Graphic by Chandler Littleford/The Choate News
During the Hill House fire, local fire departments from Wallingford, Meriden, Middletown, and North Haven, all observers agree, acted bravely and effectively to save the heart of Choate’s campus. To thank the firemen who saved Hill House, the School hosted a brunch for the firemen, their families, and members of the Choate community.
The brunch, which took place Sunday, September 8, in Hill House Dining Hall, ran from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Members of the Wallingford Fire Department attended with their families, and they were able to share a meal with the School’s grateful student body.
When the lightning struck Hill House, other than summer program students, few Choate students were on campus to witness the fire. The brunch was an opportunity to put names and faces to the firemen and acknowledge their actions. “I think being able to see the firemen with their families really makes you remember how these were real people who made a sacrifice to help our community,” said Laura Kors ’21.
The firemen who attended the brunch heard an enthusiastic welcome from the Choate community. “Brunch was outstanding, beginning with the kind invitation, great food, and, most importantly, the warm reception from everyone,” said Chief Richard Heidgerd of the Wallingford Fire Department.
The firemen had the chance to talk to students and get to know more about the community. “During the brunch I felt at home in your home,” added Chief Heidgerd. “That is a direct result of the welcoming culture that seems to flourish at Choate. While in the omelet line, a student introduced herself and asked how long I was with the department. I was impressed by her ability to have a meaningful and mature conversation while making me feel at ease.”
A team of faculty members including Ms. Alison Cady, Director of Strategic Planning and Communications, Ms. Brittany Barbaro, Manager of Community Relations, Mr. Edward Garlick, Community Safety Officer and part-time firefighter, and Head of School Dr. Alex Curtis planned the brunch. The team wanted to invite the firefighters’ families to campus for a personal event after formally thanking the fire chiefs at Convocation. “I wanted the people that I saw with those packs, carrying seventy pounds of weight and going into a burning building, to have someone look them in the eye and say, ‘Thank you,’” said Dr. Curtis.
