“Volunteers don’t get paid not because they’re worthless, but because they are priceless.” — Sherry Anderson
It’s National Volunteer Appreciation Week and nobody has more to celebrate than all of us in HomeFront! It makes sense for it to happen in the spring when there is so much new life all around us — and, perhaps, a few more sneezes and watery eyes. This week, we could elaborate on what volunteers mean to us. Indeed, there would be no HomeFront without volunteers. But the best authorities are the local families in need who are touched by their kindness. We think of people like Denise, an older adult in West Hartford. She wrote to us saying that she was “in awe of the volunteers” sent to her home. And, she described them as “wonder workers.”
We like to honor this occasion by recognizing wonder workers who truly go above and beyond. This is a tall order given the hundreds upon hundreds of good-hearted neighbors who join us in giving of their time and talent. The competition was too steep, so, this year, we decided to present two Keystone Volunteer Awards. We would like to share their stories with you today.
As you know, the HomeFront community is made up of people who are big on action over sentiment. So, we thought we’d close by giving you a preview of what our volunteers will be up to as we make final preparations for our 34th annual springtime HomeFront Days.
Keystone (noun): a central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together.
The journey for our first Volunteer Keystone Award winner of 2023 began when a handful of retired gentlemen were looking for a way to keep busy doing something meaningful in the late 90s. For their debut, 20 of them gathered to fix up the home of a disabled person in Suffield, CT. Since that first project, more than 70 homes in need have been revitalized thanks to what they started! And, luckily for all of us, Ralph Cerrato has been there every step of the way.
Beyond that first project, these forces of nature started exploring what they could accomplish by working year-round. They held regular meetings, identified homes in need and conducted home evaluation visits in the Fall. Ralph estimates that he has visited 200 homes in need while volunteering with HomeFront (we think it’s more). Little by little, they spread the word and just one project per year would not be enough for them. We almost dropped the phone one year when Ralph informed us that his church, St. Raymond of Peñafort of Enfield, had mobilized enough volunteers to fix up six homes at once. For most of their events, Ralph would lead one of the volunteer project sites, a natural for this former school principal of many years. Not only were Ralph and his fellow volunteer leaders gifted at recruiting helpers. They were also able to raise funds to cover the extra projects. They developed a collaboration with their Town’s Office for Community Development to handle the needs beyond what volunteers could do. They have also enlisted parishes from other nearby towns to get involved on their own. Handy in his own right, Ralph still finds time to build his own birdhouses, free of charge. As is so often the case with our volunteers, Ralph and his fellow leaders truly pushed the envelope and took our mission to levels beyond what HomeFront staff could even imagine. We also owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Ralph’s close family — his wife, children and grandchildren — for sharing him with HomeFront over the years. Here are a few snapshots of HomeFront’s Keystone Award winner, Ralph Cerrato, in action over the years.
Always the family affair, Ralph pictured here with his son helping on an Enfield HomeFront project (2010).
Ralph in the foreground with fellow founder of Enfield HomeFront, Phil Shea (2019).
From Dumpster Specialist to Air Traffic Control
The longevity of even the best of initiatives is no guarantee without the right person stepping up at the right time. Apparently, at Enfield HomeFront, they do some of their best scouting around dumpsters. Robert (Bob) Atiyeh tells us that his first HomeFront assignment was to make sure their project dumpsters were packed efficiently. He was so inspired by the example of Ralph Cerrato and fellow founding father, Bob Boozang, that he stepped up as Assistant House Captain on their projects in 2010. Much to the good fortune of many Enfield families in need, Bob then accepted the role of what we in the office call Enfield HomeFront’s “Uber House Captain.” He functions as a virtual “Air Traffic Controller,” the main point person with HomeFront for as many as two, three and four Enfield projects each year. It should be noted that the Enfield HomeFront projects are as impressive in quality as in quantity. As just a few examples, Bob has helped to oversee the installation of wheelchair ramps, countless window replacements, roofing repairs, structural improvements and deck overhauls. Somehow, Bob masterfully juggles year-round Enfield HomeFront activity with his most important role as husband and father in addition to his day job as a corporate AdminServer and technology developer. HomeFront’s Associate Executive Director, Lou Valenti, had this to say about Bob, Ralph and their fellow leaders, “The Enfield HomeFront leaders are so well prepared. This truly is a mission for them and they take it very seriously. They always start every project they finish, their commitment is extraordinary and they make the process as easy as possible for HomeFront staff. More importantly, they are remarkably good human beings who lead by example.” Here are some images of HomeFront’s Volunteer Keystone Award winner, Bob Atiyeh, doing what he has done best with us over the years.
Once his leadership tasks are in place, Bob rolls up his sleeves.
Bob Atihey (center) in 2022 assisting a veteran family.
34th Annual Spring HomeFront Days
National Volunteer Appreciation Week would not be complete without recognizing all of our volunteer leaders who are diligently planning to fix up homes with us in just a few short weeks. Our spring HomeFront Days are back for the second year since the pandemic began and we won’t take a single hammer swing for granted. Bob, Ralph, and their crews will be in solidarity with 400 volunteers poised to bring home repair relief to 20 older adults, veterans, persons with disabilities, single-parent households and families in transitional crisis. If you are interested in helping out one of our groups, email us at info@homefrontprogram.org for more information. Other groups have already signed on to join us for our Fall HomeFront Day on September 23rd. If you know of a group that may be looking for a fun, well-organized, rewarding volunteer group experience this Fall, give us a shout out at LValenti@homefrontprogram.org, and we’ll get you all the information you need.
Nobody is more excited for spring HomeFront Days than the struggling families who will find their prayers answered. Here are some “before” photos of the issues our “wonder workers” will be fixing this spring.
We are determined to put as many tools and building materials as possible in the hands of our volunteers this spring. In the midst of staggering inflation in construction materials and every other aspect of our work, we thank you for considering a donation of any amount that can help us to make the biggest difference possible right away.
