NORWICH – Parents, teachers, faculty and community members gathered Wednesday night to honor volunteers who help make quality education a priority for the Norwich City School District.

President of the Parent Teacher Association Council Dottie Trojan welcomed attendees to the 110th Founder’s Day Celebration.

Gibson school PTA Vice President Karen LaPointe spoke about the progress made by their group. This year at Gibson, the Halloween float came in second, over $1,000 in books was sold at this year’s book fair and the annual fundraiser was highly profitable. She said without the dedication of volunteers, many of the activities would not be possible.

Each year one individual is chosen from each council to receive the Honorary Life Membership Award, given to those who provide a high level of volunteerism to their school.

In a video presentation by Gibson Primary students and George Brown, Gard Turner received this recognition. Turner helps at major events such as Pumpkin Festival, Colorscape and many other functions. A city police officer, he is also known for providing safety tips to students and endless hours of service behind the scenes.