Phyllis Paccadolmi Awards

Contact: Chris Nolan, Library Director, 203-438-6960  cbnolan@ridgefieldlibrary.org

2012 Award Winners

The 2012 Paccadolmi Awards were given out to two dedicated and deserving individuals at the Community Open House on June 2nd.

Lori Dowling
Lori has been such an important part of the planning for the New Ridgefield Library that it is almost inconceivable to us that she has moved out of town and is no longer here to attend meetings, make presentations, and cast her analytical and artistic eye on everything associated with this project. 

Joining the Library Board in 2005, Lori served on many Board committees:  the Finance Committee, the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee, Planning  Committee , Communications and Campaign Steering Committees,  most importantly, as member and co-chair of the Building Committee from 2008 until her term on the Board was complete in 2011 – and beyond.  With her no-nonsense yet diplomatic demeanor, her ready grasp of complicated scenarios and her professional experience in the building trades, she brought the perfect mix of skills and attitudes to a process that was complex and ever-changing.  She never gave up, despite the many twists and turns this project has presented. Truly, without Lori’s tireless and visionary leadership, we would not be getting ready to break ground for the New Ridgefield Library.  The Library and the town of Ridgefield all owe her a great vote of thanks.

Marcia Simha
Marcia is so multi-talented, it is hard to know where to start listing her accomplishments, and the myriad ways she has helped the Ridgefield Library. 

As a musician, Marcia, along with her husband Gary Jones,  brought the Circle of Friends performing group to our Ridgefield Folk concert series and is a font of recommendations and connections that have helped this become one of our most popular programs.

As an artist, Marcia first came to our attention when she volunteered to oversee the transformation of the Dayton Program Room into the dooryard of the colonial-era Smith Tavern for the townwide commemoration of Rochambeau’s March to Victory in 2006, creating beautiful murals of 18th century Ridgefield to line the walls and cheerfully supervising a crew of young volunteers. 

She is always willing to lend a hand when something special is needed, such as performing Dust Bowl-era songs at the Cultural Festival during our Big Read of The Grapes of Wrath.

As a patron, Marcia uses the Library so frequently and in so many ways, that she was a natural choice to interview for our campaign video. 

She was also a logical person to consult when the time came to devise a unique, visible and meaningful way for the entire community to participate in the Campaign for the New Ridgefield Library.  It is Marcia’s creative talent and hard work that are largely responsible for the beautiful Community Mural that will grace the New Library. The Community Mural now has almost 500 participating individuals, families and groups, with new names being added weekly.  And her work is not done, for now,  under her leadership,  we begin the process of creating the individual spines and silhouettes, ready for display when the doors to the new library are opened.  We are grateful to Marcia for all she has done, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration with her for months and years to come.

Past Year's Recipients:

2011
N.M. Donofrio and Liz Montanari

2010
Peter T. Coffin and Dr. Heidi B. Hammel

2009
Hope H. Swenson and Melissa Brady

2008
Dr. Theodore Safford, Jr. and Nicole & Daniel Gutter

2007
Morton S. Bailey, III and Gretchen Bishop

Nicole and Daniel Gutter, recipients of the 2008 Paccadolmi Award for volunteerism