LACONIA — A local woman whose unwavering dedication and support has touched the lives of hundreds of local children has been named the 2020 recipient of the Debra Bieniarz Award.
Kathy Drouin, a longtime volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club in Laconia, received the honor during a virtual meeting of the City Council Monday evening.
The award proclamation, read by Mayor Andrew Hosmer, commended Drouin as a “fierce advocate for kids and a pillar of volunteer support at the Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region for many years.”
Because of COVID restrictions Hosmer was unable to present the award to Drouin following the announcement of her selection.
“Over the years, it is estimated that she has touched the lives of close to 1,000 Boys & Girls Club kids,” Hosmer said.
The local club — part of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Hampshire — serves about 350 members a year. Prior to the pandemic there would be as many as 150 children coming to the clubhouse every day to participate in various programs and activities. Since COVID, the club has been offering all-day programming for those learning remotely.
The award honors the legacy of the late police officer Bieniarz, who served the city and its youth during her nine years with the department. At age 29, she suffered a fatal brain aneurysm as she arrived home after completing a work shift in 1987.
Recipients in recent years have included Lisa Cornish, Liz Rosenfeld, Bob Dassatti, and Elizabeth Brothers.
(0) comments
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.