75 Volunteers Honored by Teens They've Transformed

When eighth grader Gwendolyn Caffrey stood up to thank the volunteers who taught her to cook, she didn't just praise their skills. She thanked them for knowing when to help and when to step back, letting teens find their own way.

That moment captured the magic of last Thursday's volunteer celebration at Antrim Town Hall. Over 100 community members gathered to honor 75 volunteers who make Avenue A's teen programs possible throughout the year.

The teens flipped the script on the usual thank-you event. They prepared all the desserts, handmade cards for every volunteer, and decorated the hall with colorful banners and signs. Then they shared stories that brought many volunteers to tears.

Ninth grader Michael Melvin told volunteer piano teacher Nancy Razza that without her free lessons, he wouldn't be the musician he is today. "She's the reason I continue playing piano," he said.

Peyton Haught described finding a dress for her school dance at Avenue A's free clothing day. She wore it proudly after her family didn't have the money or time to shop. "I got a lot of compliments wearing that dress," she told the crowd.

The volunteers support year-round programs in woodworking, art, writing, hiking, cooking, and more. More than 350 teens aged 11 to 19 from 21 towns across the ConVal School District participate in Avenue A, a program of The Grapevine Family & Community Resource Center.

The Ripple Effect

What happens when 75 volunteers give their time isn't just 75 acts of kindness. It multiplies across 350 teens, their families, and 21 towns throughout the region.

Jacqueline Roland, director of teen programs at The Grapevine, sees it create something bigger than individual lessons or programs. "The magic of Avenue A is that everyone who is here truly wants to be here," she explained. "Our volunteers bring dedication and heart, and our teens and families show up with genuine enthusiasm."

That enthusiasm spreads from teen to teen, family to family. A girl who gets a free dress for her dance gains confidence. A boy who learns piano discovers his passion. A teen who masters cooking gains a life skill that connects them to their humanity.

The volunteers don't just teach skills—they show up consistently, smile warmly, share humor, and know when to guide and when to trust teens to figure things out themselves.

Thursday's celebration showed what happens when a community invests in its young people: the young people invest right back, with gratitude, handmade cards, homemade desserts, and words that remind adults why they volunteer in the first place.