NEWS
from
Central Connecticut State University
Honored as a "Leadership Institution" by the Association
of American Colleges & Universities
Media contact: Peter Kilduff, Director of University
Relations
(860) 832-1791;
Kilduff@ccsu.edu
Two area residents to be honored at Veterans’ Day
ceremony on November 12; public invited
NEW BRITAIN
– November 9, 2007 – Central Connecticut State
University will honor two area military service members
at the annual Veterans¹ Day ceremony on Monday, November
12. The event will be held at 3 p.m. in Founders Hall
in the Davidson Hall administration building on Stanley
Street. A reception will follow the ceremony. The
event is open to the public and free parking is
available in campus parking lots.
New Britain resident Adrian Lavoie -- a U.S.
Marine Corps veteran, a member of the Franco-American
War Veterans, the Marine Corps League, the American
Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars -- will be
awarded the University Veterans Public Service Award for
Excellence.
Michael Bareiss of East Longmeadow, Mass., a
U.S. Navy veteran and now a CCSU student, will receive
the CCSU Student-Veteran Excellence Award.
“Veterans’ Day provides us the opportunity
to reflect on the tremendous sacrifices that our
nation’s veterans have made while protecting our country
and our freedom,” said CCSU President Jack Miller. “It
is an honor for the university to have this opportunity
to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to
those who have served our country in peace and war.”
Adrian Lavoie was born in Maine and resided
there until he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in
1957. He re-enlisted in New Britain in 1961. Lavoie
served with the Fleet Marine Forces Camp Lejeune, North
Carolina with Delta Company First Battalion, Eight
Marines, Second Marine Division and was deployed during
the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 and, in March
1963, to the Panama Canal and to Costa Rica for as part
of the security during the late President John F.
Kennedy’s visit to San Jose, Costa Rica. He was
discharged from the Marines in 1964 and later served
with the U.S. Army Reserve and the Connecticut National
Guard.
Now retired, Lavoie was employed by General
Electric in Plainville for 16 years and the Stanley
Works in New Britain for nine years. His wife, the
former Denise Arton, passed away the day before their
40th wedding anniversary. Their son Michael is a
graduate of CCSU and Western Connecticut State
University.
Lavoie has been Vice Commander and Post
Commander of Franco-American War Veterans Post 26, which
he currently he serves as the post historian. His other
memberships include: the Hardware City Detachment of
the Marine Corps League, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 511, and the 169th Infantry Division Veterans
Corps.
Michael Bareiss joined the U.S. Navy in July
2001 and became a gunner’s mate or, as he notes, “more
specifically a Mark 41 Vertical Launching System
Technician” aboard the 9,600-ton guided missile cruiser
U.S.S. Monterey (CG-61), which the Navy describes as “a
large combat vessel with multiple target response
capability.” Bareiss made two six-month deployments
with the warship and, during his last deployment was
promoted to Gunner’s Mate Second Class Petty Officer
(E-5), and was the youngest sailor on the ship to hold
that rank.
Following his release from active duty In
July 2005, Bareiss began his studies at CCSU. That
year, he joined the Veterans Appreciation Organization
and has been actively involved in the club ever since.
He is currently the club’s president, and a member of
the American Legion.
Bareiss is in his junior year at CCSU and is
majoring in Construction Management in the School of
Engineering and Technology. He anticipates graduating
in May 2009, after which he hopes to work as a project
manager at a construction firm and, ultimately, have his
own business.
Directions to CCSU are at the University¹s
website:
http://www.ccsu.edu/visit.htm
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