The Newtown/Danbury unit of Church Women United hosted its annual Human Rights Celebration on March 8 at Newtown Congregational Church. The theme of the celebration was “Through God Our Hands Can Protect.” Michelle Weinstein was the keynote speaker for the celebration. The residential and clinical services manager for Ability Beyond, Ms Weinstein shared some of the challenges and rewards of her career in the service of helping those with addictions and mental disabilities. One high-light of the morning was the presentation by the local CWU unit of a Human Rights Award to Ms Weinstein for her “leadership service as a mentor and social activist in human rights and human development, an advocate for peach and justice with no boundaries of political system, country, cultural background or religion,” according to the framed certificate. The award was presented to Ms Weinstein by local CWU Unit President Darlene Jackson, on the left, and local CWU Celebrations Chair Linda Manganaro, center, who is also Ms Weinstein’s mother. The award came from the national level of Church Women United, Mrs Jackson pointed out Saturday morning.
