The William J. May III
Service Above Self Awards
Bill May was all about honor, and service. The House of Heroes Connecticut Chapter cofounder,
who passed away in December 2016 following a two-year battle with cancer, made a life of serving both his country and his fellow comrades in need through his devotion to the House of Heroes mission. In Bill’s final months, he worked tirelessly in his dual roles as chairman of both House of Heroes National and the Connecticut Chapter to do all he could to expand House of Heroes nationwide impact. One thing Bill knew was that he could not do it alone - fulfillment of the House of Heroes mission was then, and remains today, dependent upon an army of advocates,
volunteers, sponsors and supporters who make our work possible. So it is only fitting that Bill, and his legacy of service, be celebrated by honoring, on an annual basis, those vital supporters who help us keep Bill’s dream alive. House of Heroes Connecticut is proud to introduce this year its
inaugural William J. May III Service Above Self Awards, to be presented annually to a sponsor, contractor & volunteer whose selfless contributions help make our mission possible.
Congratulations to this year’s honorees! Your time, talents and financial support are fitting tributes to Bill May’s legacy, and are helping
House of Heroes Connecticut continue to Make a Difference in a Day for deserving Connecticut veterans. Thank you!
“I DRAW INSPIRATION FROM THOSE I MEET, THOSE WE ARE ABLE
TO HELP. WE'RE ALL TIME-LIMITED ON THIS EARTH, BUT THAT
SHOULDN'T STOP ANY OF US FROM REACHING OUT TO THE
PERSON STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO US, TO GIVE THEM HELP, GIVE
THEM A HAND,GIVE THEM A LEG UP.”
- William John May III
The William J. May III Service Above Self Award Previous Winners
2021 Winners
Michael Stowe
Volunteer
Michael Stowe has carpentry in his blood. Michael’s grandfather ran lumber yards in Stratford and Bridgeport, he worked as an apprentice with the finest master carpenters in Fairfield County and owned his own construction company for 15 years. Helping others, too, is part of his DNA, ever since when, working for the Town of Stratford, he started an impromptu holiday campaign to decorate a local home and told the homeowner afterward “don’t you ever give up on Christmas.” HOHCT has benefitted from Michael’s talent and generosity since 2020, relying on his expertise to help the organization manage its ever-growing schedule of projects. Thank you, Michael Stowe!
Carpenters Union Local 326
Craftsman
A member of the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, Connecticut Carpenters
Union Local 326 is dedicated not only to representing Connecticut’s skilled and hard-working carpenters, but to making an impact on the many Connecticut communities it serves. One way it does that is through its fast growing partnership with House of Heroes Connecticut. Local 326 joined forces with HOHCT to
improve the lives of veterans in 2019 and has never looked back. This year promises to be a big one or the partnership, with Local 326 and HOHCT tackling up to eight veterans service projects in one day on Memorial Day Weekend. Thank you, Local 326!
DAV Capter 8 Hardware City
Sponsor
The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) is a non-profit 501(c)(4) veterans service organization
dedicated to building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. Of nearly 1,300 national chapters, including 17 in Connecticut, no chapter works harder to support its brothers and sisters than DAV Hardware City Chapter 8 out of New Britain. The Chapter’s annual Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open is one of the state’s largest veterans charity golf events and HOHCT has been a fortunate beneficiary of the event’s success, receiving more than $70,000 in direct funding from the event since 2012. Thank you, DAV Chapter 8!
*2020 - Covid 19 - limited projects in 2020 - no awards given out
2019 Winners
Chris Daigle
Volunteer
In recent years, the role that a small but vital group of skilled craftsmen and handyman volunteers have played in House of Heroes Connecticut’s success has become ever more important. Chris Daigle has emerged as one of those highly dependable skilled workers the organization relies so much upon. A Senior Project Manager at North Haven’s HB Communications, licensed electrician and former North Haven firefighter, Chris has spent countless weekends in recent years donning a toolbelt and helping House of Heroes fulfill its mission. Recently appointed to the House of He-roes board of directors, Chris’ dedication to the House of Heroes mission is unquestioned. Thank you Chris Daigle!
Fred Miller
Craftsman
What would a House of Heroes Connecticut project be without the help of Fred Miller? The Hamden native has been an integral part of House of Heroes Connecticut since the group’s founding in 2012, when his father, World War II veteran Fred Miller, was one of the very first military veterans to be served by the organization. The owner of FJ Miller Construction of Hamden, Fred has worked tirelessly and faithfully on some of the most diffi-cult and labor-intensive projects HOHCT has ever taken on, and has been a key asset and right-hand-man to HOHCT President and Project Man-ager Steve Cavanaugh. Fred further serves the organization as a member of its Board of Directors. Thank you Fred Miller!
Johnson Brunetti
Sponsor
Johnson Brunetti is an independent retirement and investment specialty firm with offices located throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts. Founded in 2003, the firm has grown to a staff of more than 35. Joel Johnson, CFP® and the JB team of experienced profes-sionals have suc-cessfully helped and guided more than 3,500 families through the retirement planning process. The company became a HOHCT Project Partner in 2019, with two teams of hard-working employees completing a pair of projects in the company’s hometown of Wethersfield. Johnson Brunetti has already committed to an additional project in 2020. Thank you Johnson Brunetti!
2018 Winners
Christina Campbell
Volunteer
Christina has worked tirelessly behind the scenes, putting her energy and talents as a designer to work making our annual Hearts & Heroes dinner/dance the huge success it is. She also was the driving force
behind the 2018 Veterans Day Weekend Breakfast at Eli’s on Whitney in Hamden which raised nearly $5,000 for House of Heroes.
Dave McPhail
Contractor
Dave has become an invaluable part of House of Heroes’ skilled craftsmen team since finding us on an Internet search in 2017. His skills and experience as owner/operator of Consider it Done Remodeling are a perfect fit for HOHCT. Says Dave’s wife Eve, “Dave has high integrity, and it’s important to him to honor the sacrifice of our veterans.”
Mohegan Sun
Sponsor
Mohegan Sun, one of the world’s largest casinos, is devoted to honoring veterans. Its Vets Rock event has become an invaluable promotional venue for House of Heroes the last few years and in 2018, the casino donated it's 120-person capacity skybox for the May 5 Bon Jovi concert, a fundraising opportunity that netted more than $20,000 for HOHCT.
PCX Aerostructures
Sponsor
This Newington based defense contractor joined the HOHCT team in 2016 and has become one of our most loyal and generous corporate supporters. PCX employees have volunteered at five HOH projects
since 2016, and the company has provided marketing support to our cause as well as more than $20,000 in sponsorship support.
Sikorsky
Sponsor
This Lockheed Martin Company and its employee volunteers have quietly become HOHCT bedrocks. On Veterans Day 2018, the company surprised us with a $20,000 donation, and its Supply Management Division later followed suit with a $10,000 donation from its annual golf tournament, representing only a portion of the company’s support in recent years.