Community Leaders Fellowship 2025
Newtown
The Town of Newtown was selected by the Connecticut Age Well Collaborative as one of two municipalities to participate in the 2025 Community Leaders Fellowship program.
Over the course of the program, six Newtown Fellows collaborated with municipal leadership on a project of their choosing, supported by coaching from the Collaborative. For their project, the Fellows decided to create a community poster campaign that celebrates every age and every ability in their town.
At the conclusion of the project, the Fellows shared their goals for the campaign with us. “We hope these posters will expand awareness, build community, and dispel stereotypes about age and ability. We aim to challenge the stereotypes of helplessness and embrace Newtown elders who engage in a variety of meaningful, inter-generational activities throughout the community. We also wanted to highlight several opportunities available through the Newtown Senior Center and Community Center.”
The Posters
Meet the Fellows
Sharon Hoyt: Active
Sharon Hoyt is an active Sandy Hook resident with 14 great-grandchildren. A former aquatics director, she has taught almost 3,000 people how to swim. Sharon swims daily and runs a Parkinson’s Support Group at the Senior Center. An active member of her communities, Sharon brings passion and humor to every interest and is a lifelong learner.
Mary Ann Jacob: Bold
Mary Ann Jacob, a former Chair of the Newtown Legislative Council, has lived in Newtown for 28 years. A cancer survivor and therapy dog handler, Mary Ann is an active member of the Newtown community. Mary Ann volunteers as a patient care volunteer at Regional Hospice and as an advocate for gun violence prevention.
Nancy Kessler: Growing
Nancy Kessler writes memoirs for elders who want to tell their stories and teaches memoir writing. Five years ago, she got interested in vegetable gardens and now eats from her garden year-round. She moved to Newtown four years ago and is a lifelong learner.
John Boccuzzi: Powerful
John Boccuzzi is a leader in Newtown, President of the Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS). A retired educator, John has been a force in the community, offering creative solutions to dealing with the changes we face as we age. He also enjoys yard work and has a wonderful model train room that he built.
Bev Bennett-Schaedler: Advocate
Bev Bennett-Schaedler founded the Friends of Newtown Seniors (FONS) Chore Service and the Newtown Rides program. She received the AARP’s prestigious Andrus Award and Volunteer of the Year for the State of CT in 2024, in recognition of her extraordinary commitment to improving the lives of others in our community. Bev has lived in Newtown for more than 40 years and loves her family, motorcycles, and helping others.
Linda Jones: Fun
Linda Jones is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist and licensed Family Therapist. Linda facilitates monthly bereavement support groups at the Newtown Parent Connection and founded Families United in Newtown (FUN), which provides social/recreational opportunities for children, teens, and adults with special needs and their families in a caring environment through themed meetings.
Fellow bios were written by Nancy Kessler.
Like what you see? Apply to Participate!
For Municipalities
Municipal applications for the 2026 Fellowship are now closed, but applications for 2027 will open this fall. Sign up for e-news to stay informed.
For Fellows
Participating municipalities for 2026 will be announced in October; applications for Community Fellows open in December. Sign up for e-news to stay informed.
More to Explore
The 2023 Fellowship
In 2023, the Collaborative piloted the Community Leaders Fellowship by doing it ourselves! Learn more about our first cohort of Fellows and what we learned from them by streaming our Age Well Academy webinar, Honoring Lived Experience and Creating Community Authority.
