Howard Kelley Community Service Award

Every year, CVEF bestows the Howard Kelley Community Service Award upon a worthy resident of our community. The award honors the memory of Howard Kelley, one of our founders and the first Superintendent of Schools in District 13. Kelley recognized the substantial power of local citizens to make significant positive contributions by their service to Durham and Middlefield, as he himself did in his lifetime.

Howard Kelley

CVEF Honors 2024 Howard Kelley Awardee

CVEF Founder Merrill Adams announced Durham resident Kim Terrill as the recipient of the 2024 Howard Kelley Community Service Award. Nominated by Howard’s widow, Renee, and long-time Durham resident Ona McLaughlin, the two noted Kim’s years of service to the community, whether through her efforts supporting local organizations with her baking business and talents or, most recently, as only the second female Durham Fair president.

Accepting the award at a recent reception, Terrill noted “we are a community of volunteers.” Talking about her role as the Fair president, she stressed, “I am just one…of the 1,800 Fair volunteers.” Calling it the “jewel of the community,” Terrill said that keeping the Fair running and relevant is important for everyone.

Kim’s family and friends were at the event announcing her as the recipient, along with a number of past HK awardees.

Kim Terrill 2024 Howard Kelley Honoree

 Previous winners of the Howard Kelley Community Service Award include: 

  • Ralph Sayward, Town of Middlefield and Levi E. Coe Library

  • Lucy Meigs, Everyone Outside

  • Lainy Melvin, Durham Cooperative Nursery School

  • Jen Huddleston, the Giving Garden

  • Bruce Villwock, service to the Town of Middlefield and the Boy Scouts

  • Lorrie Martin, retired educator and facilitator of science-based enrichment programs in Durham and Middlefield

  • Mark Dionne and Heather Kannam, founders of Paperhouse Productions, a local children’s theater.

  • Bill Gleuck and Hugh McKutchen, volunteers for Trout in the Classroom.

  • Bernadette Basiel, key leader in the success of DMYFS.

  • Sarah Atwell, nurse, breast cancer survivor, and rejuvenator of the Durham Historical Society.

  • Robin Heath, outstanding Boy Scout leader.

  • Susan Michael, high school educator and environmental activist.

  • Christine Willett, elementary teacher and founder of After the Storm.

 NOMINATE SOMEONE YOU KNOW FOR THE HOWARD KELLEY AWARD

 CVEF is continually (year-round) looking for nominations for the Howard Kelley Community Service Award. We welcome your recommendations! We require a brief supporting statement, concentrating on the following information:

•  The name of the nominee, along with some brief biographical details.

•  The reason you are nominating this person.

•  A brief background on the project/service/volunteerism advocated and/or initiated by the nominee (could be multiple things).

•   How does your nominee reflect/represent CVEF’s mission of “lifelong learning?”

Please submit your nomination to Merrill Adams: merrilladams@comcast.net.