Revitalizing Waterbury salutes Lotspeich, announces spring Volunteer Fair
April 3, 2025 | By Lisa Scagliotti Update April 8: This post was updated to note that Revitalizing Waterbury is working with the Waterbury Recreation Department to organize the upcoming Volunteer Fair.
Steve Lotspeich performs at Rusty Parker Memorial Park in 2019. File photo by Gordon Miller
At its annual meeting this week, Revitalizing Waterbury bestowed its highest honor to a longtime public servant who passed away in 2024, and it announced a spring event designed to boost local groups that run on volunteer energy.
The nonprofit community and economic development organization each year presents an award in memory of its founder Kathy O’Dell whose vision and effort led to RW’s creation in 1991, starting the organization that worked to redevelop the Stimson and Graves building on Stowe Street for senior housing and commercial space as well as the Waterbury Train Station.
RW has grown into the community’s main development organization supporting tourism, local business activities, beautification and public art projects, design and growth initiatives, and more.
Steve Lotspeich’s son Anshe and daughter Yana accept RW’s O’Dell Community Service Award. Photo courtesy of Roger Clapp
This year’s Kathy O’Dell Community Service Award was presented posthumously to Steve Lotspeich, who worked as Waterbury’s town planner for 30 years before his retirement in early 2024. Lotspeich, who died last April 24 at the age of 71, also was a tireless community volunteer and booster.
While his job in town government focused on planning for Waterbury’s growth and development, Lotspeich spent much of his free time continuing those efforts, volunteering with RW on planting projects, installing holiday decorations, and leading its design committee in its efforts to improve the appearance of the community. He never missed a Green Up Day town cleanup, and he was a frequent musical guest at community events, playing his guitar and singing folk tunes, many of them originals he composed.
Outgoing RW President Julie Frailey presented the award to Lotspeich’s daughter Yana and son Anshe at the annual meeting Monday evening at Blackback Pub.
May 17: Volunteer Fair at Brookside Primary School
The Volunteer Fair will be held at Brookside Primary School on Saturday, May 17. Photo by Lisa Scagliotti
It’s no secret that many aspects of community life in Waterbury run on volunteer energy and anyone involved in an organization that relies on volunteers knows it’s a constant process to keep that energy going.
Acknowledging that need, Revitalizing Waterbury is planning a special event on Saturday, May 17 to highlight the many opportunities in town for volunteers and hopefully provide a boost to local volunteer-run groups and organizations.
Revitalizing Waterbury Executive Director Roger Clapp said plans are coming together for a Volunteer Fair that will run from 1 to 3 p.m. at Brookside Primary School.
The event will give organizations in need of volunteer support a chance to recruit and for community members to learn about ways they can get involved.
In the early 2000s, RW organized several Community Fair events along similar lines. They assembled representatives of many local organizations at the primary school to inform the community about their work, projects and needs for more people to get involved. Several of those took place before they, too, ran out of volunteer power to continue.
There are many new organizations on the scene today as well as many new community members, Clapp noted. So the timing seems good to draw attention in order to inform and connect people, he said.
RW staff are working with the Waterbury Recreation Department to plan the event. They are in the process of contacting local organizations to invite them to the fair. Clapp said they have a good list, but it may not be complete. Anyone with a group that relies on volunteers and would like to connect with new volunteers is invited to participate.
RW has an online form for groups to use to sign up to have a table at the fair.
Organizations also may share information that RW will post about their group on its website. Clapp said the RW website by April 18 will post a list of the organizations that attendees will find represented at the event.
Importantly, he emphasized, the event will be free. “There is no charge to participate or to attend,” Clapp said.
The schedule for the day will have setup starting at noon with the event window 1 to 3 p.m. Organizers also plan to offer two panel discussion topics for participating groups: sessions on recruiting and managing volunteers and another on fundraising, Clapp said. Arrangements are also being made to offer child care at the event for participants.
To sign up to have a table at the fair, use this online form. For more information, contact Revitalizing Waterbury at 802-793-6029.