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.
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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
Service Above Self Award Honorees
2020
Service Above Self Award 2025 Honorees
Jesse Timm
Volunteer
HOHCT is chock full of volunteers who are unsung heroes, those who shun the spotlight and come to help at a Veteran service project at a moment’s notice, making the work we do possible. Jesse Timm is one of those volunteers. Jesse has quietly provided invaluable assistance at countless HOHCT projects since 2016. A retired installer of rehab equipment including ramps, stair lifts and the like, his skills - and his appreciation for those who served - are ideal matches for HOHCT. “I am honored to be chosen Volunteer of the Year,” says Jesse, whose granddaughter Acelynn is an aspiring carpenter and now joins him on HOHCT jobs. “I find the organization’s mission fantastic and I find the work very rewarding.” Thank you, Jesse!
Dave Cote and Kevin Cote
Craftsmen
Dave Cote goes back with HOHCT Co-Founder Steve Cavanaugh to middle school in Hamden. So it was only natural that Dave, and later his younger brother Kevin, came on board to help Steve, and Veterans in need, after Steve co-founded the organization with Bill May in 2012. As skilled craftsmen they have been indispensible on numerous jobs, and are most comfortable working hard behind the scenes to make life easier for deserving Veterans. “These Veterans, they are heroes, and I welcome the chance to give them a hand,” says Dave. Adds Kevin, “This work means a lot to me inside.” Thank you, Dave and Kevin!
CrossFit of Wallingford
Sponsor
HOHCT Co-Founder, the late Bill May, Sr., used to work out with his son, Hamden police officer Bill May, Jr., at CrossFit Wallingford. Bill Jr.’s fellow officer, the now-retired Rob Villano, owned then and still owns CrossFit along with partner John DelGrego. Rob was inspired by Bill Sr.’s commitment to helping his fellow Vets through House of Heroes, and in 2019 started the CrossFit Hero Challenge, an annual marathon charity workout in which participants raise funds for HOHCT. The event has been a smash success, raising more than $20,000 for the cause. “Through suffering and taking on the hardest thing ever, the CrossFit Challenge pays tribute to the service and sacrifice of our Veterans,” says Villano. Thank you, CrossFit Wallingford!
Service Above Self Award 2023 Honorees
Paul Hoar, Jackie Lovett
& Ann Yeomans
Volunteer
The Hoar siblings - Paul, Jackie and Ann - have become an integral part of the HOHCT mission and we are so thankful for them. Paul, a U.S. Air Force veteran, became fast friends with HOHCT’s Bill May when Bill first formed the organization in 2012 and it wasn't long before he joined our board and became a major fundraiser. Jackie, a real estate agent, joined the board soon after her brother and her long hours of work at our projects and on our annual Gala raffle have become legend. Ann was the latest sibling to join the team and brings a tireless work ethic and welcome creative energy to our work.
John & Dana Furness
Craftsman
John, who likes to go by Tom, and Dana Furness have become fast friends of and loyal volunteers with
House of Heroes ever since Johnson Brunetti became a Project Partner in 2019. The Furness' are
JB clients, and they love giving back. Tom spent four years in the Navy as a mechanic and enjoyed a 40-
year career as a mechanic and welder on heavy equipment, while Dana’s career was in research and
development. Tom has put his talents to good use with House of Heroes, handcrafting a wide variety of
beautiful metal craft items with patriotic themes for our veterans’ homes and gardens which always add a very special touch to our work. “It is an honor for us to help veterans at these projects,” says Tom.
Clinton Country Club
Sponsor
House of Heroes is proud to honor and recognize our loyal partner Clinton Country Club as our Sponsor
of the Year. Since 2019 Clinton CC’s Pro Veteran Classic charity golf event has raised more than $30,000 for House of Heroes, and a like amount for APK Charities. The event is a fun-filled day that not only raises important funds for Veterans causes, but offers an opportunity for invited Veterans to enjoy a day on the course. The event would not be possible without the support of the Holland and Knight Law Firm, which in addition to sponsoring this event also provides thousands of hours of pro bono legal assistance to vets.
