Community Corner

25 Years of Commitment to Southington Youth

Lisa Carroll has spent more than a quarter century dedicated to helping Southington youth achieve success and it has earned the longtime resident honors as the YMCA Person of the Year. 'Because of 26' and Diane Sheard were also honored Thursday.

Teaching and working with youth is more than a career for Southington resident Lisa Carroll; it’s a passion. For more than a quarter century, she has worked within the community to instill confidence in youth and encourage them to succeed as children and beyond.

The Bristol teacher was all smiles on Thursday as the Southington-Cheshire YMCA named Carroll, director of the Southington Youth Theater program, as the YMCA Person of the Year.

“Person of the Year, just the word ‘person’ in front of it, it is incredibly humbling,” Carroll said. “Theater is about working together and supporting each other, and I never thought that I would receive a recognition like this from doing what I enjoy.”

It has been an incredible year for Carroll, who was previously named the 2012-13 Teacher of the Year in Bristol, and all the recognition is long overdue, said YMCA Executive Director John Myers.

Myers said the YMCA had numerous candidates who have gone above and beyond to support the community, but it was hard not to select Carroll after looking at her track record working with children. Picking up a pamphlet from Camp Sloper in the 1980s, he pointed out a young Carroll as she was serving on the staff there.

“It only gets better from here,” he said.

Carroll has been involved in the community in a variety of ways, from serving as a volunteer at various youth events to working for St. Dominic Church in a variety of capacities. Perhaps none stand out more than her work with Southington Youth Theater, where she has put on countless shows and helped thousands of children find inspiration, teamwork and success.

“She shares a common theme with all our winners; they’ve all worked with children and done significant work to make Southington an even better place to live,” Myers said.

From Tragedy to Community Partnerships: ‘Because of 26’ Named YMCA Reaching Out Recipient


When tragedy struck Newtown in December 2012, the gruesome and senseless murder of six educators and 20 children left an empty feeling in the hearts of many. Rather than dwell on the tragedy, however, local residents Lisa Wrublewski and Erin Furniss wanted to find a way to encourage hope and support a stronger community.

The two came together and formed ‘Because of 26,’ an organization dedicated to honoring the memories of those lost and creating an atmosphere of kindness and compassion. In just a few short months, what started as an idea turned into a town-wide partnership that has simply continued to grow.

The efforts were recognized Thursday as the group was named the winner of the YMCA Reaching Out Award and Myers said there may not be another example as strong as what the power of reaching out can do than what ‘Because of 26’ has accomplished.

“If you were at that June celebration, we don’t need to tell you how far their message got. Hundreds upon hundreds of residents were lined up, enjoying each others company and setting a great example of what it means to be a kind and compassionate community,” Myers said. “The mission didn’t end there. They have continued to set forth examples of how people can bring kindness into people’s lives every day.”

Wrubleski said she could not imagine the success that the program, held on the 6-month anniversary of the tragic Sandy Hook shooting, would have had without the rest of the community. She said it was Southington that stepped up and opened their hearts to make the effort possible.

“Our hope was to inspire people to just help one another out and what we’ve seen is a community that was dedicated to doing just that,” Wrubleski said.

Laughter is the Best Medicine: Diana Sheard Named YMCA Unsung Hero


Driving through Southington earlier this year, Myers couldn’t help but laugh when he looked to his left and saw Diana Sheard driving by dressed in her special attire. To some, Sheard is simply a happy-go-lucky woman and good friend, but she is better known in the community as “Valentine the Clown.”

As he laughed, he thought about how Sheard was on her way to do her part in making children somewhere in town do the same.

“They say laughter is the best medicine and Sheard knows how to bring laughter and smiles to people even in the worst of times,” Myers said. “She has an incredible way about her, an ability to reach people and make them feel good about themselves.”

For Sheard, it’s simply about making people smile. But her efforts have been far more reaching in helping people throughout the community develop a sense of compassion and enjoyment.

A near lifelong resident, Sheard was honored for her work with the YMCA Unsung Hero award. She has been an active member of STEPS, the Southington Town-Wide Effort to Promote Success, and has volunteered for Bread for Life and countless other non profits.

Sheard, ‘Because of 26,’ and Carroll will all be recognized at the YMCA Annual meeting in January.

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