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November 23, 2002
Handyman honored as a ‘treasure’
Handyman honored as a ‘treasure’
By Heather Barr THE NEWS-TIMES
Brookfield handyman Peter Brady receives the “Connecticut Treasures” award from Lt. Gov. Jodi Rell. Brady was honored for his volunteer work.
BROOKFIELD — When an elderly woman in the community needed help learning to operate her new computer, she called on Handy Dandy Handyman Peter Brady.
Brady, in turn, sent out an e-mail to find a student interested in helping.
Newtown High School ninth-grader Katie Winkler, 14, stepped up. She went with Brady to meet the senior citizen Friday, and will give the woman free computer help as needed.
“It was a good opportunity,” said Winkler, who likes to volunteer.
That’s how Brady’s program, offered through St. Joseph’s Church, works. Over the past two years, he and his Handy Dandy Handyman volunteers have done free odd jobs to help about 185 families.
“This is a holy spirit driven organization,” he said. “There is instant gratification. When you leave, you have a satisfied customer.”
That spirit of helpfulness earned him state recognition this week. Brady, 61, received the November “Connecticut Treasures” award from Lt. Gov. M. Jodi Rell Friday for his volunteerism.
Rell, of Brookfield, established the award to recognize individual and group volunteers who have worked to make their communities better.
“It is a tremendous honor,” said Brady. “It was totally unexpected.”
But it was not so unexpected to those who have received his help.“His outreach is spectacular,” said Helen Fiddner, 77, of Brookfield.
Brady and a friend of hers helped clean and paint the inside of her garage, cleaned her basement and worked on other rooms in her house. “It really builds community,” she said of his efforts.
Brady retired in February 2000 from Nestle USA Research Development Co., where he was director of purchasing.
In March 2000, he started the program after the church pastor asked him to rake two people’s lawns. He and his family did the job, and began to think of the others in town who need help around the house.
He helps senior citizens and those physically unable to do the work themselves, those who can’t afford help or those who want to donate to the church fund that helps pay the cost of projects for others.
“The concept is one customer helping the next customer,” he said.
Odd jobs range from changing light bulbs and setting mouse traps to painting the exterior of someone’s home.
He gets jobs by word of mouth, doing some on his own and getting volunteer help with others. He works on the projects four to six days a week.
“A lot of jobs are new to me,” he said, so he relies on help from expert volunteers who do electrical, plumbing and fine carpentry.
Brady said his volunteers ranging in age from 8 to their 80s.
Some 517 people raked leaves for 41 different customers at Brady’s sixth annual “Rake ‘n’ Bake” community raking event Nov. 9.
Janet Davis, 41, of Brookfield has been volunteering with Brady for a few years.
“He has done a fabulous job in that ministry,” said Davis. “He is no doubt worthy of the award today.”
Contact Heather Barr
at hbarr@newstimes.com
or at (203) 731-3331
Posted by hdhm at November 23, 2002 06:49 PM