UNICO Honors Len Del Gallo Sr. with Posthumous Avon Citizen of the Year Award

With Avon Day 2013 only a few weeks away, late event chairman Leonard Del Gallo's town spirit lives on and his community activism has not been forgotten. 

The Avon UNICO chapter announced last week that the organization has chosen Del Gallo Sr., Mr. Avon Day, as the Avon Citizen of the Year. UNICO will present the posthumous award in his honor at 1 p.m. at Avon Day, which is scheduled for Sept. 21. 

"The Selection Committee agreed right away that Len was the Avon Citizen of the Year for 2013," Greg Van Deusen, UNICO's Award Committee chairman said in a press release. "We are saddened by the loss of our good friend, yet uplifted as we recall the precious time we spent with such a fine person.”

The family expressed gratitude in a statement, saying "“the Del Gallo family would like to thank the Town of Avon and all who have participated in bringing Avon Day together each year."

"Len Sr. loved the town of Avon and gave his time and years of service in an effort to make Avon an even more special place to live for all," the family said. 

Nearly a year ago, Len Del Gallo Sr. was getting everything ready for the town's annual Avon Day festival.

The night before Avon Day last September, Del Gallo Sr., who was the Avon Day committee chairman for at least 12 years, was hospitalized after a medical emergency while preparing for the event on the field between Thompson Brook School and Pine Grove School. He passed away months later on Jan. 9, 2013 at the age of 74, according to his obituary. 

“We miss him on a personal level and as a chairman," Laurie Carlson, Avon Public Works administrative coordinator and an Avon Day Committee member, said in a statement. "He was respected by the whole committee as a person and a chairman. Over the course of his chairmanship, we all grew to feel like family, with Len at the helm.”

Avon Day started in 1982, initially as a barbecue on the Town Green thanking town officials for their service to Avon, Del Gallo Sr. told Patch last year. It is now in its 32nd year. Del Gallo Sr. grew Avon Day from a small event to one of the largest community events of the year with as many as 80 booths "representing local groups, businesses, food, inflatables, and other attractions," UNICO said in the press release. 

"It was Len’s ideas, energy, foresight, and kindness that endeared him to all who worked with him," UNICO said in the statement. "The Avon Day Committee, with Len Del Gallo Sr. at the helm, always presented an event for families that showed off Avon’s community spirit, and educated people about Avon’s variety of service organizations."

Del Gallo Sr. was also integral in bringing UNICO on board as the annual event sponsor in 1998. That was the year the Avon Citizen of the Year Award was established, according to the press release. Del Gallo Sr. once served as the president of the Simsbury UNICO chapter and as a district governor for the national organization, according to his obituary. 

He was also a member of the Prince Thomas of Savoy Society, Avon's Italian club, the release stated. Del Gallo Sr. also served on the Avon CERT Committee and was very involved in several other local "committees and service organizations," according to UNICO. 

A golfer, Del Gallo Sr. was a member at the Farmington Woods Golf Course and was former president of the Golf Club of Avon.

Professionally, he was in the insurance business. He worked for BS & D Insurance and later bought the company with his son, Michael that is now called AG Insurance, according to his obituary.

Most of the proceeds from Avon Day are put into the Avon Special Needs Fund, which gives financial assistance to struggling residents to help pay things like their heating or oil bills.  Avon Day has raised "tens of thousands of dollars" for the fund over the years, according to UNICO. 

Del Gallo is survived by his wife, Marlene Del Gallo and his sons, Michael and Leonard Jr., all of whom live in Avon, according to his obituary.

Did you know Len Del Gallo Sr.? Please respectfully share your memories of him and your favorite Avon Day moment in the comments.