YOUTH SERVICE DAY

City celebrates achievements of its young people

TORRINGTON >> Young people of the city were celebrated Tuesday afternoon, as they were recognized in honor of National Youth Service Day.

A crowd gathered amid the flowering trees of Coe Memorial Park for the ceremony, which was held to mark the achievements of young people nominated by local residents for their service and good works in the community.

Each youth had their name read aloud, then stepped forward into the center of a crowd of parents, community members and onlookers to receive a trophy marking their achievement from Carbone and Torrington Youth Service Bureau Director Tom Donaldson.

This was the 28th time the city of Torrington has marked National Youth Service Day.

The event also featured remarks from Mayor Elinor Carbone, Suzanne Stitch, vice president of the Torrington Area Youth Service Bureau Board of Directors and Superintendent of Schools Denise Clemons. A proclamation from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy was read aloud by Joel Lemieux, a senior at Oliver Wolcott Technical School and the president of the Mayor’s Committee on Youth.

“Someone in the community felt that you did something special — that something that you

did made a difference, and it enhanced the quality of life in our city,” said Stitch. “National Youth Service Day is our chance to give back to you, show your our appreciation for the great work that you and your parents have done. I’m really honored to be here today to congratulate all of you.”

This is the 28th year that Torrington has marked National Youth Service Day, Carbone and Stitch said.

“There is no greater testament to citizenship than volunteerism,” said Carbone. “We’re incredibly grateful, and as the mayor of the city, incredibly proud of the work that you’ve done.”

The ceremony also featured a performance by members of the Torrington Middle School Chamber Orchestra, who offered music both before and after the ceremony in the sunny park, and the Forbes Flyers.

National Youth Service Day, which was expanded to encompass the world as Global Youth Service Day in 2000, was created in 1988 by Youth Service America, a Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization.

BEN LAMBERT — THE REGISTER CITIZEN Young people from Torrington were celebrated Tuesday, as a ceremony marking National Youth Service Day was held. Above, Mayor Elinor Carbone and Tom Donaldson, director of the Torrington Area Youth Service Bureau, congratulate a child as she receives...

BEN LAMBERT — THE REGISTER CITIZEN Students line up to receive acknowledgement for their contributions to Torrington during National Youth Service Day.