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Jul 07, 2023

United Way announces Community Impact Award winner

FARMINGTON – United Way of the Tri-Valley Area annually seeks nominations for

FARMINGTON – United Way of the Tri-Valley Area annually seeks nominations for the Gary A. LaGrange Community Impact Award. This award recognizes an individual or couple that goes above and beyond to significantly impact Greater Franklin County through their volunteer efforts.

This year's Gary A. LaGrange recipient is Carroll Corbin from Chesterville. Corbin is a retired Farmington Firefighter and a current selectman for the town of Chesterville. Corbin received his award and was celebrated at United Way's campaign celebration recently held at Ayuh Cidah (172 Morrison Hill Road, Farmington) on May 24.

Corbin's commitment and passion for the community are evident in his day-to-day actions. He keeps a list of veterans in Chesterville and makes sure they are recognized when they move to town as well as local events honoring veterans every year. He also helps execute the Wreaths Across America ceremony at his local cemetery.

Corbin has a history of driving community members to appointments, picking up things that require a truck or a trailer, or hauling things like campers and horse trailers. He provided a new 3-wheeled bike to a local resident who collects cans and bottles, after the man was hit by a car. They then worked out a way that the man could pick up trash and Corbin paid him per bag, and picked up larger items and took it all to the transfer station every week.

One of his many new friends got help from Corbin to relocate his beehives onto Corbin's property and he leaves his back field to grow now so a local farmer can have extra hay to get through the year. Recently he borrowed equipment to help a single mother tear down, burn and prepare her land for a mobile home, after an uninsured house fire. He takes in local stray cats and donates to the animal shelter if an animal is taken there from Chesterville. Lastly, he frequently comes out of retirement to help the town or a friend by operating equipment, driving a dump truck, or plowing the roads when there is no one available to do it.

Carroll lovingly calls Chesterville "the Best Little Town in America," and many community members believe it is partly because of him.

Carroll was selected from a field of excellent candidates. United Way honors the following who were also nominated: Johnny Wakefield of Rangeley; Mike Pond, Heavens Cupboard Food Ministry, Farmington; Kevin Frost, Shining Star, Farmington; and Linda Myhaver of Farmington.

For more information about United Way, visit www.uwtva.org, call the office at (207) 778-5048,visit Facebook, or stop by the office at 218 Fairbanks Rd. in Farmington.