Service Above Self Award 2024 Honorees
Paul Strom
Volunteer
House of Heroes Connecticut cannot do the work it does without a strong team of skilled workers and Project Managers who perform miracles Making a Difference in a Day for the Veterans it serves. Paul Strom has become a vital member of the HOHCT Team, assisting wherever and whenever needed – even at a moment’s notice – to help manage projects and complete often challenging repair and installation jobs. Paul’s experience as a retired 35-year lineman for CL&P/Eversource and skills as a former sheet metal tradesman have served both him, and HOHCT, well.
Pat Munger Construction Company, Inc.
Craftsman
In June of 2024, House of Heroes tackled a life-saving project in Marlborough, rebuilding a crumbling, 52-foot hillside stairway so the Veteran homeowner could safely exit and enter his home in traveling to weekly chemotherapy and dialysis treatments. A team of employees from Branford-based Pat Munger Construction Company put their engineering, carpentry and project management skills to outstanding use in completing the project, which was also made possible by Project Partner The Inspired Kitchen and additional volunteers from PCX Aerosystems and Bane Property Management.
Liberty Bank
Sponsor
A House of Heroes Connecticut Project partner since 2022, Middletown-based Liberty Bank and its Liberty Bank Foundation have steadfastly supported the House of Heroes mission, both financially and through employee volunteerism, partnering with the organization on four Veteran service projects (including two in 2024). The bank typically goes above and beyond in serving the needs of the Veterans served, and its support of House of Heroes is not limited to Project Partnerships – the bank is also the presenting sponsor of the state’s largest Veterans charity golf event, the Golden Kielbasa Veterans Open, of which House of Heroes is lead beneficiary.
Steve LePage
Strength in Service
As much as House of Heroes Connecticut is all about serving those who served, it is also about engaging and teaching the younger generation about the importance and value of patriotism, service and sacrifice. Steve LePage, Superintendent of Schools for Northwestern Regional School District No. 7, has been an unabashed House of Heroes Connecticut supporter, volunteer and advocate since he was principal of Plainville High School in 2016 and a leader with HOHCT supporter the Plainville Rotary Club. Steve is all about motivating his students and teaching them life lessons; in 2024, he was dogged in recruiting and engaging 20 Northwestern Regional High School students, who had the experience of their lives working with HOHCT to assist an 85-year-old Winsted Navy Veteran with a complete property makeover. House of Heroes Connecticut is thankful for advocates like Steve, whose mentorship and leadership are making a difference in the lives of both students and Veterans.
Service Above Self Award 2022 Honorees
John Torgerson
Volunteer
A retired Town of Hamden Park Superintendent and Marine veteran, John Torgerson has been volunteering for House of Heroes since the organization’s early days. A skilled carpenter, John’s work assisting numerous veterans on behalf of HOHCT over the years has proven invaluable. And his value goes a long way because when he arrives for a job, he usually brings his twin daughters along, Emily and Alese - who both took after their dad and are skilled carpenters in their own right. John finds helping his fellow veterans very rewarding. “You get the satisfaction knowing you’ve made someone happy and that they can live their lives safely and comfortably.” Thank you, John Torgerson!
David Santello
Craftsman
A skilled craftsman and member of the Connecticut Carpenters Union since 1988, Dave Santello has been a loyal supporter and volunteer with House of Heroes Connecticut since 2016. That was when,
quite unexpectedly, HOHCT showed up the day after Thanksgiving to build a handicap ramp for Dave’s father, an Army veteran. “They put that thing together so fast,” says Dave. “I told Carol (May) right then that if you ever need me, just call.” Dave has been a loyal and important part of the regular HOHCT skilled volunteer labor team ever since, and it is our privilege to honor his service to us tonight. Thank you, Dave Santello!
SkyDive for Veterans
Sponsor
Since 2016 a group of Connecticut shoreline friends have banded together every September to promote a unique event that pairs exhilaration with fundraising for a cause. The event is called Skydive for Veterans, in which ordinary folks from every walk of life jump out of otherwise perfectly good
airplanes for both the joy of the experience and to serve our nation’s veterans. Over the years, Skydive for Veterans has raised nearly $40,000 for House of Heroes Connecticut and a like amount
for another veterans service organization, Work Vessels for Vets. Thank you, Skydive for Veterans!
Service Above Self Award 2021 Honorees
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
Service Above Self Award 2019 Honorees
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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!
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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!
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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!
Service Above Self Award 2018 Honorees
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.