WESTFIELD – For several months during the winter of 2014-2015, Colleen Cekovsky gave thanks for a core group of volunteers she called her “dinner angels” who ensured she had delicious meals to nourish her and her children, Brandon and Kinley, while her husband, Master Sgt. Christopher Cekovsky, was deployed to Afghanistan. Cekovsky serves in the security forces at Barnes Air National Guard Base.
The meals were received in the evening, accompanied by a card or note expressing their support for Cekovsky and her family.
Colleen Cekovsky (l) nominated Joy Goulette (r) for Blue Star Families’ Neighbor of the Year Award. Goulette had assembled a core group of volunteers to make meals and send cards while Cekovsky’s husband was deployed to Afghanistan. Goulette won the award and was feted in Washington, D.C. on April 7.
The “dinner angels” schedule was the brainchild of Cekovsky’s neighbor Joy Goulette who wanted to help her friend so she wouldn’t feel alone while her husband was deployed.
For Goulette, the gesture of recruiting a “network of moms” seemed small but for Cekovsky, the gifts she received were immeasurable.
“This was our first deployment to a war zone,” said Cekovsky during an interview Sunday afternoon at her home on Ingersoll Drive. “The beginning was difficult in that the light at the end of the tunnel seemed so far away.”
The homecoming in April 2015 for Master Sergeant Christopher Cekovsky, joined by his wife Colleen and children, Brandon and Kinley.
Cekovsky noted that the cards and notes that came with the meals kept her spirits up.
“The notes gave me something to look forward to every week,” she said.
Goulette had enlisted parishioners from Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church, where both families are members, as well as friends and neighbors to provide a nutritious meal for Cekovsky and her children.
“It was so overwhelming to receive these gifts, including the cards and letters, many of which included a telephone number if I needed anything else,” said Cekovsky.
Some of the dinner angels also became creative over time, dropping off Friendly’s gift certificates as well as movie tickets and funds for a pizza.
“We also received a blanket for a cozy night in, as well as a cookie-in-a-jar kit for the kids to enjoy,” said Cekovsky.
Cekovsky also acknowledged her mother, Mary Fromm, who also made meals, helped with babysitting, and provided a loving shoulder to rest on.
When Cekovsky heard of the Blue Star Families’ Neighbor of the Year Award, she nominated Goulette, as well as her next door neighbor who had done so much shoveling during the infamous winter of 2014-2015.
After Cekovsky learned that Goulette was one of five finalists for the award, she couldn’t wait to share the news with her. On April 7, the two families came full circle as Joy Goulette was joined by her husband Donald, as well as Colleen and Christopher Cekovsky, at a gala dinner hosted by Blue Star Families in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Goulette had been chosen the winner of the prestigious award.
Blue Star Families (BSF) help strengthen military families every day through career development, caregiving, and leading research on military family life. A small group of military spouses in 2009 began getting together in their kitchens with the hope of making a difference in the lives of military families and soon saw a need where they could join forces with the general public and their communities to address the challenges of military life. Today, BSF has more than 150,000 members and reaches more than 35 communities and chapters around the globe. BSF programs and services also help more than 1.5 million military families every year.
The sixth annual Blue Star Neighbors Celebration honored extraordinary Americans who support military families, and Goulette was among those honored. The dinner gala was a blur for the two women as they were whisked away for countless media interviews, however, they did have a chance to enjoy the concert by Sister Sledge that closed out the evening affair. Highlights of their four-day adventure included a behind-the-scenes tour of the Capitol, a visit to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Pentagon, Library of Congress, and The National Mall. They also had an opportunity to meet several high ranking government officials including Gen. Charles Frank Bolden, Jr., the administrator at NASA.
“My husband and I are star geeks so we especially enjoyed meeting Gen. Bolden,” said Goulette.
After being in the spotlight for several days, the women are once again happy to be back in their routines and walking their children to the Munger Hill Elementary School in the morning and chatting in the playground in the afternoon before the children are dismissed.
As Sunday’s interview was winding down, the women were heading out with their families to a Springfield Falcons game since Goulette was scheduled to receive a Game Changer Award. Since Cekovsky and her family are big hockey fans, Colleen Cekovsky had mentioned to the Falcons administrative team what Goulette had done for her family and they immediately knew her good deed should be recognized. Goulette’s husband Donald, as well as their children, Kaitlynn, LeeAnna, and Krystyna, and her mother, Evelyn Chmura, were joining her for the occasion.
“Everyone I asked was very happy to help Colleen,” said Goulette. “I really didn’t think it was a big deal, I was very surprised this all happened. For me it was a very small thing I did for her, but it really did mean a lot to her because she felt included while her husband was gone, and I’m glad that I did it.”
For more information on Blue Star Families and how you can help, visit https://bluestarfam.org.
“I hope my fellow Americans will join forces to help a family who has someone in a combat zone,” added Goulette.
