomas has passed away, but I remember him with great admiration and warmth. Joe is cut from the same cloth. After telling our homeowner that we had no electricians in our group, and therefore could not touch her electrical problem, I called Joe, and he immediately said, “Yes, I’ll do it.” In fact he said that he had always wanted to do some “pro bono” work, but until now hadn’t found an opportunity to do so…so HE thanked ME. Joe was able to get his suppliers to donate the necessary equipment and parts, and he and a couple of his employees donated a couple of days of work to get that job done. If you know Joe, please give him your personal thanks, and whether you know him or not, PLEASE remember him for any electrical work you need done, and refer him to friends (203.762.3445)!
Being the over-achieving Wiltonians we are, of course a few small crews of us are continuing to complete a number of tasks that couldn’t be completed within one day. Ian and Zack, especially, have been completing the detail work in the kitchen. John Stewart and I joined them last week to reseal the foundation seams, seal cracks between the chimney and roof, repair some closet doors, etc. Ian and Zack expect to complete their detail work next Monday. Then, Lorna and Nancy will paint the kitchen walls, and finally, Paul Snayd and I will install a new tile floor in the kitchen.
For the record, game-day volunteers were: Zack Helms, Ian Tesar, Karen Tesar, Leslie Chambers, John Stewart, Nancy Toll, Lorna Lyle, Ernie Krehbiel, Paul Snayd, Greg and Charlie (WHS) Rodiger, Bill Reighley, John, Robin and Charlie (WHS) Fields, Keith Shoemaker, Kristina & Steve Schnell (WHS), Monique Kosar, Jennifer Crawford, Charles Zunda (WHS), Kellen Sanna (WHS), Caroline Woods (WHS) and Kailey Troller (WHS).
All-in-all, and amazing result by an awesome group of people. Our homeowner is very truly and very deeply grateful to us. She believes herself to be truly blessed by your kind and generous hearts. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Mike Cella
P.S. Our next Habitat work-day is June 11th in Danbury…just three weeks away…save the date!
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Here's the latest on
Habitat for Humanity
June 11, 2011
Tom Levack files a Report on our Latest Habitat Adventure –
Kudos Go to a Rain-Soaked Swarm! The weather made for a short day but progress was made at our Danbury site.. After cleaning up the standing water, one group of workers installed rafters for half the second story and installed about a quarter of the sub-flooring on the second floor. Another group installed headers for the back room on the second story. The Wilton High School group did whatever they were asked to do and did it well; nice young people - great attitudes. Ian, Keith, Ernie and Kristina's husband were the main players in terms of heavy duty production. It was a less productive day than it could have been, however everyone seemed to be doing what they could to make it a worthwhile day.
The June 11th swarm included: WHS Habitat Club Adviser, Kristina Schell, and her husband, plus seven WHS students, and from WCC, Shelley Dempsey and her son, Matthew, Ernie Krehbiel, Tom Levack, Keith Shoemaker and Ian Tesar.
July 14 , 2010
Mike Cella sends us this report on another safe, productive workday for the Wilton Swarm, additional volunteers and the homeowners:
Many thanks go to Ian Tesar, Zack Helms, John Stewart, Glenn Pogust, Lorna Lyle and Kristina Schnell for joining me this past Saturday at 20 Crown Street in Danbury. Though rainstorms threatened throughout the day, we were able to put in a full day of siding installation up one floor on each of both sides of the house being refurbished…it rained only during our lunch hour. Homeowners Lester and Stephanie (who are expecting their second child) and several other volunteers were working alongside us and inside the house installing new joists for the new landing on the second floor. The original 1920s vintage house had a spiral staircase which was removed in favor of a safer, more standard staircase. All in all, it was a very good day…another 120 percenter!
Our next workday is August 21st…save the date. It’s a guaranteed good time for all!
We have two Habitat for Humanity opportunities scheduled this summer, both in Danbury. The first is coming up on Saturday, July 10th. We will meet as usual in the church parking lot adjacent to the sanctuary and depart via carpool/convoy at 8:00 a.m. Please let Mike Cella know if you’ll attend so we can plan a most productive and enjoyable day. E-mail Mike at mcella@optonline.net
Important Note: Danbury HFH advised that all volunteers must wear hard sole shoes on its construction site; those wearing gym or tennis shoes will not be permitted on site…they also reminded us to bring plenty of our own water and lunch for the day.
This afternoon Mike Cella received this letter of thanks from Keith Cook, Director of Construction for Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County:
To the cornerstones of the Sound Coalition:
Thank you for all the soul, talent and money you put into the Laurel Court duplex! As usual, your dedication and skills made this easier than “normal” builds.
