Auden Grogins

Building a strong community means investing in the personal growth and development of individual residents

As a 25 year resident of Bridgeport and former state representative, representing Black Rock and the surrounding area, I have been a supporter of the Burroughs Community Center for more than two decades Burroughs is an invaluable resource for the residents in our community, as it provides a diverse number of educational and recreational programs that promote personal growth and development

The dedication to bringing people together, eliminate barriers and provide services to those in need, are the reasons I am proud to be a board member of this wonderful and necessary organization in our Park city

Cathleen Lozier

“Individually, we are one drop Together, we are an ocean” – Ryūnosuke Satoro

By ourselves we can accomplish good things but joining together with others we become so much more powerful That’s what Burroughs does, harnesses people power! Burroughs draws on the accumulated wisdom of others including our facility partners and local organizations to help generate support and awareness of the needs of the community I’m proud to be part of this mission

My background is finance and I joined the board as Treasurer 3 years ago and have recently transitioned to President I believe in giving back and feel service to others should be part of everyone’s life It’s nourishment for the soul

Diana Draper

Erica Mann

Working to help underserved women in our immediate area to become self-supporting and contributing members of our community

I have spent the last 25 years owning and running local businesses In that capacity I became more aware of the problems and growing needs of underserved women in our community These include women entering the workforce after raising young children, women with literacy issues, women released from prison, fleeing abusive relationships and recent refugees and immigrants

Over the years I have volunteered and served on Boards with some of the following organizations: Save the Children, the Pequot Library, Dress for Success of Mid-Fairfield County and 100 Women Who Care

Most recently as a volunteer at the Burroughs Community Center, I have been working closely with the Our Woven Community program I am excited to continue our Boards work and be involved on making positive changes in our community

John Cannon

I enjoy helping others advance their life goals and I am honored to have the opportunity to assist them by being part of the Burroughs team

I have lived in Fairfield with my wife and two sons for over 30 years I was introduced to Burroughs and the community it serves almost 15 years ago while volunteering at Wakeman Boys & Girls Club I initially started as a volunteer tax preparer for the VITA program offered at Burroughs, and now I am the VITA Site Coordinator I have had the opportunity to meet and work with hundreds of community residents each year and to directly see the impact Burroughs has made to them and to the entire community I look to continue provide awareness to all about what Burroughs offers them

Marge Hiller

The Bridgeport community is indicative of what an inclusive neighborhood can look like and how a community can step up to provide a safe and thriving atmosphere for our children

I have lived in Bridgeport for 48 years – 45 of those years in Black Rock My entire career and focus of my interest and work has been public education in Bridgeport Through personal experience of having a daughter in the public schools and a husband who taught music in the high schools for many years, I know firsthand what a good school system should offer to help all our children grow, and strive to pursue their dreams The erosion of a superior public school system has been slow and will be slower to recover

I was one of the founding members of the Burroughs Community Center and am proud to be have witnessed the growth and the stability it has brought to the Black Rock neighborhood The partnership with the Wakeman’s Boys & Girls Club was the culmination of all the sports and other activities that were always part of the initial blueprint

Ron Pinciaro

Sheila Nevins

“What would you do if you weren’t afraid?” ― Sheryl Sandberg, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

In 1989, my husband Michael and I decided to move to this neighborhood and raise our children here We have stayed ever since We found a community that valued family, faith and friends, and embraced people of diverse backgrounds Our kids learned mutual respect and also giving back and sharing

Now that our family is grown, I am excited to put my efforts and experience into Burroughs and help this community thrive I especially hope to inspire and enable girls and women to be strong, confident and successful, both in small endeavors and large This help builds strong families and in turn, a strong community