BY PAUL MITCHELL
North Country This Week

CANTON – The Church & Community Program, (C&CP) will recognize the efforts of a dedicated past board president and a second person who for years has always made herself available to help those less fortunate.

Pat Alden and Kelley Glasgow will be honored at an awards ceremony set Thursday, Sept. 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the Grasse River Heritage Community Room, 30 Court St. The public is welcome and refreshments will be served.

Alden will receive the Morrow Award while Glasgow will be presented the Community Partner Award.

“Pat Alden has done a wonderful job of leading the Church & Community Program. She built many of the things that will keep the CCP a strong and lively force during her time as board member and then president. Under her direction the CCP has grown even more financially stable, so that our food pantry and thrift shop are flourishing, and our outreach in Giving Tree and Back to School has grown every year,” stated Fran Bailey, C&CP board chair.

“The words I most closely associate with Pat are generosity and organization. She is endlessly willing to give time and effort to providing help to people in need of it in our community. Happily, she also has the organizational skills to turn plans into reality, thereby making this a better place for all of us to live, Bailey added.

The Church and Community Program inaugurated this award in 2014 to recognize community members who through their service to Canton demonstrate the values and commitments exemplified by Richard Morrow, former president and long-standing member of the CCP Board, who died in a tragic accident in December 2013.

The recipients are selected by the board of the CCP and preference is given to individuals whose efforts have supported the work of this organization.

In addition to being a former president of the Church & Community Board, Richard was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton where he served as the Treasurer, and Chairman of the Social Justice Committee. Richard was a lifelong environmentalist and an avid bicyclist. He was especially committed to aiding members of our community through random acts of individual kindness.

The award is to be given to someone who contributes significantly, in time, skill and personal resources, to the work of our program and our community and who does so in ways that emulate the spirit of Richard Morrow.

For many years, Glasgow has immersed herself in numerous community-oriented programs, especially initiatives that help children.

“When I think of the ‘go-to person’ at Banford Elementary School, Kelley’s name is the first one I think of. If a teacher has a concern about a student, they contact Kelley. If kids don’t have winter attire, they go see Kelley. If Kelley hears about a family who needs food or presents for Christmas, everything they need miraculously appears. If a staff member needs a hug or a listening ear, they seek out Kelley,” said Cheryl Glidden, board vice chair. “She is there for everyone, whenever and wherever they need her. Kelley always has a smile for everyone and she is a fun person to be around. She is a gift to the Canton community in general and to CCP programs like Giving Tree and Back to School in particular, and a blessing to any child she helps.”

This award established in 2016 recognizes the generous contribution of a local individual, business or organization to the Church and Community Program. Community Partners Award recipients have impressively shown the spirit of “Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” which has been our mission since we opened our doors in 1974.