The closings for both the Navarro and the Martinez families were held yesterday with Mr. Gibbons serving as their attorney. They also did their walk-thru’s and received their real keys. And both will start moving some boxes and wax their floors today. Equally importantly, the deadlines were met that entitle them to receive the $8,000 credit or payment from the US government.
Yesterday, Ian Tesar, Zack Helms and I joined a small team from Monroe Congregational Church and a few other volunteers to finish the siding job we started on March 27th. Since that time, progress was made in other areas including grading and top soil in the backyard and dry wall installation inside…in fact the dry wall professionals were taping inside while we finished the front siding on both units around the bedroom windows, up the gables, and around two attic vents we also installed…up to the eaves outside. A little light rain now and again couldn’t dampened the motivated (even driven) spirit of the team to finish that job…
Remember that we have another date with the Wilton High School swarm on May 1st. Jim Meinhold will serve as the coordinator/carpool leader in my absence…can’t believe it’s my 30th graduate school reunion back at Northwestern! To the extent possible, please let Jim know in advance if you’ll be attending that day.
If you haven’t recently completed Habitat's Volunteer forms, please contact the church office at office@wiltoncongregational.org to obtain a form and bring it with you on the 1st. There are separate forms for adults minors.
Looking forward a bit further, please reserve at least one day during the May 11th through May 15th Blitz Build to be dedicated to Jim Lyle’s memory. The homes will be dedicated at 3 pm on the 15th…
Best regards,
Mike
If you would like more information about Habitat or want to join the crew on any of these dates, please email Mike Cella or the church office: office@wiltoncongregational.org
Although it was a bit chilly, the sun shone brightly, the coffee was hot and the fellowship warmed our hearts – especially as we worked in memory of our dear friends, Jim Lyle and Dexter Below on a new Habitat project at 56 Laurel Court in Bridgeport this last Saturday. Ten hearty souls joined the WCC Habitat Crew along with nine Wilton High School “Swarm Students,” their teachers, Steve Bell and Kristina Westerfield, and mom, Janienne Hackett.
Following a safety presentation and Habitat briefing at the Bridgeport warehouse, volunteers fanned out across the city to their designated sites and tackled many activities throughout the day. Mike Cella, our WCC point man reported that “the entire house was packed with all of its required insulation, a good portion of the exterior siding was completed and even a few windows were installed.” It is truly amazing what a well oiled crew can accomplish, especially when we have been blessed with such terrific leaders and folks like Ian Tesar at the helm.
Pictured here are a few of the day laborers including: Shelley Dempsey, Steve Bell, Mike Cella,(foreground) Ian Tesar and Tom Levack (on scaffolding). Also on the “WCC Dream Team” were: Doug Owen, Jim Meinhold, Keith Shoemaker, Tom Balzano, Leslie Chambers, Zack Helms and Glenn Pogust. A round of “Thanks” and the famous “Habitat Cheer” goes out to all!
Upcoming Dates: Our next regular Habitat workday is scheduled for Saturday, May 1st. We have an additional opportunity to work on Saturday, April 17thwith our Sound Coalition partner, Monroe Congregational Church. And the week-long Blitz Build, dedicated in memory of Jim Lyle begins Tuesday, May 11th and runs for five consecutive days through Saturday, May 15th.
If you would like more information about Habitat or want to join the crew on any of these dates, please email Mike Cella or the church office: (office@wiltoncongregational.org).
We at Wilton Congregational Church are deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our friend, Jim Lyle. His generous spirit, enthusiasm - and outstanding letters - were the driving force behind our church's support of and involvement with Habitat for Humanity. We are committed to maintaining Jim's high standards as we continue our work with Habitat.
Jim's wife, Lorna, wrote this note to the church and many Habitat for Humanity volunteers:
Dear Friends,
This is Lorna. I realize that most of you have heard the tragic news, but I wanted to reach out to those of you who might not have.
Jim passed away this past Saturday afternoon, Jan. 23. He collapsed after a brief run. Despite the efforts of myself, a Wilton Police officer, EMT's and a team at Norwalk Hospital to perform CPR and defibrillate, Jim's heart stopped.
As you might imagine, my family and I and all who knew Jim are in complete disbelief. He would have turned 60 on February 2nd. (Jim strongly felt that Groundhog Day should have been a national holiday.)
No doubt he would want you to continue your work this coming Saturday with your usual energy. Perhaps Ian can designate someone to make the Dunkin' Donuts run in Jim's absence.
You know how passionate Jim was about HFH. Your efforts and good company fueled his enthusiasm as much as the end result of building homes for deserving families.
