Watertown Oakville Chamber To Hold 55th Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner To Honor Community Leaders

WATERTOWN, Conn. - Oct. 8, 2019 - PRLog -- The Watertown Oakville Chamber of Commerce will host its 55th Annual Meeting & Awards Dinner on Thursday, November 14, 2019.

The prestigious 2019 Community Leader of the Year Award will be presented to Corey Shaker, co-owner of The Shaker Automotive Group; the 2019 Unsung Hero Award will be presented to Joseph D'Averso, president of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Waterbury, and the 2019 Beautification Award will be presented to the Watertown Library Association.

The event begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Grand Oak Villa, 550 Sylvan Lake Road in Oakville, and will include a silent auction to raise money for the Chamber's Annual Scholarship Program, which provides two $1,500 scholarships for graduating Watertown High School students — one pursuing a career in business, the other a STEM or trade-related career.

"The criteria for selecting the Community Leader of the Year include a nominee's personal impact on the business community, how he or she demonstrates leadership, their notable accomplishments and the extent of their community involvement," said Lori DosSantos of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, chairwoman of the Watertown Oakville Chamber Board of Directors.

Corey Shaker is a partner with and president of The Shaker Automotive Group, now in its eighth decade. The dealership was founded in Waterbury in 1930 by his grandfather. It has expanded across New England and includes seven dealerships in Connecticut and Massachusetts. That includes Shaker Family Ford Lincoln at 831 Straits Turnpike in Watertown and its' recently-acquired Bradshaw Chrysler Jeep in Watertown.

Shaker, who lives in Woodbury with his wife, Danielle, is being honored for his organization's continued investment in Watertown, providing the town with significant tax revenue, jobs, and economic development.

D'Averso, the 2019 Unsung Hero Award recipient, is president of NAMI, the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. Founded in 1979 by a small group of families, NAMI is an association of hundreds of local affiliates, state organizations and volunteers who raise awareness and provide support and education not previously available to those in need.

Joe D'Averso, who lives in Watertown with his wife, Jenny, is also the facilities director for Apple Rehab in town. He works tirelessly helping to raise money for NAMI, recruiting volunteers, and cooking for events, plus raising money for the Fisher Foundation for Veterans. He also has a catering business, a contracting business, and owns Joey's Army Navy Store at 20 Depot St.

The Chamber's Beautification Award recognizes individuals, companies, and organizations for efforts that add to the area's aesthetics by improving their properties or key access points to the community. "The nominee must be a Watertown-Oakville-based business, have demonstrated a special effort to improve and/or maintain a high standard of beautification of their property, and the physical enhancements including exterior renovations, landscaping, signage, and seasonal decorations," DosSantos said.

Watertown Library Association, 2019 Beautification Award recipient, recently completed the Woodward Atrium Project for the library at 470 Main St., enhancing the façade and enlarging its interior. The expansion, the first since 1976, added a multi-purpose community room and two public meeting rooms, made its Book Nook more accessible and increased handicapped parking.

The Business Sponsor for the event is Litchfield Bancorp. Sponsorships are still available by calling Alison Amato in the Chamber offices. Tickets are $50/person or a table of 10 for $550. Reservations are required by Thursday, November 7. Call the Chamber at 203-757-0701 or visit www.watertownoakvillechamber.com.