Volunteer Bert Veilleux, Megan Silver and Maureen Kiernan, town treasurer.
Ridgefield Town Hall employees have rallied for a good cause before, but the fund-raiser for Ridgefield Social Services intern Megan Silver took the cake.
Cake, as well as a lot of other foods, that is.
Town Hall employees gathered on April 2 for a luncheon featuring pulled pork sandwiches, sides and baked goods that raised more than $1,500 for Silver, who is graduating from Western Connecticut State University with a bachelor’s degree in social work and hopes to serve for one year abroad.
The overseas assignment, via an intervarsity Christian college organization, would put Silver, of Brookfield, in northern Uganda for a year for Child Voice International. She hopes to transform young outcasts into assets for their communities by providing rehabilitation, counseling and healing for former child soldiers and teen mothers traumatized by the 20-year rebel war.
She will live in a rural village with girls and their children, and will serve as support staff to the Ugandan staff and programs. She will integrate her social work skills into the after-care program as young families transition back into their villages and continue seeking healing for their own traumatized communities.
She hopes to provide vocational training and counseling with daily life skills tutoring.
Silver’s fund-raising goal is $12,000. She must raise that sum by July to participate in the program.
“I am eternally grateful; I would never have imagined this amount of support,” said Silver, speaking of the Town Hall workers’ contributions. “I can’t believe how much this has snowballed with town employees.”
Volunteers provided homemade pulled pork served on brioche rolls, courtesy of Tom Tom’s on Main Street. There was coleslaw, baked beans, coffee, bottled water, and lots of baked goods. More than 75 attended and made a steady stream of donations to Silver’s website.
The website is secure.qgiv.com/event/account/118814. Silver worked at Town Hall to help residents apply for energy assistance during the winter, and has shadowed the program director, Tony Phillips.
“She’s the first intern we’ve ever had in social services,” said Selina Moschello, an accountant at Town Hall in the finance department.
Silver said she is not concerned about her safety in Uganda.
“As far as I’m concerned, it is safe and we’re taking proper precautions for safety. My main concern is the women and children, and to be of benefit to the staff,” Silver said.