Thank you for enriching Jim's all-too-short life, and keeping our daughter in your thoughts and prayers.
Happy New Year to all. I trust your holidays were joyful. May 2010 bring much happiness to you and your loved ones.
So now that the Christmas tree is down, the decorations put away, and the winter doldrums are upon us, we know the surefire way to ward off the blahs. Let's do some Habitat work!
Look, you've wanted to show off the new work boots or too belt you got for Christmas. Now we've got the perfect opportunity. Check your calendars for Saturday, January 30.
Our Danbury construction supervisor Mark reports House # 3, which our crews were lining with sheet rock in mid-November, has the primer coat of paint now. On January 30 we'll be installing lots of trim, laying tile floors, and probably applying some final coats of paint too.
So let's hear from you. We are not looking for a large crew, only 10 or 12 volunteers. A few of you have given verbal OKs. But we need more hands.
Now below is a fascinating story torn from the pages of that handyman's bible, The New York Times.
We've spoken many times about the virtues of doing work for others through Habitat. We know through our work we change at least three sets of lives: our future homeowner's, the neighborhoods we work in, as well as our own.
Here's an intriguing angle: what if doing good for others through Habitat offered the additional dividend of being PHYSICALLY good for us?
Take a read and tell me what you think. Brigitta cited Cami Walker's story in her sermon last week and this "Science Section" article expands on it.
Of course we know even if we didn't derive a personal health benefit from our Habitat work, we'd still do it. Through our service to others we begin to understand ourselves.
Don't forget to look at that new 2010 calendar hanging in the kitchen. See if you can spare a day to work with us on Saturday, January 30.
Thanks as always for your continuing support of Habitat.
Our “All Plaid” November 14 salute to our beloved Dexter Below was another success for the Wilton Swarm.
That day an army of 30 strong--WCC members and WHS Habitat Club members and advisors--underscored the Swarm's reputation for knocking off a large amount of quality work in one day.
The weather was downright ugly. But our Bayberry Lane project homes ended the day with freshly mounted sheet rock on the walls and ceilings, seamless shoe moldings and trim, side and backyards cleared of debris, and much more.
At house # 1 our guest of honor, Donna Below, worked side by side with Greg Rodiger grouting the kitchen tile floor. Dexter was no doubt proud of the quality of her work and, knowing him, probably took full credit for the skillful job she did.
During our morning coffee break we stopped to remember Dexter and posed for a special plaid-clad team photo taken by our scribe for the day, Debbie Hunsberger. Danbury Habitat's executive director Sam Dobrotka presented Donna with a commemorative hard hat signed by the whole crew.
We had a lot of folks to thank that day. As always we worked under the leadership of our lead guru, Ian Tesar. Working alongside were Gil Bray, Mike Cella, Tom Levack, Lance Liljeqvist, Keith Shoemaker, Shelly Dempsey, Bill "Oops I ran out of excuses" Follett, Danny Prospect, and Jim Lyle.
Two seriously promising newcomers also contributed their talents, Zach Helms and Peter Hunsberger.
And Lynn Stack joined for her first workday, rescuing a dog that was loose and running against traffic on Route 7 en route to Danbury. It was that kind of day.
Without the many hands of our Wilton High Habitat club members, along with their terrific team of advisors Steve Bell, Dann Pompa, and Kristina Schnell, we could never have done as much as we did.
We'll look at the calendar and workload for December and see if we can squeeze in one more workday before year's end.
This is the time of year we gave thanks for our blessings. I have so many, all of you wonderful people who contribute your time and talents so generously to Habitat throughout the year.
Remember we change lives with every home we build: the families calling these places their own, the communities where we build, and most of all, the young and not so young volunteers who construct these homes as if they were their own.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. I know Dexter thanks you too.
And thanks for your continuing support of Habitat.
The much vaunted "Wilton Swarm" was back on its game last Saturday. Our project house on Bayberry Lane was no match for our team of 25 adults and WHS students.
When we left in the afternoon, walls were primed and painted, window and floor moldings installed, joint compound was drying, floors were cleaned and "biscuits" were ready to be installed in most of the window frames.
At times the scene resembled a Marx Brothers movie, with paint rollers flying over carpenters and plaster hawks zipping past broom handles. When we left for the afternoon, there were numerous examples of finished work everywhere.
Thanks goes to our hard-working WCC core team members including Ian Tesar, Walt Winrow, Doug Owen, Gil Bray, Leslie Chambers, Mark Tuscano, Tom Levack, Ernie Krehbiel, Kathleen Vreeken, Keith Shoemaker and Jim Lyle. Assisting was our great WCC friend Paul Snayd.
