Boucher Honors Late Husband’s Legacy with Three-Year Pledge to Trackside Teen Center

Editor’s note: The following article was compiled with information provided in a press release from Trackside Teen Center. Toni Boucher is a Republican candidate running for the office of Wilton’s First Selectman.

Toni Boucher, whose late husband Bud served as board treasurer for Trackside Teen Center for more than a decade, has made a three-year financial pledge to help the organization pay teen employees involved in a leadership program there.

Calling the fund “The Boucher Leader Legacy,” Trackside officials say it will help ensure the organization can pay teens as it provides “robust leadership opportunities for teens for many years to come.”

Trackside Executive Director Lori Fields did not provide a specific amount that was promised but said that it is a “renewable pledge” for a minimum of three years, and the amount will vary to meet the needs of the program.

Boucher said she was thrilled to provide “foundational support” to Trackside’s teen leaders.

“I’ve witnessed the passion and devotion that the Trackside staff has for caring for our teens, offering them a safe, fun and enriching environment to develop their skills, talents and confidence. For our teens to have a place that helps them better understand and feel good about who they are as they learn how to mentor and lead our younger teens is incredible,” she said, adding “I know this would be meaningful to Bud.”

The press release called Toni and her late husband Bud “long-standing supporters of Trackside,” and that Bud “was a staunch advocate for the organization and the opportunities it offered our teens.” 

After Bud died in 2021, Trackside installed a memorial bench outside the front entrance to honor Bud’s years of service to the organization.

Teaching Leadership

Trackside staff has tried to create a culture that helps set teens up for greater life success. They learn how to mentor and lead middle school students. They learn how to bring an idea to life, plan and follow through. They learn responsibility, accountability, problem solving and how to be part of something greater than themselves. 

The Boucher Leader Legacy will support the various ways teens participate in leadership roles at Trackside:

• leading after-school programs for middle-school youth, learning how to guide, support, and mentor younger teens
• working at Trackside’s Snackside Cafe learning how to prepare food, process orders, manage inventory and work behind the counter 
• serving on the Board of Directors and taking part in conversations around budget, organizational direction and growth
• brainstorming with Trackside staff, and creating and testing out new initiatives to meet the changing needs of Trackside participants 
• helping to run events, from movie nights to Valentine Dances, Breakfast with Buddy, summer camps and other community offerings
• helping with the general management of after-school programs during high-volume hours
• being involved in a wide variety of projects to help take care of and improve the building that houses Trackside
• under the guidance of staff, learning how to cultivate relationships with local businesses and the community at large

Trackside officials touted Late Night @Trackside as one new iniative created and run exclusively by high school students, calling it “extremely successful.” On select Friday evenings each month, they transform Trackside into a salon-like setting for high school students to hang out, socialize and express themselves in a safe, inclusive, inspiring space. 

Fields called the Leadership Fund a “perfect fit” for the Bouchers.

“Collectively they have a long history of helping young people in the areas of education excellence, leadership, confidence building and being of service to the greater community and world at large. These values lie at the heart of our efforts at Trackside too, which is why creating The Boucher Teen Leadership Legacy feels powerful and right,” she said.

She added that Boucher’s support and generosity is significant for Trackside and far-reaching.

“With the loss of town funding as of July 2023 and an increase in overall operational costs due to the state of the economy and inflation, (similar to what we’re all experiencing with cost of living and household expenses), Toni’s financial contribution will allow Trackside to continue on [its] trajectory of growth; ensuring [it can] provide robust leadership opportunities for teens for many years to come,” Fields said.

Trackside is hosting a community Open House and Ice Cream Social with Boucher on Thursday, Sept. 7 from 6:30-8 p.m. Attendees can learn more about Trackside, and meet its high school leaders and staff.