Since joining Stratford Patch as local editor in early July 2011, I have made it a priority to profile and feature locals or businesses who are making a difference in their community.
Stratford Patch will continue to reach out to those who selflessly give their time and energy for the town's better good. And I encourage readers to "nominate" residents by leaving a comment below or by emailing me at jason.bagley@patch.com.
But before we start the new year, let's take a look back at those who shared their stories with Stratford Patch.
Click on the bold headline to read the original article.
By Fred Musante
Brian Gallagher and his wife, Nicole, are the couple behind Murphy's Paw Dog Grooming and Doggie Boutique, named after their 11-year-old Jack Russell terrier, Murphy.
"He's part of our inspiration," said Gallagher, who, along with his wife, have been long-time pet owners and dog lovers and always wanted to be in the pet business.
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By Fred Musante
Director Barbara Blosveren started the library's teen department in the 1980s. She said when she asks teenagers why they like coming to the library, she gets the same answer she did 30 years ago.
"They feel comfortable here. They can read the books they want to read," Blosveren said. "When I hear them speak, I tell them I can't believe you're using the exact same language I quoted in articles years ago."
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By Elizabeth Howard
Hanadi "Hannah" Bouchahine is the woman behind the counter at Hannah's Kitchen at 3530 Main St. She and her husband, Andre, emigrated to the Uniterd States from Lebanon in the 1980s, and opened Hannah's Kitchen two and a half years ago.
Although the hours are long, Bouchahine said they are bearable because of the people she serves.
"We've made a lot of friends here," she told Stratford Patch. "Everyone has been so nice to us."
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By Jason Bagley
opened in July this year. Located in Stationhouse Square, co-owner Dean Marrazzo described his Italian restaurant in two words: affordable and authentic.
All ingredients are shipped in from Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, said Marrazzo, adding that the ravioli and meats at Siena are made of the same stuff they were made of some 100 years ago.
"I feel like I'm really relating to the people," he said.
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By Jason Bagley
After losing their 10-year-old daughter Erin in a tragic bus accident while on a family trip in Jamaica, Jeff and Donna Babineau knew exactly what they had to do to preserve their little girl's memory.
"Immediately after the accident we said if there's anything we could do in her memory, it would be sports and to build a gym in her name," Donna Babineau said.
And so, six years after the accident, Erin's Gym opened to the community in 2011. The 14,000-square-foot, first-class facility is located behind .
"We put a lot of thought and pride into our planning," Babineau said before . "I really believe kids' mouths are going to drop."
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By Fred Musante
Dr. Benjamin Wrubel started teaching biology at Bunnell High School about eight years ago. Before that, we was earning a living in the field of podiatry. Wrubel said he decided to shift careers because he felt he wasn't growing as a learner.
Now the biology teacher is in the running for a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, the highest recognition that an American math or science teacher can receive.
"This is like the Academy Award for science teachers," Wrubel said. The biology teacher was nominated for the award by Kristen Record, whose story follows..
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By Mary Athey
physics teacher Kristen Record beat out 50,000 of her colleagues to win Connecticut's 2011 Teacher of the Year.
The honor, however, should come as no surprise to those who know her. For in 2009, she was the only Connecticut recipient of the presitgious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
"It has been said that I was destined to be a teacher," Record said. "Teaching is in my DNA."
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By Jason Bagley
Ismael Diaz, a 2002 Bunnell High School graduate, opened New Era Barber Lounge in downtown Stratford in September 2011.
In a recent interview, he told Stratford Patch he began cutting hair as a middle schooler in his front yard. Diaz said it's always been a dream of his to run his own business.
"I've always wanted to open up a barbershop in Stratford," the 27-year-old said.
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By Jason Bagley
Suffice it to say, Javier Colon put Stratford in the spotlight.
Though the 1995 Bunnell High School graduate may not spend much time in town anymore, when he won NBC's "The Voice" there was a loud and proud roar from Stratford residents.
"The guy you see on screen is the same guy you see backstage," Tom Stepkoski said on the night Colon, 34, won the nationwide singing contest. Stepkoski's wife, Adrienne, graduated with Colon in 1995.
A couple weeks after the big win, Colon was greeted by hundreds of Stratford residents at a homecoming celebration in which he performed his hit song, "Stitch By Stitch." to watch the video of the homecoming.
Colon recently released his first-ever music video, which features Natasha Bedingfield.
