Wilton Family Y Announces 2015 Honorees: The Hudspeths and the Kaelins

Even though the Wilton Family YMCA has changed up their annual Wilton Community Celebration this year–a new location at Millstone Farm, a new theme with “Farm to Table,” and a new time of year in the spring–they haven’t changed up the tradition started in 1986 of honoring individuals and organizations who have dedicated themselves to serving Wilton.

This year, the Wilton Family YMCA has announced that the 29^th Annual Distinguished Citizen Awards will be given to Stephen and Becky Hudspeth and to Michael and Carol Kaelin. The award recognizes individuals and organizations that demonstrate a volunteer commitment to improving the quality of life in Wilton.

The Farm to Table dinner will be held on Sunday, May 31, from 3–7 p.m. and will  bring together the community members, leaders, and donors to celebrate the award recipients and to honor the strides the Wilton Family YMCA has made to improve the health and well-being of children and families in the Wilton community.

“The sense of community is very, very important for us. When you have nominees like Becky and Steve, and Michael and Carol, you see that right away,” says Bob McDowell, executive director of the Wilton Family Y. “There’s a variety of things going on that they’re involved with in their lives. There’s so much that each of these couples have done. They truly do have the spirit of Wilton within them and they exemplify all of the values that we try to live by in this community. We’re thrilled that they’re our honorees this year.”

McDowell notes that the awardees really do embody commitment to the community because it was essentially the community that chose them. The Y issued a call for nominations in February of this year, and a committee chose from the names they received.

“The grass roots nature always stands out. They’re modeling for others in their individual commitments–whether for their church, or the library, or town committees, each of them has had that approach of service above self, service and leadership attitude, and they model that. It stands out. The committee is charged with [rewarding] that and how it fits into our organizational values also–to help all people in the community excel,” he explains, noting how wide reaching the four honorees’ work in Wilton has been.

Becky and Steve Hudspeth

• Not only does Becky work with the St. Matthew’s church youth–planning the church school program, and working with the youth groups, Children’s Choir and the mission trip–she can be seen around town helping and supporting people of all ages.
• As the founder and co-chair of the ABC Quilt Project (At Risk Babies’ and Children’s’ Quilts) at Cider Mill, she has overseen the production of 745 quilts with the creativity of 8,000 Wilton children and 750 parent volunteers for the last 25 years. These quilts made with loving hands are distributed to babies born HIV positive or with AIDS around the country and the world; the program has now expanded to babies born with all sorts of difficult challenges.
• Becky is block captain for the Center of Hope’s luminary event each year, bringing her neighborhood together to celebrate community and the significance of hope.
• She is also a provider of lunch for St. Matthew’s Thursday Lunch Club (TLC) an organization meeting six times a year and open to all seniors in the Wilton community. Becky has provided the ingredients, prepared and cooked a renowned lasagna meal with Jane Lade for over 15 years.
• She was a leader of Team KC, a group of Wilton volunteers who supported KC Fuller from the day she was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s until the day she passed away. Becky spent time with KC every day, taking her to appointments, arranging food and working with the paid caretakers to ensure that KC had everything she needed to feel comfortable and safe.

State senator Toni Boucher might have best captured how the Steve has contributed to Wilton, by saying, “I view Steve as a ‘moral barometer’ for the town.”  Steve’s volunteer contributions to Wilton are innumerable and far-reaching.

• Perhaps his most notable gift to Wilton was as chair of the revamped Council on Ethics for Wilton from 2007-2013.
• He also served on the CT State Committee to review and assist in developing state ethics guidelines.
• Additionally, with Boucher, he wrote a white paper for the Commonfund Institute discussing best practices for non-profit organization and has presented on this subject to multiple entities – all pro bono.
• Steve facilitated “Man Behind the Curtain” for the March lecture series presented at the Wilton Library by the Wilton Interfaith Action Committee, Wilton Clergy Association, and Wilton Library. For eight years, Steve has led, organized, and implemented this annual series on religion and culture.
• As leader of the Wilton Interfaith Action Committee (Wi-ACT) he helps with refugee resettlement and the Stop Hunger Now project which packaged 160,056 meals last year “for starving children wherever in the world the need is greatest.”
• He has spent many years as the writer of the bi-weekly column “A View from Glen Hill,” writing about issues of community values for the Wilton Bulletin.
• Steve is also a leader and participant in a range of activities at St. Matthew’s Church, including singing in the choir, serving on the Vestry and as Senior Warden, volunteering as a confirmation teacher and a sexuality seminar leader; and more.