The Wilton High School students worked side by side with us under the guidance and encouragement of Steve Bell, Dann Pompa, and Kristina Schnell.
And as so often happens with Habitat further inspiration popped up under our noses. The fine job a Danbury Eagle Scout team did landscaping the front yard of Bayberry Lane home No. 1 triggered a conversation about a Wilton Eagle Scout team doing the same at Bayberry Lane home No. 3. Watch for this development.
Saturday was also a day to remember our fallen team member Dexter Below. In his honor many volunteers wore plaid shirts, Dexter's trademark dress on many work days.
Our next workday in Danbury is set for Saturday, November 14. Check your calendars and see if you can join us. We have a good crew of volunteers already committed to the day. By popular request we'll make it a "Day of Plaid" for Dexter too.
Again we give a big salute to our hard workers who joined us Saturday. Let's hear if you can be with us on November 14.
Thanks as always for our continuing support of Habitat.
The leaves are falling, the pre-winter chores are piling up, and the snow will be upon us soon.
But before you get all cozy in front of the fireplace, we have two more Habitat workdays on the calendar. We've got some families to get into three new homes on Bayberry Lane.
Get out your digital and analog diaries and mark down these upcoming workdays: Saturday, October 24 and Saturday, November 14. We'll be heading up to Danbury both days with our friends in the Wilton High Habitat Club.
Our October 24 workday is dedicated to our Habitat friend and inspiration, Dexter Below. Thanks to all of you who joined Donna and her family at his memorial service. Maybe we'll all wear plaid flannel workshirts and corduroy caps in his honor. We can decide that later.
Meanwhile, let's hear if you can join us on either day.
Thanks as always for your continuing support of Habitat.
The true believers knew the Wilton Swarm would be back on its game with the right Habitat assignments. Saturday in Danbury was a complete success: a totally exhausting, dirt and joint compound, dust-filled workday on two of the three Bayberry Lane project houses.
A group of 20 strong, the usual WCC adult suspects and our partners from the Wilton High Habitat Club and their advisors, showed our Danbury Habitat Construction supervisor, Mark, what a motivated and talented crew can do with good weather, good tools, good supplies, and ample amounts of donuts and coffee.
We sanded the joint compound in house number one, taped and applied compound to new joints and repaired less than perfect ones, and cleaned house three of a month's construction debris. Then just to show Mark we still had game, we primed-coat painted three bedrooms after a short lunch break.
Thanks goes to our Co-Captain of Carpentry, Ian Tesar, promising new team member Dave "Casper" Wilson, Ernie Krehbiel, Mike Cella, Walt Winrow, Peter Burger, Doug Owens, Kathleen Vreeken, and Jim Lyle. Doug and Walt championed the father-teen work teams, always a great way to share a day together.
Wilton High's Habitat Club was led by Steve Bell, Dann Pompa, and Kristina Schnell-Westerfield, each of whom pitched in with their hard working students to sand, fill sheet rock joints, paint and clean.
Remember back in high school working Saturdays side-by-side with your teachers and advisors? Me neither, which proves this upcoming generation is made of something special.
Best of all Mark, our construction supervision, gave us the latitude we crave to take our assignments and run with them.
We'll plan at least one, perhaps two workdays for the Swarm in October. Check the church website for future announcements.
Thanks as always for your continuing support of Habitat.
OK, summer is nearly over. It's time to put the shorts and flip flops away for another season and dig out your Habitat boots and gloves. It's time to start building homes again.
We've set Saturday, September 19 as our first Fall workday. So mark your calendars and let us know if the date works for you.
Based on the good experience we had in July, we're heading back to Danbury and our project house on Bayberry Lane.
Our construction supervisor Mark promises a good day of work hanging doors and installing interior molding. Knowing the ambitions of our team, we'll probably find a few more assignments too.
As usual we're teaming up with our Wilton High School Habitat Club members for the day. We'll meet at WCC at 8 AM and head north as a group.
So let's hear from you. It'll be good to get our team back on the field. We hope to see you on September 19. And we'll line up more workdays later in the Fall too.
Thanks as always for your continuing support of Habitat.
souls joined the WCC Habitat Crew along with nine Wilton High School “Swarm Students,” their teachers, Steve Bell and Kristina Westerfield, and mom, Janienne Hackett.
Thanks goes to our hard-working WCC core team members including Ian Tesar, Walt Winrow, Doug Owen, Gil Bray, Leslie Chambers, Mark Tuscano, Tom Levack, Ernie Krehbiel, Kathleen Vreeken, Keith Shoemaker and Jim Lyle. Assisting was our great WCC friend Paul Snayd. .jpg)