George Dewey

George Dewey at work on a carpentry project at the Milford Point Coastal Center.

George Dewey
Middlebury, Milford
Winner of the 2016 Dave Engelman Volunteer Benchmark Award

“Milford Point is my summer place – I have the only shack left standing among all the giant houses. I live there six or seven months of the year, and I’m at the Coastal Center four or five days a week, maybe more.

“Having grown up in the woods and near the water, I’ve always been a nature guy. When I came down here, the first thing I started to do is start picking up trash. Before Hurricane Sandy, the point out here was just strewn with tons of garbage, and then Sandy hit and we had another 20 tons of garbage. So I basically started out that way.

“Then I’d see things at the Coastal Center that needed fixing. I have a machine shop so I’m used to working with my hands and making things, I’ve worked with steel and metal materials all these years, so it’s sort of a natural transition to move over to wood. I’ve been repairing some benches and things for then and I think I made around 15 to 20 new benches – I don’t know where the kids sat all those years. That project’s done, so I’m looking for another project.

“I started asking questions about birds and horseshoe crabs and clams and whatever else pops into my mind. Frank Gallo’s pretty knowledgeable about that and he was happy to answer my questions. [Frank Gallo is the Coastal Center’s associate director.]

“I’m not the kind of guy who can sit around and watch television. I don’t really have a boss there; they kind of let me do what i think best. I guess I’m doing some positive stuff because nobody’s yelling at me. And I think i’m doing something positive for kids and nature.”