When Steve is not out volunteering throughout Wilton, you can find him at Yale Law School as a visiting clinical lecturer, something he took up after retiring as the chair of litigation at Coudert Brothers in New York.

According to the Wilton organizers, “Becky and Steve have the strength of character required to so generously and graciously offer their gifts of time, talent and love to serve Wilton.”

Carol and Michael Kaelin

The Wilton Y’s press release calls Carol and Michael Kaelin, “…exceptional people on every front imaginable:  they volunteer for many diverse organizations in Wilton, Fairfield County and beyond throughout the state of CT being model citizens who are genuine, self-effacing people who do all that they do for the joy of helping others.”

• Carol has been significantly active and engaged in many essential town organizations that make Wilton a better community for all.
• She has been dedicated to providing education, conservation, preservation and beautification in and around Wilton as an active volunteer for the Wilton Garden Club since 2008.
• She is a volunteer member of the Wilton Women’s Club bringing together women to support community service, philanthropy, and education.
• She has served on the Wilton Chapter of P.E.O. since 2011. P.E.O is a philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College; and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.
• Carol was also a board member and secretary for A Better Chance of Wilton.
• She was a volunteer swim instructor at the Wilton Family YMCA from 1995-2005.
• She has served as a Vestry member for St. Matthew’s Church for four years and as a volunteer Church School teacher for over 15 years.
• She is a volunteer cook for Manna House.

• Michael is a member of the Board of Selectmen;
• In 2014, Michael finished his two year term as president of the Wilton Library Association, where he helped select, install and guide new executive director Elaine Tai-Lauria in a remarkably smooth transition.
• Prior to his term as president of the Wilton Library Association, Michael also served in a number of committee roles for the library for the past nine years including vice president, Executive Committee member, Finance Committee member, HR Committee chair, Risk Management Committee chair and selectman appointed trustee.
• His volunteer work for Connecticut Legal Services, Inc. (Connecticut’s non-profit legal aid law firm, serving low income individuals and families in civil legal matters) spans six years, having dedicated his time sitting on the Board of Directors, Fundraising Committee and Stamford Regional Fundraising Chair. That work has helped many citizens meet basic life needs.
• He was member and vice chairman of the Wilton Charter Commission,
• He was an active member for 15 years on the Wilton Chamber of Commerce.
• He was chairman from 2005-2008 and vice chairman from 1998-2005 for the Wilton Republican Town Committee.
• As if he was not doing enough already, Michael was also a volunteer church school teacher for 15 years at St. Matthew’s Church and Wilton Presbyterian Church.

Carol and Michael, with their extraordinary character, speak to their unwavering support of many of Wilton’s community organizations that makes Wilton such a special place. In everything they do, they go beyond and above the call of duty in improving the Wilton community.

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Funds raised during the event support the Wilton Family YMCA’s mission to be open and accessible to all, so that everyone in the community has an opportunity to participate in Y membership, programs, services and social activities, regardless of financial situation or ability. The Y awards $470,000 annually for financial assistance and community outreach programs so that children can attend summer day camp, senior citizens can participate in water exercise, adults can rehabilitate from an accident or chronic illness, and families can spend quality swimming together at the Y.

Guests will enjoy seasonal inspired cocktails, music, good company and tours of scenic Millstone Farm. A delicious dinner artfully prepared by Chef Tim LaBant of The Schoolhouse of Cannondale will be served surrounded by the lovely view of farm fields and the rolling hills beyond as we celebrate the local work of the Wilton Family YMCA.

“The Y is, and always will be, dedicated to building healthy, confident, connected and secure children, adults, families and communities,” said Bob McDowell, Executive Director at the Wilton Family YMCA. “Every day our impact is felt when an individual makes a healthy choice, when a mentor inspires a child and when a community comes together for the common good.” Proceeds from the Farm to Table dinner directly support the financial assistance program and will help young people achieve their potential, empower people of all ages to lead healthier lives, and strengthen the bonds of community.