WESTMINSTER, Vt. – On June 4, the Fuqua Family was belatedly honored with the 2021 Charles Albert Dickinson (CAD) award at Kurn Hattin Homes for Children’s graduation ceremony.
The CAD Award, established in 2013, is given annually in recognition of an organization or individuals whose philanthropic commitment embodies the mission of New England Kurn Hattin Homes for Children. Named for founder Reverend Charles Albert Dickinson, the award recognizes those who make a significant contribution to the field of child welfare and help to transform the lives of children and families forever.
Over the last six decades, three generations of the Fuqua Family have placed the needs of Kurn Hattin Homes’ children at the highest level. In the 1970s and 1980s, Victor and Ruth Morse became staunch enthusiasts of the Homes though their regular visits to attend concerts and volunteer with the children. In 2004, the Victor and Ruth Music Center was named to honor their impressive legacy to Kurn Hattin.
In the 1990s, Mary Fuqua, Victor and Ruth Morse’s daughter, and her husband Charles, began taking on the family tradition of supporting Kurn Hattin. Charles and Mary quickly became active volunteers and supporters. Charles and Mary made regular trips to Kurn Hattin from their home in Williamstown, Mass. to tutor the children in various subjects and attend special events.
Receiving the award were Andrew and Gillian Fuqua, Charles and Mary’s children. Andrew, a health care executive in Massachusetts, and Gillian, an elementary school principal in Vermont, have continued their family’s impressive commitment to supporting children and families. Last year, the family’s generous grant through the Fuqua Family Fund at the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation played a critical role in helping Kurn Hattin Homes, along with numerous other charitable organizations, navigate the tremendous challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and provided foundational resources to support children and families in Vermont and Western Massachusetts.
Upon accepting the award on behalf of his family, Andrew congratulated the graduates and praised the Kurn Hattin faculty, staff, and volunteers for being so dedicated to children on a daily basis. He added, “Kurn Hattin is a wonderful opportunity for children and children are blessed to have the chance to attend.”