MONTVILLE NONPROFIT GATEWAY, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Montville Fall Festival, Inc. was founded in 1995 and recently changed its name to the Montville Nonprofit Gateway (MNG) to better reflect its mission and goals. Since its inception, this organization has been a major focal point in the community as well as in the region.

The initial goal of the MNG, Inc. was to establish a venue for area nonprofit organizations to raise their necessary funds. To this end, the Montville Fair was created. Various nonprofit organizations that participate at the fair have collectively raised more than $60,000. These monies went back into the community in various ways including clothing banks, foster parenting, low-cost healthcare and drug awareness programs just to name a few.

The volunteers of the MNG work tirelessly throughout the year to bring their vision to fruition. Each member of the Board of Directors volunteers his or her services each year. To implement that various programs that MNG, Inc. sponsors takes more than 10,000 person-hours annually. This organization has brought people from various lifestyles together for the good of the community. More than 250 volunteers labor during the three-day event to assist in every aspect of the fair alone.

The MNG, Inc. Board of Directors sponsors the Citizen of the Year Award. This annual award is presented to a citizen that exemplifies civic responsibility and volunteerism for the good of the community. Balloting is based on nominations received from the community at large. The award recipient receives official presentation from town, state and federal officials.

The MNG, Inc. has recently established a scholarship fund for students with hidden disabilities such as attention deficit disorder and learning disabilities. This unique scholarship is the first of its nature in the area and it is the hope that as time progresses, MNG will raise enough money to establish similar scholarships on a regional basis.

Furthermore, the MNG, Inc. is working on a program with the local police department to create a firearm awareness program for the youth in our community. Tragically, there have been two accidental deaths of children within the last year. It is this type of grass roots activism within smaller communities that can eventually create change in the larger segments of society.