The Knights of Columbus Desoto Council No
Knights of Columbus – DeSoto Council No. 6
Cromwell Man of the Year Award – 2017
ANTHONY “TONY” GUMKOWSKI
The Knights of Columbus – DeSoto Council No. 6 of Cromwell is proud to announce that Anthony C. Gumkowski, known to all as “Tony”, of Cromwell has been selected as the “Cromwell Man of the Year” for 2017. Each year a committee consisting of members of the Knights of Columbus selects a local resident as the “Cromwell Man of the Year” based on the person’s current and past years of demonstrated service to the community.
Tony has been a Cromwell resident for the past 30 years and has been married to his wife, Karen, for 36 years. Tony and Karen raised their son, Andrew, here in Cromwell. Andrew and his wife, Priya, have a son named Miles.
For the past 37 years Tony has been employed by the Traveler’s Insurance Company as a Senior Property Specialist.
As you will soon learn from reading this article, Tony has no boundaries when it comes to volunteering his time and talents to the Cromwell community. Over the many years he has lived in Cromwell, Tony has donated his time and efforts in areas such as Cromwell youth sports, Cromwell youth recreation, Cromwell youth scouting, Cromwell civic projects, Cromwell humanitarian programs, Cromwell’s St. John Roman Catholic Church, and Cromwell’s Knights of Columbus DeSoto Council No. 6.
In the Town of Cromwell, Tony served as an assistant Little League coach for three years and coordinated the CYO basketball schedule with his wife, Karen, for two years. He was also part of a small army of volunteers that contributed over 400 hours to build the playscape at the Edna C. Stevens Elementary School, a recreation facility for the Town youth.
The Cromwell Boy Scout program has greatly benefitted from Tony’s leadership, dedication and drive. Tony served as Assistant Den Leader to Cub Scout Pack 36 for four years, and went on to serve as the Assistant Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 26 in Cromwell for ten years. During his time as the Assistant Scoutmaster, his duties and responsibilities included overseeing the Ad Altare Dei Faith Formation Program for the Catholic scouts, serving as a Merit Badge Counselor and an Eagle Scout Advisor, organizing field trips to the Traveler’s Insurance Lab, organizing food drives to benefit the Town of Cromwell and coordinating troop activities and campouts. As an Eagle Scout Advisor, Tony worked with the local Boy Scouts from Troop 26 on such projects as building a handicap ramp and inventorying and grading local traffic signs and streets for the Cromwell Police Department. The lessons taught in scouting are designed to build character and strengthen young men to enable them to be future leaders in their community. Through his leadership and guidance, Tony has helped shape the lives of many young men in Cromwell who participated in scouting programs.
Several years ago, Cromwell Boy Scout Troop 26 was looking for a new home where the Troop could to meet. Troop 26 was using an old, outdated facility that needed replacing. Thousands of dollars were needed to build another facility. To that end, Tony served for ten years as a board member for Cromwell citizens seeking to raise funds to build and maintain a Scout Lodge for Boy Scout Troop 26. The board worked tirelessly to raise the necessary funds and, as a result, the funds were raised and a new Scout Lodge for Troop 26 was built at Watrous Park. Today, the Cromwell youth who desire to participate in scouting have a permanent location to conduct their meetings and many of their activities.
When the Cromwell Police Department needed to renovate and expand its Police Station, a Building Committee was established to obtain studies of the facility needs and develop recommendations for the renovation project. Tony served on this committee for four years, which was also responsible for the oversight of construction.
Tony’s time and efforts do not end with our youth and civic involvement. His boundaries extend to the economically disadvantaged and the poor. In Middletown, St. Vincent de Paul Place on Main Street, serves residents not only of Middletown, but also of other neighboring towns who come to the soup kitchen to be fed and clothed. For the past twenty years, Tony has volunteered his time at St. Vincent de Paul Place.
In addition to his work at the soup kitchen, Tony serves as the liaison for St. John Church in Cromwell in their monthly food drives for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry on Stack Street in Middletown. The food pantry provides food/groceries, including fresh vegetables, at no cost for those who do not have the economic means to buy basic groceries to Middletown residents and residents of surrounding towns. Each month, Tony collects the food contributed by the parishioners of St. John Church, sorts and boxes it, and transports it to the Amazing Grace Food Pantry.
Tony is a parishioner at St. John Church in Cromwell where Tony volunteers his time and talent. He currently serves as a Lector, Eucharistic Minister and Usher. He has also taught CCD at St. John Church. It should be noted that Tony’s wife, Karen, is a member of the First Congregational Church in Cromwell, and Tony assists in events and Church activities in this parish as well.
Tony is an active member of the Knights of Columbus, DeSoto Council No. 6 in Cromwell. He is a Past Grand Knight of DeSoto Council No. 6 and currently serves as one of its trustees. For several years he served as a captain in the Annual Tootsie Roll Drive which raises funds each year to benefit the youth of Cromwell who are on the Autism spectrum or suffer from brain disorders. Most recently, Tony served as the Chair of the 2016 Annual Tootsie Roll Drive. In addition, for over twenty years in the month of December, DeSoto Council has held a Steak Night for its members as well as for men in Cromwell, and for the past ten years Tony has been a reliable fixture in the kitchen cooking for this dinner. When DeSoto Council sponsored a Pasta Night to raise funds to benefit the son of one of its members who was suffering from ALS, Tony volunteered as a waiter running from the kitchen to all of the tables – serving many, many pasta meals that evening. He also volunteers to set up for DeSoto Council’s Annual Memorial Mass which honors and remembers Brother Knights from the Council who have died during the year. At Annual Blood Drives sponsored by the Council, Tony is actively working and assisting the Red Cross. He is a regular blood donor through the Apheresis Program.
And when it snows, Tony clears the snow from the driveway of an elderly neighbor.
Men such as Tony Gumkowski are cornerstones to build a strong and vibrant community. From leading young men in the local scouting program to supporting and aiding the poor and disadvantaged in our community, Tony’s selfless works have helped to build a strong, unified and compassionate Cromwell. When you work with Tony on any activity, you quickly learn that he is a selfless, quiet and humble man. Tony is a volunteer in the true sense of the word. Tony’s selfless works and his desire to help Cromwell residents as well as residents in neighboring towns is truly an inspiration to us all. Perhaps we can follow Tony’s example by donating some of our time to St. Vincent de Paul Place or Amazing Grace Food Pantry in Middletown.
Maybe it is a “calling” that Tony is following that drives him to serve his community so faithfully. However, we will never learn the answer because Tony is too humble to talk about himself or his many accomplishments.
In recognition of the numerous contributions to the betterment of the Town of Cromwell and society in general, and to express our gratitude for the many sacrifices Tony has made to our community, The Knights of Columbus would like to honor Anthony “Tony” Gumkowski by presenting him with the Cromwell Man of the Year Award. The community is invited to celebrate this special honor with Tony and his family at the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 573 Main Street, Cromwell, on Friday, February 10, 2017. The reception begins at 6:00 p.m. with the program starting at 7:00. Tickets for this event are $15 per person and can be purchased from Stan Stachura (860-982-9177) or Kevin Nolan (860-635-0353). Earlier in the day, Tony will be recognized at the Cromwell Town Hall at a ceremony that is open to the public.
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